DENVER -- Cubs manager David Ross often refers to his team’s “brand” of baseball. It centers around solid starting pitching, clean defense and smart decision-making on the basepaths. Those aspects of Chicago’s play lagged during the team’s three-day visit to Coors Field.

On Wednesday afternoon, the Cubs were dealt a 7-3 loss to Colorado, sending the North Siders to a series defeat against the 53-win Rockies. The past two losses for Chicago featured some issues on the mound, in the field and on the bases, resulting in a turn-the-page trip with an off-day arriving Thursday.

“Some things didn't show up that we're normally better at this series,” Ross said. “I look forward to this off-day. We didn't come out of here with the series we wanted, but there’s a lot of games left and we've got to still push hard forward.”

Ross was quick to note that the Cubs just finished a stretch of 27 games in 27 days -- thanks to a doubleheader on Sept. 1 -- and pieced together a 16-11 showing in that span. Now, Chicago will take its brief respite before embarking on a 15-game run that will determine whether postseason baseball is in the cards.

• Games remaining: at AZ (3), vs. PIT (3), vs. COL (3), at ATL (3), at MIL (3)
• Standings update: The Cubs (78-69) are four games behind the Brewers (81-64) for first place in the National League Central. Chicago and Milwaukee have split the season series so far, so the tiebreaker has not yet been determined. The Cubs sit in the second Wild Card spot, trailing the Phillies (79-67) by 1 1/2 games while holding a two-game lead over the third-seeded Reds (76-61), who hold the tiebreaker over the D-backs (76-71). Chicago has gone 1-3 so far this season against Arizona (with three games left between the teams), but it lost the season series with Cincinnati, 7-6.

Here are three takeaways from Wednesday’s game.

1. Tough luck has been a theme in Jameson Taillon’s outings
Taillon has been consistent in citing his own lack of execution this season as the main culprit for his uncharacteristic performance this year. That said, Chicago’s typically stalwart defense has played a role in some of his outings coming unglued.

“It starts with [my execution],” Taillon said. “But it does feel like if we give extra opportunities this year, that coupled with me not always being at my best like I'm used to this year, I feel like that's kind of a bad recipe.”

In Wednesday's loss, Taillon was charged with five runs (three earned) on seven hits and one walk in five frames. Colorado scored four runs in the fifth, including two via an Elehuris Montero homer that came one play after a missed-catch error by Gold Glove left fielder Ian Happ.

On the season, Taillon has allowed 13 unearned runs, which are the most yielded by a pitcher in the NL (minimum 20 starts). The Cubs entered the series finale tied for the NL lead with 27 outs above average as a team, but the North Side defense had minus-three OAA with Taillon on the hill.

“We don't ever get mad at people for errors -- like, physical errors. They happen,” Taillon said. “But I'm kind of frustrated with myself. That's an opportunity for me to make a statement that, ‘I have your back, and let's get back in the dugout and hit.’ And they obviously capitalized on it, which hurts.”

2. Bullpen needs arms to step up down stretch
With closer Adbert Alzolay landing on the injured list on Monday due to a right forearm strain, the back end of Ross’ bullpen lost a key component. As a group of trusted relievers push through heavy workloads, Chicago could really benefit from other members of the bullpen cast picking up some of the slack.

“We're all going to have to step up, you know?” Cubs lefty Drew Smyly said this week. “It's an opportunity, the way I see it. Obviously, Adbert's huge for this team, and hopefully he can rest for a week or whatever and come back at the end of the season, because he's been the best closer in baseball since the All-Star break.

“But for everyone else that's active, it's our chance to step up and try to fill those needs and continue to help push towards the playoffs.”

After Taillon’s exit, the Rockies’ lead grew in the seventh inning. Hayden Wesneski dodged traffic in the sixth, but then allowed a leadoff homer to Kris Bryant to open the next frame. Two batters later, Smyly -- who had a 2.35 ERA in his previous five relief outings -- gave up a solo shot to Ryan McMahon.

3. Nico Hoerner puts name alongside a few Cubs greats
It was not a banner series for Cubs baserunners. Throughout the three-game set, there were multiple mistakes on the basepaths that were costly in the North Siders’ attempts to extend rallies and add on runs.

“We just didn't play our type of baseball,” Ross said. “We’re not going to win games that way.”

In Wednesday’s loss, though, Hoerner added a milestone steal to a four-hit performance. With his stolen base in the fourth inning, the second baseman reached 40 on the year, becoming the first Cubs player to hit that mark since Juan Pierre swiped 58 in 2006. Hoerner has joined Ryne Sandberg (1985) and Kiki Cuyler (1929) as the only Cubs in the past 100 seasons to have at least 40 steals and 60 RBIs in the same year.

“If you had told me I'd steal 40 bases in the big leagues a couple years ago, I'd be pretty fired up,” Hoerner said. “I'm lucky to be a part of a team and a structure that's given me a lot of opportunity with that.”