CHICAGO – It was one of those moments, in the second inning Wednesday, where Mike Minor’s starts have often taken a turn for the worse.
Minor permitted three consecutive singles and one run to begin the second inning. After striking out the No. 9 hitter in the Chicago Cubs’ lineup, Minor was tasked with escaping a jam against the top of the batting order with runners on the corners.
What came next changed everything about Minor’s start. Nick Madrigal hit a one-hop comebacker to the mound and Minor blindly reached his glove behind his back. The ball bounced into Minor’s glove, which appeared to catch the 34-year-old lefty by surprise, and it ignited an inning-ending double play.