He didn’t get the win and didn’t even get the six innings he appeared properly on his method to finishing.
But Cubs starter Yu Darvish received his “Yuuuus.”
Whether his first Wrigley Field begin in 11 months on Wednesday marks a turning level as a Cub for the polarizing pitcher, the 77-pitch efficiency in opposition to the Pirates for now confirmed probably the most focus, and possibly even toughness, of his 11 with the membership.
No matter what the sixth-inning hook after two weak-contact infield hits stated in regards to the staff’s ideas on the matter.
Darvish, whose fortitude was questioned at instances final 12 months earlier than an elbow harm sidelined him in late May, was aggressive from the outset Wednesday on the coldest evening he had pitched in his profession.
Despite the 5-2 loss to the Pirates, Darvish’s efficiency was a welcome sight for a Cubs staff in want of manufacturing from its $126 million right-hander like by no means earlier than, after placing ace Jon Lester on the injured record with a hamstring harm earlier than Wednesday’s sport.
With the game-time temperature at 40, the wind howling in from right-center and 6 of the seven fielders behind him sporting face masks to remain heat, Darvish took the mound with brief sleeves and no face overlaying – then began pounding the strike zone.
The solely runs he gave up whereas within the sport got here on the one two errors he made within the strike zone for two-out homers to left – the one place the wind wasn’t flattening fly balls — by Francisco Cervelli within the first and Starling Marte within the third.
Earlier this week, he reiterated what he had stated a month in the past in spring coaching about how he envisioned returning to the mound this season after getting booed off it the final time he pitched there, on May 2:
“I don’t want ‘boo’ anymore,” he stated that day in March. “I want ‘Yu.’ That’s all I want. I don’t want ‘boo’ anymore.”
This was a part of the brand new, extra assured, wholesome, laughing, strike-throwing Darvish who spent all spring speaking English to Chicago reporters and dropping one-liners on anybody inside earshot.
And when he struck out Jason Martin to finish a 1-2-Three second inning, he received what he was searching for – in full-throated roar from a lot of the 32,798 in attendance as he walked to the dugout.
Darvish walked seven in his first begin of the 12 months in opposition to former Rangers teammates in his return to Texas after which had a tough end and fifth-inning exit within the rain in Atlanta final week.
The solely factor that stopped him from throwing strikes this time was the supervisor, who pulled him with one out within the sixth after a pair of weak-hit, infield singles put males on the corners with the Cubs trailing 3-1.
When Joe Maddon pulled Darvish in his earlier begin with the rating 1-Zero and two males on, he stated he needed the pitcher to “feel good about himself.”
Nothing appeared to point that was essentially a problem this time round, when supervisor Joe Maddon went to the mound and talked for a number of seconds into Darvish’s ear with obvious encouragement as he took the ball within the sixth.
Darvish completed with 4 strikeouts and didn’t stroll a batter Wednesday.
Ground-ball pitcher Kyle Ryan took over however as an alternative of getting the double play ball the Cubs sought, he gave up a run-scoring single for one run and added a throwing error on a pickoff try to permit the opposite inherited runner to attain.
Until then each run within the sport was scored on a house run.
That included Jason Heyward’s fourth in 5 video games – the 4 already representing his highest whole in a month as a Cub, with 17 video games left in April.