The Cubs only have 163 home runs this season, ranking 22nd in MLB. Not great, but they have homered in five straight games against the Pirates, as that streak was extended Monday night, when Cole Hamels blasted a 400-foot bomb in the third inning.
Unfortunately, that was the only run of the game for the Cubs, who lost 5-1 and saw their division lead drop to 1.5 games. The other bad thing?
The Cubs have only hit a solo home run in their last five games against the Pirates. That's it. For five straight games, the Cubs' only source of offense has been one solo dinger per game.
Back in August, the Cubs split a four-game series in Pittsburgh, winning the first two games 1-0, and then losing the next two games 3-1 and 2-1, respectively.
But hey, sometimes you have just tip your cap to the pitcher and that's really all you can do after last night.
Jameson Taillon was outstanding, allowing just the Hamel long ball, five hits overall, striking out five and walking three in seven innings. The Pirates have won Taillon's last seven starts. During that stretch, the righty has only allowed eight earned runs in 45 innings.
Yeah, pretty damn good.
The Cubs face Chris Archer tonight and the hopefully the home streak continues with men on base this time. Archer has given up 19 homers in 142.1 innings this season, eight of those coming in nine starts with the Pirates.
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