SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants started their season in Cincinnati and already have visited the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels and Houston Astros, but when it comes to scheduling, they have nothing on the Chicago Cubs. Monday's game was Chicago's 21st against the National League West, easily the most games any team has played against one division this year.
Watch NBC Bay Area News free wherever you are
WATCH HEREGiven that the West is likely to be the best division in baseball this season, it's wildly impressive that the Cubs entered this series seven games above .500. They lead the majors in runs, and on the first night of a three-game series, they took advantage of uncharacteristically sloppy Giants defense to get a 9-2 blowout win on Monday at Wrigley Field.
The Giants made four errors, two by shortstop Willy Adames and two by Gold Glove third baseman Matt Chapman. It was the first time since 1948 (shortstop Buddy Kerr and third baseman Jack Lohrke) that the Giants got multiple errors in the same game from both infielders on the left side, and it buried their young pitchers.
Hayden Birdsong paid a heavy price in relief, getting just one out in his first appearance in his home state as a big leaguer. Landen Roupp started the game and half of his runs were unearned.
Here are three things to know from an ugly night in Chicago ...
Where'd That Come From?
San Francisco Giants
When the wind is gusting, Wrigley can be tough on outfielders -- but it was two guys on the dirt who really struggled defensively Monday.
The Adames and Chapman mistakes led to big innings and gave the Giants their first four-error game since last Aug. 9. Chapman's first led to a Cubs rally, and both infielders had an error in the sixth as the Cubs tacked on five runs and pulled away.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news with the Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
SIGN UP Adames' first error of the game came on a hard grounder, but the second was a throw to second that sailed wide. That put him at seven errors on the year, and the advanced metrics aren't any better. The new shortstop entered the day with negative-five Outs Above Average, which ranked 32nd among 33 qualified shortstops. He's tied for last with negative-six Defensive Runs Saved.
Chapman leads his position in DRS and is tied for third in OAA, but he had a rare off night. The two-error game was his first since last June 19, also at Wrigley Field.
Can't Catch A Break
If you look at the advanced metrics, Roupp has been one of the unluckiest pitchers in the National League. He entered the game with a 5.10 ERA, but a 3.30 xERA and a 3.87 FIP. That continued in the bottom of the fourth, when the Cubs scored a couple of two-out runs.
Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a slow roller to third and reached when Chapman, who was playing in, dropped the ball. Nico Hoerner followed with a 71-mph bloop to right and stole second, and both runners scored on Dansby Swanson's 79 mph single to left. Both runs were unearned for Roupp, who earlier gave up a two-run homer to Ian Happ.
Roupp likely can feel Birdsong and Kyle Harrison, both now in the bullpen, breathing down his neck, but he did his job Monday. He went five and likely would have given Bob Melvin another inning had it not been for the Chapman error. He struck out four and didn't issue a walk, and three of the five hits on his line came right after the error.
Matos Mania
The Giants lost eight of their first 10 games against lefties this season, and part of the issue was their lack of production in right field. Luis Matos is supposed to get those starts, but he was in such a deep slump earlier this year that Mike Yastrzemski started getting additional reps against southpaws. Matos had a good weekend back home, but had just two hits in 26 at-bats against lefties heading into the matchup with Matthew Boyd.
With the Giants trailing by a pair in the fourth, Matos worked the count full and then smashed a hanging changeup into the seats in left. After going 1-for-27 over an eight-game span, Matos has a hit in three straight and has reached base six times in his last three starts, with two homers.
