CHICAGO -- Remorse never crossed John Lackey's mind Friday as he reflected on whether he contributed to his ejection in the fifth inning of an 8-2 victory over the Cardinals.
But then how do you acknowledge something you don't understand?
"Not really, no," Lackey said in the Wrigley Field interview room when asked if he had any regrets. "It was a pretty big spot right there and it cost me a big-league win and those don't grow on trees."
A seven-run sixth inning that led to a fourth consecutive victory almost overshadowed Lackey letting his team down on a day hitting again bailed the Cubs out of a crisis of their own making.
Almost.
In the fifth inning of a 1-1 game with playoff implications, Lackey threw a 2-2 breaking pitch to Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez that caught the outside corner of the strike zone. They could see it was a strike from the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Even Martinez started walking away like someone who had just struck out.
Home plate umpire Jordan Baker called the pitch a ball.
"A big spot and huge game and he missed the pitch," Lackey said.
It indeed was an embarrassingly bad call the ump made. Lackey's reaction was embarrassingly worse. The Cubs subsequently winning the first game of a big series doesn't justify anything, something the Cubs need to remember when evaluating Lackey's worthiness for the playoff rotation. Too often in Lackey's mind, every ball is a strike and every umpire an idiot. Too often, he acts like a 38-year-old going on 13.
Lackey ranted in familiar fashion, his emotions taking over until he gave Baker an earful. Predictably, Lackey lost composure badly enough on the next pitch to groove a slider that Martinez stroked for an RBI single. As Lackey backed up a potential throw to home plate, he started barking badly enough for Baker to eject him during the play.
Who was wrong? Try everybody.
Lackey's pitch was a strike. Baker's call was blown. But, come on, Mr. 16-Year-Veteran, this was a playoff-like game. You want to make a statement? Strike out the pitcher, a .185 hitter, instead of giving up a hit. Even after Baker's missed call, Lackey controlled the situation but surrendered a single. Own it.
Throwing a tantrum only incited catcher Willson Contreras, who followed Lackey's lead with an over-the-top outburst that required Cubs Manager Joe Maddon and teammate Javier Baez to stop him from bumping Baker. Contreras threw his mask to the ground hard enough to ricochet and hit Baker's leg.
Screaming at Baker, Contreras bounced around like a boxer before a fight, with Baez likely saving him from a suspension with a bear hug. Contreras also didn't do his pitcher any favors catching the 2-2 pitch the way he did, with his glove so close to the ground because of what Maddon called a "cross-up."
Whatever caused it, Lackey and Contreras must know better than to risk letting emotions selfishly interfere with a game so important. And Maddon essentially letting Lackey be Lackey only enables the loutish behavior to continue, perhaps next time in October.
At least Contreras showed contrition.
"I just got fired up (and) lost control of my emotions," Contreras said. "I apologize to everyone."
Somewhere, Cubs President Theo Epstein probably cussed and cringed and did everything a helpless executive does watching his team in September.
"Now is not the time to look back or put things in perspective," Epstein said before the game. "The success or failure of this regular season really rides on how we play the next 16 games."
True, but if every game is sacred, what about Thursday?
Somewhat sheepishly, Epstein defended starting pitcher Jen-Ho Tseng and catcher Taylor Davis in the series finale against the Mets. The Class AAA battery lasted only three innings.
"It wasn't an oil painting but we won the game (14-6)," Epstein said.
The Cubs typically use science more than art to justify their decisions, which made Tseng's major-league debut so difficult to endorse. To call it the right decision based on beating a bad Mets team would show, in the words of Maddon, outcome bias.
"It was an educated gamble," Epstein said.
A little luck always helps a team overcome odd decisions -- and angry pitchers.
Sports on 09/17/2017