The Cubs lost 8-5 to the Giants Friday night, dropping to 32-25 this season.
Here are 10 observations from the game.
1. Joc Pederson is no stranger to Oracle Park, where the former Dodger and Palo Alto native has hit well in his career. That’s continued this weekend. Pederson homered for the second straight day, hitting a two-run blast in the fourth.
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2. Oracle Park historically has been pitcher-friendly, but you wouldn’t know it based on Friday’s game. The Giants and Cubs combined to hit six home runs — four by San Francisco.
3. The Giants hit Jake Arrieta hard in the second inning, scoring six times on six hits — including two home runs. Six of their eight balls in play that inning registered exit velocities of 103.5 mph or higher.
Arrieta said postgame he was "pretty sick" Friday and he threw up before the game and after he exited.
4. Arrieta held a 2.57 ERA through his first four starts (28 innings). He holds an 8.28 ERA across his last six outings (25 innings), including his two innings Friday.
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"I haven't been great the last couple of times out, and we'll get past that," Arrieta said. "I totally expect to be a lot better and get back on track."
5. It doesn’t matter where Kris Bryant is on the All-Star ballot, because he keeps raking. Bryant put the Cubs ahead early with a two-run homer in the first. Bryant, who hasn’t played third base since April 20, is listed there on the ballot.
6. The Marquee Network broadcast showed what appeared to be a tense moment between Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras in the dugout after the seventh inning ended. David Ross intervened and escorted Rizzo away.
“I don’t think it’s anything that’s a huge deal or something that I’m extremely worried about," Ross said.
7. Javy Báez made an error on a routine groundball in the seventh, making a low throw to Rizzo at first. He made up for it an inning later with a nice sliding play and putout on Buster Posey's grounder up the middle.
8. Sergio Alcántara keeps on making a good impression. Since the Cubs recalled him from Triple-A last Sunday, he’s registered a hit in five of six games, including four extra-base knocks. He tripled in the seventh Friday.
9. The Cubs will leave San Francisco without a series win for the seventh straight season (excluding 2020). Their last series win in San Francisco came in July 2013, when they swept the Giants.
10. It looks like reinforcements are coming on Saturday. Jason Heyward and Jake Marisnick joined the Cubs Friday in San Francisco from their rehab assignments with Triple-A Iowa. They’ve both been sidelined the past few weeks with hamstring strains.
On deck: The Cubs and Giants return to action Saturday at 6:15 p.m. CT. Kohl Stewart (1-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his second start for the Cubs, taking on Giants ace Kevin Gausman (6-0, 1.40 ERA).