In series loss to Cubs, Braves not as crisp as expected

CHICAGO – In the series opener at Wrigley Field, the Braves played a clean game, pairing dominant starting pitching with an explosive offense.

In the final two, they turned in subpar performances.

They lost Sunday’s rubber game against the Cubs, 6-4.

Five observations:

1. On Saturday and Sunday, the Braves received poor performances from their starting pitchers. They committed a costly error. They made several baserunning mistakes. They failed to come through in clutch situations.

These losses had it all.

“I don’t think there was any excuses other than just we didn’t play good,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “We ran up against a hot team, and you can’t give them extra (chances). You better play really good, like we did the first day in here, because they’re swinging the bats really good, the bullpen’s been really good. They’re a good club.”

The Cubs are indeed surging. They played well. But the Braves did not play up to their standard.

Despite their miscues, they could’ve won this series. They had chances in each loss.

Is that any consolation?

“I don’t think we look for consolations,” Snitker said. “I think we expect to win and we’re not real happy when we don’t. I don’t think there’s any consolations in losing. We’ll wake up tomorrow and start another streak.”

2. Twice, the Braves gave Charlie Morton a lead.

Twice, he handed it back.

“I just threw the ball really poorly today,” he said.

Morton allowed five runs over 4-1/3 innings. He walked four batters and hit another.

Morton threw 37 of his 99 pitches in a two-run third inning. With one out, he issued a walk and gave up a single before a groundout scored one run. Later, with the bases loaded, Morton threw Dansby Swanson seven curveballs and Swanson walked.

“In the third inning, I just struggled to feel my pitches,” Morton said. “I wasn’t executing, really, much of anything. I threw a ton of pitches in the third. It was the same story. It was an inning where I just throw way too many pitches and lose feel for the ball.”

In a three-run fifth inning, the Cubs hit a run-scoring single and a run-scoring double, one after the other, to chase Morton.

Morton has allowed 16 runs over 19-2/3 innings over his last four starts.

“Timely hits and lots of walks, Morton said of Sunday. “I just feel really bad about that. I just feel like it’s just a sloppy outing. I came out of the break, felt like I was in a pretty good spot. I had that start against the White Sox and threw the ball really well. Since after that first start after the break, it’s hit or miss.”

3. Forget the wind.

It didn’t matter when Matt Olson pulverized a ball that ripped through the wind for a 453-foot, two-run home run off Justin Steele.

“Steele’s obviously got really good stuff and is a good starter,” Olson said. “You gotta be tough on him and make him come to you a little bit. I was able to grind out some pitches and get something good.”

Olson tied a career…