Boy, was last night’s game a doozy. The Cubs blew a 6-1 lead after seeing Cade Horton pulled from the game with back tightness, and the Padres’ win meant the race for the top Wild Card spot is down to 1.5 games. Cutting Horton’s outing short was a matter of the rookie having some breathing issues from a persistent cough that may have caused his back tightness. Rather than having him gut it out and potentially jeopardize his next start(s), Craig Counsell felt the Cubs had built a safe enough lead.
After all, they hadn’t lost a game this season when holding a five-run lead, nor had the Mets come back from that big a deficit.