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![\"Chicago](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ctc-z-Cubs-Giants-Baseball_263703837.jpg\")
Chicago Cubs pitcher Colin Rea throws to a San Francisco Giants batter during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 14, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo\/Scott Marshall)<\/p>\nSAN FRANCISCO \u2014 San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb presented a tough challenge for a Chicago Cubs team looking to end its trip west with a sweep.<\/p>\n
The Cubs couldn\u2019t get much going against Webb, managing just one run in eight innings off the right-hander in a 5-1 loss to end their three-game winning streak. At one point, Webb retired 20 of 23 Cubs hitters.<\/p>\n
The Cubs (37-35) secured their first series win since sweeping the Cincinnati Reds from May 4-7 to snap a 10-series losing streak. Team historian Ed Hartig said the last time the Cubs lost or tied at least 10 consecutive series was in 2000 when they went 12 straight series without a win. This weekend also marked only the second time the Cubs have won a regular-season series at Oracle Park since 2014, with the last one coming in 2023.<\/p>\n
1. The Cubs need more from Colin Rea.
\nChicago Cubs pitcher Colin Rea throws to a San Francisco Giants batter during the second inning of a baseball game Sunday, June 14, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo\/Scott Marshall)<\/p>\n
Coming off an ugly start at Colorado\u2019s Coors Field<\/a> in which he surrendered seven runs and nine hits in 4 2\/3 innings, the Cubs could have used a bounce-back outing from right-hander Colin Rea in Sunday\u2019s series finale.<\/p>\n Knowing runs would likely be limited for the Cubs\u2019 offense opposing Webb, Rea put them in a tough spot when he gave up three runs in the fifth and another run in the seventh. The Cubs used lefty Ryan Rolison as an opener for 1 1\/3 shutout innings to limit Rea\u2019s exposure to the lefties in the Giants\u2019 lineup.<\/p>\n But Rea made it hard on himself with too much traffic on the bases between six hits allowed, three walks and a hit batter. Matt Chapman\u2019s two-run home run in the fifth on a fastball over the plate was the big blow.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need a little better, honestly,\u201d manager Craig Counsell said of Rea. \u201cWhen you\u2019re going up against this type of pitcher, you\u2019ve got not a lot of room for error. He settled in pretty nicely and then in the fifth, he got stuck a little bit.\u201d<\/p>\n Whenever left-hander Matthew Boyd<\/a> is ready to rejoin the rotation \u2014 he\u2019s expected to throw a bullpen early in the homestand to test his sore left shoulder \u2014 Rea\u2019s recent stretch might lead him to be the odd man out.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m just not getting it done, really,\u201d Rea said. \u201cI think we\u2019ve been doing a good job of making some adjustments in between starts, as far as the delivery stuff and making sure the timing\u2019s good, but at the end of the day, I\u2019ve got to do a better job of executing when runners are on base.\u201d<\/p>\n 2. Ben Brown shows how to be successful even without his best stuff. Ben Brown\u2019s pitching line didn\u2019t necessarily reflect a dominating outing \u2014 one run on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts in five innings \u2014 but his start Saturday night against the Giants<\/a> was one of his best of the season.<\/p>\n Not because he flashed elite stuff, either. Brown, facing San Francisco for the second time in eight days, relied heavily on his sinker more than usual. It accounted for 34% of his 86 pitches thrown, up from his season average of 21%. The Giants\u2019 recent familiarity with Brown meant they were able to stay off his curveball down in the zone.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a new challenge for sure, and it was fun,\u201d Brown said. \u201cSinker was huge for me.\u201d<\/p>\n As David Ross prepares to call 1st Chicago Cubs game since his firing, he feels the love via popular podcast<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Brown added the sinker<\/a> to his repertoire in the offseason, and it became a vital asset Saturday. He got six called strikes and one whiff with his sinker, predominantly using it against the Giants\u2019 right-handed hitters. The pitch produced just one hard-hit ball and had an 80.9 mph average exit velocity. Over the course of his outing, Brown threw his sinker on the first pitch of an at-bat more than any of his other three pitches.<\/p>\n \u201cThe second time you face a team, I think that\u2019s where something like this really comes into play, more to make the hitter think about the sinker,\u201d Counsell said. \u201cBeing able to steal some strikes with that and give the hitter some different looks, very important.\u201d<\/p>\n Since moving to the rotation May 8, Brown owns a 1.49 ERA spanning 36 1\/3 innings. He\u2019s allowed one run or fewer in six of his seven starts.<\/p>\n 3. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch are providing needed power production. The top of the lineup has been getting a boost from two hitters lately, and it continued against the Giants.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Chicago](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ctc-z-Cubs-Giants-Baseball_263671825.jpg\")
Chicago Cubs pitcher Ben Brown throws to a San Francisco Giants batter during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 13, 2026, in San Francisco, Calif. (AP Photo\/Scott Marshall)<\/p>\n\n
\n![\"Michael](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ctc-z-2281471091_263674253.jpg\")
Michael Busch of the Chicago Cubs is congratulated by Pedro Ram\u00edrez after Busch stole home against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the third inning at Oracle Park on June 13, 2026, in San Francisco. (Thearon W. Henderson\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n