PHILADELPHIA – Blame this one on Cole Hamels’ slow walk back from the injured list. Or Phillies ace Aaron Nola’s jugular impulse. Or even former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel’s return to their dugout as hitting coach/Jedi.
But it doesn’t matter when, doesn’t matter who, doesn’t matter what.
For the Cubs this season, it only seems to matter where. And anywhere but Wrigley Field has become the land of the loss for this once mighty championship team.
An 11-1 rout by the Phillies on Wednesday, one night after a 4-2 gut punch, sent the Cubs careening to their 12th consecutive winless road series – their 37th loss on the road this season already tying the most in four previous seasons under manager Joe Maddon.