Kikuchi takes step back as Angels drop series to Cubs

Yusei Kikuchi's rocky third inning on the mound was ultimately too much to overcome on Wednesday as the Los Angeles Angels fell 6-2 to the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The Halos are now 3-4 through their first two series of the year, with both coming on the road. After allowing eight hits in his first start of the season against the Astros, the left-hander got off to a much better start against the Cubs' lineup.

He held Chicago hitless through the first two frames, navigating around a walk in each of them. However, Kikuchi began to falter in the third, issuing a leadoff walk to Miguel Amaya before Nico Hoerner's RBI double brought home the first run of the game. Alex Bregman followed up with a run-scoring single to make it 2-0 three batters into the frame.

Chicago would go on to plate three more runs in the inning, as Matt Shaw and Pete Crow-Armstrong each collected RBI singles of their own. Along with Dansby Swanson's sacrifice fly, the Cubs managed to open up a 5-0 advantage before Kikuchi finally worked an inning-ending groundout from Amaya in his second at-bat of the frame. Kikuchi was able to settle down through the rest of his time on the mound, retiring seven of the final eight batters he saw.

Through 5 1/3 innings total, the 34-year-old conceded six hits and walked four in his first loss of the season (0-1). At the plate, the Angels struggled through the early innings to generate momentum. Zach Neto's single as the first batter of the game was the only hit for Los Angeles through its first 6 2/3 innings.