When the Cubs exploded for a dozen runs Thursday night to win the series opener in Cincy, their first such victory they’d managed since May 17 in Washington, it felt significant. With their home whites hanging in the visitors clubhouse, the Cubs had brought some of that Wrigley magic out on the road with them. Turns out it was just a parlor trick.
They’ve now been outscored 15-3 in the last two games and head into Sunday’s finale needing a win against the Reds’ ace just to break even. The time has long since passed to make any sense of the Cubs’ inability to play consistently not-bad baseball on the road and even Joe Maddon has given up trying to explain it.