Chicago Cubs’ Collapse: 8-Game Losing Streak Costs Them NL Central Lead

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[MyDaily = Reporter Shim Jae-hee] The Chicago Cubs have been on a roller coaster this season. After a strong run, they recently fell into an eight-game losing streak, which has dropped them to third place in the National League Central. Left-hander Shota Imanaga, the Japan native, couldn’t stop the skid.

On the 24th (Korean time), the Cubs lost 5-8 to the Houston Astros in a road game at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago gave up a run in the top of the second but responded with three in the bottom half to take a 3-1 lead. That advantage evaporated after they allowed one in the top of the third and five in the top of the fifth, falling behind 3-7. The Cubs rallied for two in the bottom of the seventh but gave up a run in the top of the ninth and ultimately lost 5-8. Starter Imanaga absorbed the loss, allowing seven runs on seven hits over six innings.

The loss extended Chicago’s skid to eight games. On the 17th they dropped a 3-8 road game to the Chicago White Sox and fell 8-9 to the White Sox the following day. They then lost a three-game home series to the Milwaukee Brewers and were swept in three straight at home by Houston, totaling a shocking six straight home losses.

The team has been streaky since mid-April. A 10-4 road win over the Philadelphia Phillies on April 15 kicked off a 10-game winning streak. After a three-game slump, the Cubs ripped off another 10 straight wins. That streak gave way to a four-game skid, followed by two wins, and now this eight-game slide. The club has swung between hot streaks and prolonged slumps.

Chicago sits at 29-24 (.547). Once atop the NL Central, they’ve slipped to third place. They trail first-place Milwaukee (30-20, .600) by 2.5 games and are one game behind the second-place St. Louis Cardinals (29-22, .569). The Cubs hold a 1.5-game lead over the fourth-place Cincinnati Reds (27-25, .519) and a two-game cushion over the fifth-place Pittsburgh Pirates (27-26, .509). Beginning the 26th, they open a four-game road series at Pittsburgh, followed by a three-game road trip to St. Louis starting the 30th.

Houston completed the sweep in Chicago and improved to 23-31 (.426). The Astros remain fourth in the American League West, two games behind the third-place Texas Rangers (24-28, .462) and three games ahead of the fifth-place Los Angeles Angels (20-34, .370).

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