The San Francisco Giants’ offensive drought went completely dry against Chicago Cubs’ All-Star starter Justin Steele.
Logan Webb had one of his stronger starts, but didn’t have the run support to make it count. Steele struck out 12 Giants and allowed just two hits, leading to a San Francisco 5-0 Labor Day loss on Monday afternoon at Wrigley Field.
It marked the Giants’ fourth straight loss, pushing them out of a four-way tie for the third Wild Card spot, beneath the Miami Marlins (who were off on Monday), the Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks — though Cincinnati and Arizona were just getting their Labor Day games underway around the time of the final pitch at Wrigley on Monday.
The Cubs’ August surge skyrocketed them into the second wild card spot, where they temporarily hold a four-game lead over the other contenders. The Philadelphia Phillies hold the first wild card spot.
The Giants’ two hit, scoreless afternoon isn’t out of the norm for how they’ve played on this latest road trip that started with a four-game series against San Diego. They’ve scored four runs and been shut out twice over this four-game losing streak. The Giants didn’t put a single runner in scoring position on Monday.
Casey Schmitt’s single in the second inning was the only hit Steele allowed until Paul DeJong’s two-out single in the eighth inning. Steele had retired 16 Giants straight until J.D. Davis’ leadoff walk in that eighth inning, erased by Schmitt hitting into a double play.
Webb gave up a solo home run to Seiya Suzuki in the second inning and went on to retire the next 10 batters he faced until Yan Gomes’ fifth inning double. Webb’s third time through the Cubs’ order brought more trouble in the seventh inning; Cody Bellinger hit a leadoff single and advanced to second with a healthy lead anticipating Dansby Swanson could hit a double play ball off Webb’s sinker.
Bellinger scored on Suzuki’s double and Suzuki scored on Gomes’ single, forcing Webb out of the game with two outs down. He finished the game with four strikeouts and a walk.
In relief, Tristan Beck gave up two runs in the eighth as Suzuki collected his third RBI of the game. The Giants had nothing to give in the ninth, striking out a 13th time to end the game.
