The Cubs bullpen has been so good this year that having an inning like the one Brad Keller had in the eighth inning of the Cubs’ 8-6 loss to the Cardinals is, frankly, shocking.
It turned on one play in that inning, and I’ll get to that, but first things first.
The Drew Pomeranz opener strategy, which had worked well twice before this year, didn’t. Pomeranz issued a pair of walks and a single and the Cardinals kept fouling off pitches and made him throw 25 pitches while recording only one out. That forced Chris Flexen into the game likely before Craig Counsell wanted to use him.