Fastball

Chicago Cubs Make Sad History Not Seen Since the "Bartman" Game on Monday

The red-hot Cubs blew a game to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday in a way they haven't since 2003.

Brady Farkas

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds (10) hits a three-run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the eight inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sept 2.
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds (10) hits a three-run home run against the Chicago Cubs during the eight inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sept 2. / Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
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The red-hot Chicago Cubs suffered a bullpen meltdown on Monday night, losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3 at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs were up 3-0 in the top of the eighth, only to surrender four runs in the eighth and one in the ninth. The loss drops the Cubs to 71-67 on the year and they sit 3.5 games back of the third and final wild card spot.

Unfortunately, the loss for Chicago was a historic one, a the Cubs did something they haven't done since the infamous "Bartman" game back in 2003.

Per @OptaSTATS on social media:

Tonight marks the first time the Cubs were up 3-0 (or better) in the 8th inning or later at Wrigley only to blow the lead all in one inning and lose the game since Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS against the Marlins.

Veteran right-hander Jorge Lopez was charged with all four runs in the eighth while Shawn Armstrong gave up the run in the ninth. Pittsburgh moved to 64-73 with the win.

The two teams will be in action again on Tuesday night with first pitch set for 7:40 p.m. ET. National League Rookie of the Year candidate Paul Skenes will get the ball for Pittsburgh while veteran Kyle Hendricks will pitch for Chicago.

Skenes, who started the All-Star Game for the National League, is 8-2 with a 2.23 ERA. Hendricks has struggled mightily this season, going 3-10 with a 6.75 ERA.

He helped the Cubs win the World Series in 2016, which helped erase the sting of the Bartman Game.

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Brady Farkas

BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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