Game Recap: Shaw impressive in Cubs' loss to Astros

Maria Lysaker - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 5 hours ago

HOUSTON - There are several model franchises in Major League Baseball, and the Houston Astros (49-33) are one of those teams. Not only have they been at the top of their class in the American League for the past decade, but the Chicago Cubs (48-34) were once at their level and would love to reach that level again.

A lot of talk was made about the strength of the Cubs' schedule during the first month of the season, but you could argue that the current stretch they are in is just as challenging, if not tougher. Hoping to kick off their three-game set with a bang, Kyle Tucker returned to Minute Maid Park for the first time since being traded to the Cubs, as this series is going to be filled with emotions.

Despite a strong effort from Matt Shaw, who drove in three on a pair of RBI doubles, it was the long ball that led Houston to the victory as they used a pair of three-run homers to take down the Cubs 7-4. For whatever reason, the Cubs can't hit left-handed starters, and Brandon Walter was another left-hander that the Cubs made look like an all-star.

Searching for his first career MLB win, Walter was on top of his game from the start, allowing just one run in six innings with five strikeouts as the Cubs failed to hit a lefty yet again. Compare that to Cade Horton, who had the worst start of his MLB career, and this was a recipe for disaster right from the beginning as the Astros raced out to a commanding 7-0 lead and never looked back.

As good as Horton has been at times, there are instances where he gets himself into trouble, and if you do that against the Astros, they will make you pay for it. It was another short start by a Cubs starter as Horton labored through four innings, allowing seven runs and striking out two. Houston was on the verge of jumping on top immediately in the first as Isaac Paredes picked up a one-out single ahead of a walk as the Astros had a pair of runners on.

Then came the play of the early innings as Jake Myers picked up a two-out single to right, only to have Tucker gun down Paredes at the plate to keep Houston off the board. The Cubs are going to need to make plays like that this weekend, and with Dansby Swanson leading off the second with a triple, it was the Cubs turn to waste a scoring chance as Swanson wound up being stranded at third.

Horton continued to pitch himself into and out of trouble in the second as a Christian Walker single mixed with a walk and a hit by pitch loaded the bases, only to see Horton escape another inning without damage. Eventually, that much traffic is going to come back and bite you, and when the third inning rolled around, it was all Houston as the Astros pushed across seven runs over the next two innings to take a 7-0 lead.

Four of those runs came in the third as a pair of walks paired with a Cam Smith single loaded the bases with no outs, only to have former Cub Victor Caratini open the scoring with a sacrifice fly. The big blow in that inning came from Yainer Diaz two batters later as he touched Horton for the first of two three-run shots to put the Astros on top 4-0.

They continued to keep the pressure on in the fourth as the top of the Astros' order continued to do the damage, with Parades and Jose Altuve picking up a pair of one-out singles and setting the Houston offense up again. For the second time in as many innings, it was the long ball that broke the game open, as the other part of the Tucker trade, Cam Smith, unloaded for a three-run shot against the organization that drafted him. As a result, Houston was now in front, 7-0.

That would be all for them offensively, as Chris Flexen took over for Horton in the fifth and went on to throw four scoreless frames. After needing 80 games to hit his first homer, Nico Hoerner has suddenly found his power stroke as he broke the shutout with a solo shot off Walter in the fifth to make this a 7-1 game. Justin Turner followed suit with a double, but once again, the Cubs couldn't get the big hit as Turner was left in scoring position.

Still trailing by that score, the bottom of the Cubs' order started to make some noise in the seventh, with Carson Kelly starting things off with a single. That was followed by a Hoerner walk, only to have Shaw connect for his first of two RBI doubles two batters later to pull the Cubs within 7-3.

Shaw was just getting started as he added a second RBI double off Josh Hader in the ninth, and the Cubs were within 7-4 with the top of their lineup set to bat. That was as close as they would get as Hader got Ian Happ to line out to end the game as he picked up his 22nd save in the 7-4 Astros win.

The Cubs' loss, combined with the Cardinals and Brewers winning their games, has their lead in the Central down to just two and three games, as things are starting to get interesting. Shaw and Seiya Suzuki led the way with two hits, but it was Shaw leading the offense with three RBIs.

Chicago will look to even the series on Saturday when they send Colin Rea to the mound against TBD, although it is expected that Lance McCullers will be activated for that start.