Suzuki, Young go yard to back right-hander’s six scoreless innings
9:10 PM UTC
CHICAGO — When asked ahead of Friday afternoon’s game what Jameson Taillon brings to the Cubs, manager David Ross was quick to point out the right-hander’s unwavering confidence. Ross praised Taillon’s even-keeled approach to his starts, viewing it as an essential trait for the multiple peaks and valleys that occur within a 162-game season.
Chicago entered the day navigating quite a valley, and Taillon did everything he could to push them back towards a peak.
The 31-year-old battled through a grueling start, escaping multiple jams while striking out seven across six scoreless innings during the Cubs’ 6-0 win over the Rockies at Wrigley Field. It was a badly-needed effort for a Chicago team that entered having lost 10 of its past 13 while desperately fighting to secure a National League Wild Card spot down the season’s home stretch.
Games remaining (8): vs. COL (2), at ATL (3), at MIL (3)
Standings update: The Cubs (80-74) sit 7 1/2 games behind the first-place Brewers (87-66) in the NL Central. In the NL Wild Card race, Chicago sits in the third and final spot. The Marlins (79-74), who have the tiebreaker given their 4-2 record in the season series, are a half game behind the Cubs. The Phillies are the top Wild Card seed, with a 4 1/2-game lead over the Cubs, while the D-backs sit in the second spot (1 1/2 games up). Philadelphia and Arizona also own tiebreakers over Chicago. The Brewers, Marlins, D-backs and Phillies were all in action on Friday night.
Taillon was out on a high wire from the get-go on Friday, walking two of the first three hitters he faced in what turned into a 30-pitch first inning. He quickly bounced back, striking out former Cub Kris Bryant and Ryan McMahon to return to the dugout unscathed. It was one of three innings that featured Taillon putting two men on yet never letting one of them come close to home plate.
Taillon’s biggest source of run support came in the fourth inning, when Seiya Suzuki — who singled home a run in the first — slugged a two-run blast. It was Suzuki’s 20th homer of the season and his 11th in 40 games since returning from a stretch of August off-days that he used to retool his plate approach. Jared Young padded the lead in the sixth with a two-run homer of his own, the fifth of his eight hits this season to go for extra bases.
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