MILWAUKEE – Cubs manager Craig Counsell expanded on his position Wednesday regarding a controversial balk call the night before.
“The balk has been a confusing rule in this league for a while now,” he said. “There have been suggestions that the league is going to call it more carefully, then they haven’t. It’s a rule with wide degrees of interpretation. And that’s what makes it confusing for players. And because there’s so much interpretation umpire to umpire, there’s a lot of variance in how it’s called. And that makes it difficult. That makes it difficult on players, and it makes it difficult to teach what you can and can’t do.”
The call came during a pivotal moment Tuesday in a game the Cubs won 6-3 in 10 innings.
The Cubs were holding on to a one-run lead in the ninth inning. With two outs and speedy Christian Yelich on first, closer Hector Neris checked first base before delivering a pitch to the Brewers’ Willy Adames. Neris was called for a balk for not coming to a complete stop. Yelich was awarded second base.
Adames poked a single into left field to drive in Yelich and tie the score. But as Adames tried to stretch his hit into a double, left fielder Ian Happ threw him out at second.
“[Neris] did what you’re supposed to do — stop and change direction,” Counsell said. “And the league doesn’t call this, doesn’t call this, doesn’t call this, and then puts themselves in the middle of the game.”
It seemed to be a shared sentiment. Cubs assistant pitching coach Daniel Moskos was ejected for his reaction to the balk call. And though it didn’t show up in the box score because he’s on the 15-day injured list and not on the active roster, right-hander Yency Almonte (strained right shoulder) also was tossed.
Fun facts
Right-hander Ben Brown not only set career highs with his seven scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts Tuesday, but he also etched his name alongside some notable pitchers — for the Cubs and otherwise.
Brown became only the third Cubs starter in the modern era (since 1901) to go at least seven innings, strike out 10 and not allow a hit, joining Jake Arrieta (Aug. 30, 2015) and Carlos Zambrano (Sept. 14, 2008).
He was the first major-league pitcher under 25 since Justin Verlander in 2007 to get 10 strikeouts without allowing a hit or a run in a start of at least seven innings. Verlander’s outing was a no-hitter against the Brewers, and he struck out 12.
“Electric, honestly,” said center fielder Cody Bellinger, who robbed Adames of a home run in the seventh inning to keep the no-hit bid alive.
‘‘Just incredible location with both pitches, getting ahead most of the night and really good fastball.”
This and that
- After throwing 3⅓ innings for Triple-A Iowa on Tuesday, left-hander Jordan Wicks (strained left forearm) is set to make a third rehab start Sunday. Then the Cubs will decide his next steps.
- In the Cubs’ win Tuesday, their five runs in the 10th tied for the most in an extra inning since MLB implemented the tiebreaker rule — putting an automatic runner on second base to begin each half-inning — in 2020.