Pete Crow-Armstrong Injured As Chicago Cubs Fall To Washington Nationals 2-1
Bad luck hit Chicago Cubs Outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong for the second day in a row against the Washington Nationals, this time literally. After winning the series opener Friday, 11-5, the Cubs fell to the Nationals today, 2-1. Jorge Alfaro had an RBI single in the first inning, and Daylen Lile added a solo homer in the fourth to power Washington. Crow-Armstrong scored the Cubs’ only run on an RBI groundout by catcher Carson Kelly.
Crow-Armstrong’s Bad Luck
After sitting out a couple of games to clear his head, Crow-Armstrong looks to have broken out of his recent slump. PCA had two singles and two sacrifice flies in Friday’s game, scoring one run and driving in two. He also stole his team-leading 32nd base in the game. He had a double, a walk, and a run scored in three trips to the plate on Saturday. Unfortunately, during his final at-bat Saturday, he fouled a pitch off his knee. He walked later in the at-bat, but he left the game after running to second on the inning’s final play. Recent call-up Kevin Alcántara took his place in centerfield.
The Cubs are already without right fielder Kyle Tucker, who is battling a left calf issue. At the post-game press conference, Cub Manager Craig Counsell said that X-rays on Crow-Armstrong’s knee were negative, and he would be listed as day-to-day. PCA’s foul ball was not the first bad luck he experienced in this series. On Friday, he lost a ball off the bat of Lile in the sun that turned into a triple. Another Lile drive hit a gap in the ivy and caromed over Crow-Armstrong’s head for a second triple. Crow-Armstrong is widely considered the best defensive centerfielder in baseball, so both plays were very uncharacteristic for the swift centerfielder.
The Cubs Waste a Strong Effort From Boyd
Chicago starter Matthew Boyd pitched seven strong innings, allowing seven hits, zero walks, and two earned runs, while striking out three. Boyd picked off his MLB-leading 10th baserunner of the season in the fifth inning. Today’s loss was the 11th this year for the Cubs, in which Boyd allowed three or fewer runs on the mound. The loss ran Boyd’s record to 12-8, but lowered his ERA to 2.92. His 12 wins and 145 strikeouts lead the team. Drew Pomerantz and Daniel Palencia each threw scoreless innings in relief of Boyd.
Chicago’s offense managed just three hits in the game: a double by Crow-Armstrong and singles by Seiya Suzuki and Nico Hoerner. The Cubs did, however, coax seven walks out of Washington’s pitchers. Chicago hitters left 15 men on base in the game, including leaving the tying run, Hoerner, stranded on second base in the bottom of the ninth inning. The Cubs left 14 runners on base in Friday’s game.
Lord and Lile Power Washington
Brad Lord stymied Chicago’s offense for five and two-thirds innings, striking out seven and allowing two hits, four walks, and one earned run. Lord struck out the side in the third and fourth innings. His sinker netted him double plays to get out of jams in the first and sixth frames. Lord needed a good start after allowing seven runs in each of his last two starts. The rookie is now 5-8 on the season with a 4.20 ERA.
Lile has been on fire for the Nationals. He has two hits in five of his last six games. After having two triples, two RBI, and two runs scored in Friday’s game, Lile had a single and a solo home run on Saturday. Since August 17, Lile is hitting .400 with six extra-base hits, nine RBI, and three stolen bases in 12 games. The rookie outfielder, who started the season in the minors, has slowly forced his way into more regular playing time with his hot bat.
Series Finale
The Nationals and Cubs face off again on Sunday in the season finale. The Cubs (81-61) have Pomerantz listed as the starter for tomorrow’s game. Most likely, he will serve as an opener for Colin Rea. Rea (10-6, 4.30 ERA) has struggled in his last two starts, giving up a combined nine earned runs in eight and two-thirds innings. Washington (57-84) will counter with rookie lefty Andrew Alvarez, who will be making just his second major league start. Alvarez (1-0) pitched five scoreless innings of one-hit ball while striking out four against the Miami Marlins in his September 1 debut.
