Zach Davies on loss: ‘Sometimes you need a kick in the ass' originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
If there’s one thing for Zach Davies to take away from Saturday’s blowout loss to the Pirates, it’s that he can use it for motivation as he prepares for his next outing.
The Pirates jumped on Davies in the second inning, scoring seven times to knock the right-hander out of the game after just 1 2/3 innings. The deficit proved to be decisive, as the Cubs lost 8-2.
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And as Davies gears up for his next time on the bump, he’s going to keep the performance in mind.
“Sometimes you need a kick in the ass to go through your routine and work a lot harder,” the right-hander said postgame.
“Not saying that anybody, myself included, doesn't work hard in between starts, but sometimes, a game like this can motivate you.”
The Pirates sent 12 batters to the plate in the second inning — Davies facing 10 of them. He walked three and surrendered three doubles and two singles.
The seven earned runs Davies allowed match his career worst with three other outings — twice against the Cubs (2016, 2019) and once more against the Pirates (2017).
“It really got out of hand in the second inning,” he said. “That's something as a starting pitcher that you can't do, put your team out of the game so much as I did.”
Saturday’s outing — the shortest of Davies’ career — is a far cry from his first start of the season last Sunday, also against the Pirates, when he threw 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball in a win.
Davies said Pittsburgh adjusted to how he pitched to them last week and he didn’t adjust back.
As he goes back to the drawing board ahead of his next outing, he’ll use Saturday's performance for extra motivation.
“For me, tomorrow, the next day and every working day in between, that's what I'll think about."
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