MILWAUKEE – The first save chance after the closer went back on the injured list Thursday blew up in the eighth inning Saturday.
And on the day the All-Star shortstop was diagnosed with a thumb fracture, the backup sailed a throw in the ninth that led to an unearned run and a walk-off loss to the Brewers at Miller Park.
Welcome to the first day of the rest of the Cubs’ life this season without Javy Baez. Welcome to the beginning of the end of their playoff hopes?
The 3-2 loss to the Brewers on Christian Yelich’s two-out, run-scoring double in the ninth sent the Cubs to their second consecutive loss and left just 1½ games of room between them and the fast-closing Diamondbacks in the race for the second wild-card berth.