I find it appropriate to start out by hat tipping the Dodgers offense. They curb stomped Colin Rea and Javier Assad in this one. A further hat tip to four Dodger relievers who combined to allow just two hits and a walk over the final four innings of the game. The Dodgers offense and bullpen were just too much for the Cubs on this night. To say anything else would be revisionist history.

Everything below that first paragraph may be described as coping, I guess. If you’d have asked me about how the Cubs would do with a 13-game stretch, with one day off, It started in Philly, had the lone off day, then went home for seven with the Mets and Phillies, then immediately went west for three with the Dodgers. 13 games, 14 days against three teams who I thought would be playoff teams this year, I’d have said eight wins would be decent, nine good and 10 knocking it out of the park. They have the 10 wins already and still have one more game in hand with a chance for 11.

If you’ve read me before, you’ve probably read me saying “Get greedy.” When you’ve got eight, get nine. After nine, get 10. After 10, get 11. Just because things fall your way and you catch two potentially good teams when they are anything but, you kick them when you are down and then you go try to get more. I’m absolutely disappointed they didn’t get another one. This was a pretty good matchup as things are ever going to go against the Dodgers. As crazy as it is given relative contract as a barometer, Colin Rea is a more accomplished MLB pitcher than Roki Sasaki. If the Cubs were going to win one, I thought this one was their best shot.

I was out, but had the first six innings of the game on (again). I didn’t look, but I had the captioning on for the national broadcast. I didn’t check if there was a second option. Regardless, I sometimes like to hear what the national broadcast has to say. I’m usually the last to call out the national broadcast. I’m sure that’s why I’m less bothered by Boog than many of you are. And yes, I get it about the inane side conversations at weird times. But anyway, my favorite exchange on the national broadcast came in the sixth inning. That was when they decided to suggest that this was the best Sasaki has looked. Granted, he’d shown some swing-and-miss stuff. And if they’d said, there were some positives here for a guy who’s struggled, I think that’s perfect. They were gushing about what a good start it was. Raise your hand if you ever think your pitcher did a good job when he’s allowed four runs, three on homers in the first five innings of a game. The Dodgers offense through five innings? Relentless and overpowering. Sasaki? Fortunate that he didn’t give away a game when the offense was so exceptional.

I realize national broadcasts want to have their guys to shill their stuff. It would be so much better if they just pulled one guy from each team and let them work together on the call. At least then we’d have announcers familiar with the players and their relative performances and perspective for their accomplishments. I know some of the national crews are really good. But in baseball, I find that more the exception than the rule. Different than the NFL, each MLB team does have a dedicated team that calls very nearly every game. It doesn’t have to be this way. And you might get some fun interaction with my team/your team stuff. In a lot of cases, I don’t think it could be worse.

Moisés Ballesteros had a homer and a walk. The walk came against a lefty. I saw them say he saw something like 24 pitches in his first three plate appearances. Plays this game like a guy who’s been around for years.

Vince Velasquez threw in really low leverage. But, he faced eight batters and recorded seven outs. The Cubs will have most of their bullpen available to chase another win in this series.

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

Superhero:  Moisés Ballesteros (.200). 1-3, HR, BB, RBI, R

Billy Goat: Colin Rea (-.371). 3.1 IP, 20 BF, 6 H, 4 BB, 6 ER, 4 K (L 3-1)

Goat: Javier Assad (-.245). 2.1 IP, 16 BF, 7 H, 2 BB, 6 ER, 2 K

WPA Play of the Game: With the Dodgers trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the third, Max Muncy hit a one-out, two-run homer to tie the game. (.186)

*Cubs Play of the Game: With the game tied in the fourth inning, Moisés Ballesteros hit a solo homer. (.133)

Game 26 Winner: Dansby Swanson received 248 of 302 votes.

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

Up Next: With all due respect to Meat Loaf, two out of three here would be terrific. The third and final game of the series at the very reasonable hour of 3:10 central. The Cubs will send Shōta Imanaga (2-1, 2.17, 29 IP) to the mound. He’s been nothing shy of terrific for the Cubs so far this year. He’s allowed two runs on six hits and three walks over his last three starts (19 IP).

Hoffman Estates, IL native (though he attended high school in Georgia) Justin Wrobleski (3-0, 1.88, 24 IP) has arguably been even better for the Dodgers. The 11th-round pick of the Dodgers in 2021 out of Oklahoma State is a rarity in modern baseball. He doesn’t really strike out a ton of hitters (just nine so far). He’s won each of his last three starts, allowing two runs on 12 hits and four walks (20 IP). In the process he won in both Colorado and Toronto, two very different challenges.

This is another tough one. But the Cubs have won some tough matchups lately. Let’s do it again.