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The fact that Cubs left-hander Justin Steele’s scoreless start against the Padres was his least efficient by pitch count this season speaks volumes to the bar he’s set for himself.
In the Cubs’ 6-0 Tuesday, Steele limited the Padres to three hits through 5 u2153 innings. But his pitch count had climbed to 98, and he left the game to cheers. The Cubs threw a shutout for the fifth time this season, tied for the most in the first 22 games of a season in franchise history (since 1901).