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  6. article_body => "<p>John Lackey didn\u2019t add the qualifier \u201cexcept for tonight\u201d when asked about the differences he\u2019s seen in the Cubs team that returned to Wrigley Field after an 0-for-6 West Coast trip.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve pitched a lot better,\u201d Lackey said after Wednesday\u2019s 6-5 loss to the Miami Marlins snapped a five-game winning streak where the Cubs started to look more like the defending World Series champs. \u201cIt\u2019s not like we\u2019ve been scoring a ton.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Lackey Being Lackey can mean a lot of different things. His Coors Field masterpiece last month looks more like the mile-high outlier. Putting up seven scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts against a strong Colorado Rockies team \u2013 Montreal Expos-era Pedro Martinez is the only other visiting pitcher to do that \u2013 became a talking point for Cubs officials when asked about an up-and-down rotation and a guy who\u2019s 38 years old with almost 3,000 innings on his odometer.<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s also hard to think of a more accomplished No. 4 starter or another available pitcher with the same insanely competitive streak and playoff experience. The Cleveland Indians already showed how you could get to the 10th inning of a World Series Game 7 with a thin rotation and a powerful, dynamic bullpen.<\/p>\n<p>That will become part of the backdrop after the amateur draft, when the Cubs begin to sharpen their focus on the July 31 trade deadline. Until then, there will be nights like this for Lackey, who gave up five runs in six innings and now has a 5.12 ERA.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJohn knows what he\u2019s doing out there,\u201d manager Joe Maddon said. \u201cJohn\u2019s not afraid to challenge hitters. Sometimes it works for him. Sometimes it works against him.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Lackey watched J.T. Realmuto and Marcell Ozuna crush a hanging changeup and a 91-mph fastball into the left- and center-field bleachers in the fourth and fifth innings. Bronson Arroyo \u2013 a comeback story with the Cincinnati Reds \u2013 is the only National League pitcher who has given up more homers than Lackey (16) this season.<\/p>\n<p>Opponents are hitting .270 against Lackey with an .833 OPS that ranks 72nd out of 85 qualified big-league pitchers. Last week\u2019s no-decision in a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals is the only other time this year that Lackey has lasted more than six innings.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Lackey \u2013 a pitcher who gets by with guts, command and game plans \u2013 mostly regretted the two-run, first-pitch, fourth-inning single he gave up to J.T. Riddle, Miami\u2019s No. 8 hitter.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith the pitcher coming up, I wasn\u2019t even really trying to throw a strike there,\u201d Lackey said. \u201cI was trying to throw a chase slider in and hung that pitch a little bit. That\u2019s definitely probably the difference in the game there. If I manage the game a little bit better in that one inning, it probably shouldn\u2019t have killed us.\u201d<\/p>\n"
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Cubs

Presented By Mooney
Cubs

John Lackey didn’t add the qualifier “except for tonight” when asked about the differences he’s seen in the Cubs team that returned to Wrigley Field after an 0-for-6 West Coast trip.

“We’ve pitched a lot better,” Lackey said after Wednesday’s 6-5 loss to the Miami Marlins snapped a five-game winning streak where the Cubs started to look more like the defending World Series champs. “It’s not like we’ve been scoring a ton.”

Lackey Being Lackey can mean a lot of different things. His Coors Field masterpiece last month looks more like the mile-high outlier. Putting up seven scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts against a strong Colorado Rockies team – Montreal Expos-era Pedro Martinez is the only other visiting pitcher to do that – became a talking point for Cubs officials when asked about an up-and-down rotation and a guy who’s 38 years old with almost 3,000 innings on his odometer.

But it’s also hard to think of a more accomplished No. 4 starter or another available pitcher with the same insanely competitive streak and playoff experience. The Cleveland Indians already showed how you could get to the 10th inning of a World Series Game 7 with a thin rotation and a powerful, dynamic bullpen.

That will become part of the backdrop after the amateur draft, when the Cubs begin to sharpen their focus on the July 31 trade deadline. Until then, there will be nights like this for Lackey, who gave up five runs in six innings and now has a 5.12 ERA.

 

“John knows what he’s doing out there,” manager Joe Maddon said. “John’s not afraid to challenge hitters. Sometimes it works for him. Sometimes it works against him.” 

Lackey watched J.T. Realmuto and Marcell Ozuna crush a hanging changeup and a 91-mph fastball into the left- and center-field bleachers in the fourth and fifth innings. Bronson Arroyo – a comeback story with the Cincinnati Reds – is the only National League pitcher who has given up more homers than Lackey (16) this season.

Opponents are hitting .270 against Lackey with an .833 OPS that ranks 72nd out of 85 qualified big-league pitchers. Last week’s no-decision in a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals is the only other time this year that Lackey has lasted more than six innings.   

Lackey – a pitcher who gets by with guts, command and game plans – mostly regretted the two-run, first-pitch, fourth-inning single he gave up to J.T. Riddle, Miami’s No. 8 hitter.     

“With the pitcher coming up, I wasn’t even really trying to throw a strike there,” Lackey said. “I was trying to throw a chase slider in and hung that pitch a little bit. That’s definitely probably the difference in the game there. If I manage the game a little bit better in that one inning, it probably shouldn’t have killed us.”