Ian Happ Exploded For 5 RBIs, But Now the Cubs Stare Down a Cy Young Star Stumbling

Hold up, Emerald City! You gotta hear about this Wild Card scene brewing out east! The Chicago Cubs, after clawing their way out of a brutal 10-game skid, finally got a W on Wednesday. We're talking their longest losing streak in nearly four years, folks! But don't pop the champagne just yet, because Thursday night, they're staring down the barrel of Pittsburgh's ace, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, Paul Skenes. This dude is looking to get back on track in the series finale, but man, has he been shaky lately!

The Cy Young's Uncharacteristic Slump

Okay, so this is wild for an NL Cy Young winner, but Skenes, sitting at 6-4 with a 3.00 ERA, has been anything but dominant lately. After absolutely carving up lineups to open May with back-to-back eight scoreless inning gems, allowing only two hits a pop, he's hit a wall. He just gave up four runs on a career-high nine hits, including a leadoff homer, against Toronto. And get this: he seemed to settle, but then in the sixth, it was four straight hits, three runs, and zero outs recorded. That's a pitcher's nightmare, especially for a guy who just won the Cy Young! Before that, it was five runs on six hits in five innings against the Philadelphia Phillies. This is the first time in his career Skenes has given up more than three earned runs in back-to-back starts. He even admitted, "There was good and bad. I need to get ahead in counts. I wasn't super unhappy with some of the execution on some of the pitches but could have executed a number of them better." Dude's usually lights out, so you know he's frustrated.

Happ's Explosion and the Cubs' Wild Ride

Talk about a team that keeps you on your toes! The Cubs have been on an absolute rollercoaster this season, notching two separate 10-game winning streaks, only to turn around and hit that soul-crushing 10-game losing skid. They desperately needed Wednesday's 10-4 win, especially after only putting up a measly 14 runs in their previous eight games. And who steps up to snap that streak? None other than Ian Happ, who just exploded for five RBIs! This is the same guy who was 2-for-31 and hitting a paltry .212, even sat out a couple games! He found his magic in his hometown of Pittsburgh, continuing his hot streak at PNC Park, where he's now reached base in 40 consecutive games and boasts a career .300 average. Manager Craig Counsell nailed it, saying, "Whatever you want to call it, monkey on your back, whatever, it's nice that it's gone... we needed it. The room needed it. We all needed it." Jameson Taillon kept them in it until that massive six-run seventh inning sealed the deal. Now, they're sending Colin Rea, 4-3 with a 4.83 ERA, to the mound. Rea just had his longest start of the season, going seven innings, allowing three runs on four hits, three walks, and striking out four against the Houston Astros. Can he keep that energy rolling against a struggling Skenes?

So, Thursday night isn't just another game. It's a clash of narratives: a Cubs team finally breathing a sigh of relief after a wild slump, staring down a reigning Cy Young who's suddenly human. Can Happ keep that bat hot, or will Skenes find his dominant form and shut them down? No matter what, you know it's gonna be must-watch baseball. Meanwhile, our boys in blue and green just handled business, with the Seattle Mariners taking down the Athletics 9-1! Go M's!

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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.