Cardinals vs. Cubs: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2015 MLB Opening Day

Although the Chicago Cubs are unquestionably an improved team, the road to contention isn't traversed overnight.

That much was illustrated in the Cubs' 3-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night at Wrigley Field, which officially kicked off the 2015 MLB season. According to ESPN Stats & Info, it's the first time in franchise history that the Cubs have been shut out in consecutive Opening Days:

Most expected Chicago to take steps forward this year as young players like Javier Baez, Jorge Soler and Kris Bryant develop at the major league level. Then came the hiring of Joe Maddon and signing of Jon Lester, which caused a somewhat large segment of Cubs fans to start thinking of a World Series run.

"Please hold us accountable," said team president Theo Epstein in January, per The Associated Press, via FoxSports.com. "We're trying to win. We're also continuing to try to grow the organization. That means we're going to be throwing a lot of young players out there. We ask for your patience with them because it's a process. But hold us accountable."

Sunday's defeat is by no means a reason to panic, but it showed that one great offseason doesn't provide automatic success.

That didn't stop ESPN's SportsNation from having some fun at the Cubs fans' expense:

Lester got the hook after 4.1 innings. He allowed three earned runs on eight hits, striking out six and walking two. While it wasn't a terrible performance, the 31-year-old lefty didn't have his best stuff.

One of the talking points throughout the game was Lester's seeming refusal to throw over to first base or make any sort of move to keep baserunners honest. Three different Cardinals players stole a base when he was on the mound.

Baseball Prospectus' Sam Miller figures Lester is just waiting until the most optimal opportunity to pick off a runner:

With the way the Cardinals manufactured their runs, it seems a sure bet more teams will look to exploit Lester's deficiencies. St. Louis did a great job of getting runners on base and moving them over. It was a simple, yet effective, strategy.

The Cards drew first blood in the top of the first inning. Jason Heyward doubled with one out, and Matt Holliday delivered an RBI single in the team's next at-bat.

St. Louis grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning in similar fashion. Kolten Wong walked with one out. A single from Jon Jay put runners on the corners. After Adam Wainwright struck out, Matt Carpenter came up with a critical two-out single that plated Jay.

The fifth inning was more of the same. Carpenter and Heyward hit back-to-back singles, which gave St. Louis runners at first and third with nobody out. Holliday came up next and hit a bloop single to right, scoring Carpenter and putting the Cardinals ahead 3-0.

Contrast all of that with the Cubs' offense through the first five innings. As CBS Sports pointed out, Chicago had little trouble getting men aboard, but moving them over became problematic:

"

Three leadoff doubles and one leadoff single for the Cubs in five innings. Zero runs. It's 3-0 Cards heading to the 6th.

— CBS Sports MLB (@CBSSportsMLB) April 6, 2015"

It became a running joke for CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli:

"

You won’t believe this, but the Cubs had a runner on base and he didn’t score. What are the odds?

— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) April 6, 2015"

St. Louis pitcher Wainwright did well to dance out of trouble. He went six innings of scoreless ball, allowing five hits and striking out six. Andrew Baggarly of the Bay Area News Group felt the way Wainwright stymied the Cubs offense was a testament to his ability to handle tough situations:

The bullpen finished the job, with Carlos Martinez, Jordan Walden and Trevor Rosenthal pitching an inning apiece to close out the win.

Along with Wainwright's strong performance, many Cardinals fans will be impressed by Heyward, who went 3-for-5 with a run scored and a stolen base. CBS Sports' Jon Heyman figures the 25-year-old is already well on his way to a strong contract year:

As much as the Cubs did to improve over the winter, the Cardinals remain the favorites to win the National League Central. They've taken the division in each of the last two years and retain largely the same group of players who have brought the franchise so much success over the last four years.

The two teams will have a day off before they meet again on Tuesday. Jake Arrieta is scheduled to pitch for Chicago, while Lance Lynn will take the bump for St. Louis.