In the Windy City, the Philadelphia Phillies had an opportunity to start fresh and find themselves.
Instead, they found themselves losing their sixth straight ballgame.
A lack of offense and poor starting pitching has hampered the team in the month of April.
It continued in game one of their series with the Cubs as the Phillies would fall, 5-1.
With a chance to turn their season around, the Phillies handed the ball to Aaron Nola on Monday night.
Instead of a classic Nola outing the Phillies got a modern Nola outing.
The veteran right-hander tossed 4.1 innings, allowing five earned runs. Three of those runs came off the bat of Dansby Swanson, who took Nola deep.
It was the fourth home run the Phillies' starter has allowed this season.
Nola suffered the loss, falling to 1-2 on the season with a 5.06 earned run average.
In the top of the second inning, the Phillies had an opportunity to start strong.
Working the bases loaded and two outs, Rafael Marchan stepped to the plate.
Marchan had struggled leading into Monday's game. Given additional chances to fill in for an injured J.T. Realmuto, the Phillies' backup catcher has not been able to put it together at the plate.
The Venezuelan backstop was 1-for-27 at the plate heading into the series, with his only hit being a home run.
With a full count, Marchan chased a ball in the dirt for strike three, ending the Phillies' best threat of the game.
In the top of the eighth, the Phillies trailed 5-1.
With two outs and two men on, Bryson Stott was due up. With a lefty Hoby Milner (former Phillie) on the mound, it felt like a prime opportunity to pinch hit.
Instead, Thomson stuck with Stott, who popped up to end the inning.
This was a perfect time to use either Edmundo Sosa or Felix Reyes off the bench. Thomson, who typically always favor a lefty/righty matchup, went against his standards.
While that moment was not what cost the Phillies the game, it was an example of overthinking in the moment.
