CHICAGO -- There is only so much information that can be gleaned from poring over video or reading scouting reports prepared by team analysts. Even with all the data available these days, nothing can replace stepping into the batter's box and seeing a pitcher work in person.

In a 3-1 loss Thursday afternoon, the Cubs had all the info they needed to devise a plan for Rockies rookie Peter Lambert, but the right-hander made the lineup look unprepared. In his Major League debut, Lambert kept Chicago's hitters in check, outdueling lefty Jose Quintana and dropping Chicago back into a first-place tie with the Brewers atop the National League Central.

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"Their young pitcher, I thought, did a nice job," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "He's a pitcher. Very composed. Variety of pitches. He's a good athlete."

Maddon studied some recent footage of the 22-year-old Lambert, who was summoned from Triple-A Albuquerque before the game. The manager cited a recent start that the young righty made in Las Vegas, where he piled up 10 strikeouts in seven shutout innings. Maddon said Thursday's performance had a similar look to that one -- a testament to Lambert keeping his composure over seven frames.

The other side of the coin is that the Cubs -- still trying to incrementally dig out of a recent offensive lull as a team -- did not make the necessary adjustments as the game wore on. Lambert acted allergic to the strike zone against Chicago's left-handed hitters, peppering the lower-outside edge with four seamers. The rookie filled up the zone against righties, countering his heater with a changeup, curve and occasional slider.

"Stayed calm, stayed under control -- I mean, pitched, really pitched," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "That's what we were saying on the bench. Fastball-change-breaking ball combo, behind the count changeups, high fastballs, fastballs down and away at the knees. It was great. That was cool for me."

Cubs infielder David Bote, who had four hits and seven RBIs on Wednesday, said one challenge of watching video is the fact that the camera angle is from center field. That does not give a batter a proper look at how deception might factor into the equation from the batter's box. Another pitfall is reading too much into pitch sequencing in the Minor Leagues. That can change once a pitcher teams with an experienced big league catcher, like Lambert had in Chris Iannetta.

"He's got Chris Iannetta back there," Bote said, "who's going to have a lot more experience than a Triple-A catcher or whoever it is. So, you can look at like 2-0 stuff, he's throwing this or he's doing that. It's not necessarily going to be the case here when you have a different catcher who does different things. As you're trying to figure out what he's trying to do, you're also trying to pick up his stuff."

The Cubs managed two hits and a walk in the second inning, but Javier Baez was thrown out at third trying to advance from second on a groundout, contributing to the collapse of that rally. Chicago ended Lambert's run of 11 straight batters retired in the sixth, when Kris Bryant doubled, and then Baez sent an 0-1 curveball into left for an RBI single.

Lambert then struck out the next four batters he faced to end his seven-inning performance. His nine strikeouts were the most in a Major League debut for a Rockies pitcher, and the most in an MLB debut against the Cubs since April 8, 2000 (Cincinnati's Rob Bell also had nine that day).

It was the type of showing that pushed Quintana to the background, despite a solid outing that saw the left-hander last into the eighth inning.

"He got to make his debut at Wrigley Field," Bote said of Lambert, with a shrug. "That's pretty cool. He's probably really hyped about it. He did a really good job keeping us off balance all day."