CLEVELAND — With the wind blowing in and with cold temperatures, Progressive Field was the perfect run-suppressing environment for two of the Cubs’ three games against the Guardians.
The Cubs won Game 1 of the doubleheader 1-0 but lost the second game 6-5 when the offenses erupted.
It was a mixed bag from the Cubs’ pitching staff Sunday. Right-hander Edward Cabrera had an uneven start — he didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning but walked five — but he allowed only six hard-hit balls and was able to maneuver out of jams. Cabrera pitched 5⅔ scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out four.
In the second game, left-hander Shota Imanaga threw five innings, allowing one run, three hits and one walk and striking out four.
But the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead in Game 2. Right-hander Jacob Webb allowed three runs in the eighth inning that flipped the game.
Webb gave up a solo homer to Guardians pinch hitter CJ Kayfus that tied the game at 4. He then allowed a single to Chase DeLauter, walked Rhys Hoskins and allowed another run on a line-drive single by Gabriel Arias before being replaced by Ethan Roberts.
“Jacob just hung a changeup to Kayfus, unfortunately, then struggled a little bit with the strike zone after that,” manager Craig Counsell said.
One of the biggest question marks for the Cubs was if they had enough starting pitching. Had they advanced past the Brewers in last season’s National League Division Series, the Cubs’ starters were running on fumes. Even the Dodgers were running short on available arms toward the end of their playoff run.
Recognizing their weakness and the cost of starters in free agency, the Cubs traded prized outfield prospect Owen Caissie to the Marlins for Cabrera. Restocking an entire bullpen required the team to sign reliever Phil Maton to a rare multiyear deal.
This doubleheader showed the promise and pitfalls of the pitching staff. Game 1 highlighted a defense that supported its pitching staff.
“Both starters from both team
