How Kyle Hendricks’ start in Cubs’ exhibition loss prepares him for Opening Day

Kyle Hendricks's night was artificially cut short.

Cubs manager David Ross met the right-hander on the mound, with White Sox base runners flanking them on the corners. Hendricks had enough in the tank to get himself out of this jam. But he'd just about reached his pitch count.

"He pitched really well tonight," Cubs manager David Ross said. "Really filled up the zone."

The Cubs' 7-3 loss to the White Sox Sunday was the Cubs' first exhibition game of the summer but also Hendricks's last time facing live batters before Opening Day. On Friday, Hendricks is scheduled for the first Opening Day start of his career.

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Sunday's preview of that start was promising, despite Ross pulling Hendricks out of the game in the fifth inning. Hendricks had thrown 83 pitches. The plan was for him to stretch out to around 85.

He allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings. All three scored in the fifth.

Before then, Hendricks was literally putting White Sox hitters on their heels.

In the first inning, Hendricks threw two consecutive changeups to Yasmani Grandal for strikes. The first Grandal watched. The second he whiffed.

Two innings later, Hendricks struck out Jose Abreau in three pitches. After fooling Abreau with a changeup on the second pitch, he put a fastball at the top of the strike zone. Abreau swung and missed. Teetering off-balance he smiled at his precarious position.

The Cubs right-hander also mixed in his curve ball, a pitch he said this week was feeling the best it ever had.

"Great spin on that breaking ball," Ross said. "That's the key for him, being able to manipulate that, where he wants to throw it, behind in the count, ahead in the count."

Hendricks' streak of zeros across the board ended with one out in the fifth inning and White Sox outfielder Adam Engel in the batter's box.

Cubs catcher Willson Contreras set up on the inside of the plate, flashing his mitt open at the top of the strike zone as a momentary visual cue.

But Hendricks released the pitch a hair too late. It floated over the plate, right into White Sox outfielder Adam Engel's wheelhouse. He turned on the pitch and drove it to the top of Wrigley Field's left field bleachers.

Hendricks gave up two more base hits, on either side of a flyout. Then he hit 83 pitches.

"We didn't want him to start that last batter with 83 pitches, when the cutoff's 85," Ross said.

Reliver Jharel Cotton replaced Hendricks, inheriting his two base runners with two outs. Both scored on a double by Grandal.

"Kyle said he felt great," Ross said. "Said he felt he could have extended as far as we needed today, which you always want to hear that feedback from your starter."

Especially your starter who's scheduled for Opening Day. Hendricks said earlier this week that after throwing 85 pitches Sunday, he should be ready to stretch out to 100 when the regular season begins.