BALTIMORE -- Given the state of the Cubs’ bullpen -- a group dealing with a long list of injuries -- manager Craig Counsell has had to mix and match in critical moments. On Thursday afternoon, the relief corps was unable to hold the line in a tight game at Camden Yards.
The Orioles struck for a pair of runs in the eighth to send the Cubs to a 3-2 loss in the finale of a three-game set, though Chicago claimed the first two games for the series win. The North Siders now head to Cincinnati for the final series of the first half leading into the All-Star break.
Here are three takeaways from Thursday’s loss in Baltimore:
1. Solid bounce-back start for Peterson
One of the primary reasons the Cubs liked lefty David Peterson as a trade target last month was his ability to generate grounders. That was especially enticing when considering he would be working with Chicago’s elite infield defense.
“It’s an important part of who he is when he’s at his best,” Counsell said. “His ground-ball rate is far above average when he’s been really good.”
The Cubs saw it in Peterson’s debut for the team on June 27, when he worked into the sixth in a solid performance against the Brewers. One outing later, Peterson gave up a season-high 15 fly balls and was charged with 10 runs in just 3 2/3 innings in a rough performance against the Cardinals last Friday.
After using the past several days to dive into some delivery issues, Peterson looked more like himself against the Orioles. He gave the North Siders five innings and limited Baltimore to a solo homer by Tyler O’Neill in the second. After that blast, Peterson held the Orioles to an 0-for-11 showing.
“He gave us a chance,” Counsell said. “I thought it was certainly, obviously, better than his last start. There was still some inconsistencies there, but I also thought he showed the really good version of himself, too.”
Peterson issued four walks, but navigated out of trouble when he had traffic. Following consecutive one-out walks in the third, he induced an inning-ending double play on a grounder off the bat of Gunnar Henderson. Overall, the veteran lefty generated seven outs via ground balls in his 77-pitch effort.
“I thought it was good overall,” Peterson said. “I liked what I saw out of some of the work and adjustments we’ve been doing with the pitching staff. I don’t love the walks, but we saw more ground balls, saw some typical results.”
2. Suzuki’s clutch day at the plate
Prior to his three-run homer in the seventh inning on Wednesday night -- a key blast to help the Cubs hold on for a 9-7 victory -- Seiya Suzuki was mired in an 0-for-19 slump in the batter’s box. That home run helped spark a surge for Chicago’s right fielder.
During Thursday’s loss, Suzuki launched a game-tying solo homer off Orioles lefty Trevor Rogers in the sixth inning, giving the outfielder 15 shots on the season. The homer had an exit velocity of 110.9 mph, per Statcast, which gave Suzuki a team-leading seven batted balls of at least 110 mph this season.
“The last series in Chicago at home, I couldn’t hit,” Suzuki said via interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “And I had a lot of frustration built up. So really, it was taking that frustration out on the ball. I didn’t really change anything. Just was staying aggressive, getting my pitch and trying to do damage on it.”
After having a single and stolen base in the first, plus the home run, Suzuki gave the North Siders a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning by pulling a pitch from reliever Tyler Wells up the left-field line. Pete Crow-Armstrong, who reached via a hustle double to open the frame, scored on the play.
Suzuki exited in the bottom of the eighth due to calf cramping, but both he and Counsell said after the game that the issue had resolved.
3. Bullpen surrenders late lead
Righty Tyler Ferguson has been one of the recent pitchers to step up for the Cubs amid a rash of injuries within the bullpen. He has continued to earn higher-leverage moments from Counsell, who trusted the righty with a one-run lead in the eighth on Thursday.
Ferguson entered the afternoon with a 2.25 ERA and 11 strikeouts against no walks in eight appearances (eight innings) since joining Chicago’s relief corps. He started off the eighth with a strikeout of Taylor Ward, but then hit Henderson and Pete Alonso with consecutive pitches.
Counsell turned to lefty Ryan Rolison and the Orioles counted with pinch-hitter Jeremiah Jackson, who drove a pitch deep into the right-center gap for a go-ahead double. Henderson and Alonso both scored on the play to put the Cubs in a 3-2 hole.