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Levine: Cubs' Late-Game Implosion Against Mariners An Anomaly

By Bruce Levine--

CHICAGO (CBS) -- What seemed like an automatic win backfired for the Chicago Cubs on Saturday for only the second time this season. Entering the day, the Cubs had a record of 56-1 when leading entering the eighth inning in 2016.

That record took another tally in the loss column when new closer Aroldis Chapman blew his first save for Chicago in a 4-1 loss to Seattle at Wrigley Field.

Right-hander Jake Arrieta had walked two Mariners to start the inning after allowing just two hits and a walk through seven frames.Former Cubs closer and new setup man Hector Rondon relieved Arrieta as the Cubs held a 1-0 lead. After a sacrifice bunt put Guillermo Heredia on third base and Shawn O 'Malley on second, Heredian was cut down at the play on a fielder's choice, putting O'Malley at third and Nori Aoki on first.

That's when Chapman entered, with two on and two outs. Facing fellow Cuban Leonys Martin, Chapman allowed a double that split the gap in left-center field for the go-ahead hit. A distracted Chapman then allowed Martin to steal third and then score on a wild pitch through catcher Miguel Montero's legs.

"It really started up with the two walks by Jake," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "He was in good position there with 89 pitches (entering the inning). That started the whole inning up. We almost escaped it. Give Martin credit, just give him credit. He squared up a 100-mph fastball. He put it in the gap. That just tells you how good he is."

Chapman had made two previous appearances for the Cubs without a runner reaching base over 2 1/3 innings. Chapman had recorded a four-out save in his second outing for the Cubs.

"He had pitched two days (ago), but not a heavy load," Maddon said. "He had a complete day off yesterday. That part of the batting order just yelled his name. To go through that moment and he is available and not utilize him and lose the game, I would have been upset with myself. It would have been hard not to do it, unless he wasn't available for four outs."

The loss was one of the tougher ones for the Cubs this season. An apparent steal of home by Kris Bryant in the seventh was overturned on a manager's challenge. With Bryant on third, Mariners left-hander Wade Miley was sucked into a pick-off attempt at first on Javier Baez.

The play was called from the Cubs bench and had Bryant sprinting home on first movement by the pitcher to first base. Bryant beat the throw and tag, but the replay showed his foot had bounced over the plate, and the call was reversed.

"That stunk," Bryant said. "I thought I had a good slide in there. After looking at it, I guess I could have slid head-first.

"Hindsight is 20/20. You can think about as much as you want, but at the end of the day, they beat us."

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.

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