Perhaps David Ross forgot to knock on wood.
Asked before Friday night’s game about everything falling in his team’s favor — a 13-3 record, no COVID-19 positive tests and three bonus games at Wrigley Field — the Chicago Cubs manager allowed: “You can look at it like that if you want.”
Less than an hour later, starter Tyler Chatwood got scratched because of mid-back tightness.
And then in the sixth inning, Christian Yelich hammered Alec Mills’ hanging changeup for a three-run blast into the empty bleachers in right.
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“Made a mistake,” Mills said, “and Yelich made it hurt.”
The Milwaukee Brewers won 4-3 as the Cubs fell to 13-4, losing for just the second time in August.
Ross was impressed with Mills, though, especially considering the 28-year-old right-hander hadn’t pitched since Aug. 3 and didn’t know he’d be needed until late afternoon.
“It was a great outing by Millsy,” Ross said. “Anything you throw at this guy, he takes it with a smile and goes out and competes.”
Said Mills: “(Not knowing) might have helped a little. I didn’t have time to think about it overnight. I knew early enough. I looked over the lineup and saw how I’d attack.”
Ross said after the game the Cubs hope Tyler Chatwood will be able to return Monday.
Mills went six innings, striking out seven and allowing only one walk.
“It’s not often you can scratch a starter and have one of your regular ones ready to go,” Ross said. “Millsy has such an ease about him. That was a big start for him, the way he handled that adversity, he felt like a veteran pitcher.”
The Cubs got all their runs in the fifth. After Jason Heyward and David Bote lined singles, Jason Kipnis endured a nine-pitch at-bat that ended in an RBI single. Nico Hoerner drew a walk and Ian Happ walked after falling down 0-2 to load the bases for Anthony Rizzo, who lined a soft single to right.
Down 4-3, the Cubs loaded the bases in the eighth against Josh Hader, but pinch-hitter Josh Phegley whiffed on high heat.
“Josh has hit some hard, true 4-seamers in his career,” Ross said. “It is tough matchup, a tough draw to face a guy like that. I have confidence in him; I just have to get him some more opportunities.”
Ross batted Phegley in place of Kipnis against the left-handed Hader.
“It’s a completely hindsight thing to question,” Kipnis said. “(Hader) is always tough on lefties and if ‘Phegs’ had come through, you guys would be praising Rossie and all that stuff. I’m not going to question the move, but there are no at-bats I do not want.”
Ross said Kris Bryant was unavailable as he continues to get treatment on his left ring finger.
Rizzo reached in the ninth with a walk off Hader, but first base was as far as he got. Javier Baez got caught looking to end the game.
Baez, by the way, made the play of the game — ranging into short left field to gun down catcher Manny Pina.
“Unbelievable,” Mills said. “That was probably a 150-foot throw. He was way out there.”
Another bright spot: Craig Kimbrel pitched for the first time since Aug. 6 and it did not go horribly. Kimbrel entered the game in the ninth and with a 23.63 ERA in four appearances, but he retired three of the four batters he faced.
He blew Avisail Garcia away with a 98 mph heater but did walk Justin Smoak, stranding him at first.
“He looked really good,” Ross said. “All the feedback we’ve been getting from (the pitching coaches) has been great. The ball was exploding out of his hand and the (hitters) had some really bad swings.”
Game time moved
The Cubs have moved up Saturday’s game from 7:15 p.m. to 2:20 p.m. because of the threat of inclement weather. Colin Rea is penciled in as the starter.