Cubs 12-14, win series
Pirates 12-14
POTG: SP Jason Marquis (8 IP, 4 H, ER, 5 K, 0 BB, QS, W [4/60])
Runner Up: 1B Derrek Lee (2B, 2 H, 2 RBI, BB), 2B Ryan Theriot (2 2B, 3 H, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB), LF Alfonso Soriano (3 H, 2B, HR, 2 R, RBI)
No walks will get you very far. It’s still very early…
2006: 3.47 (BB/9), 10.23 (H/9), 1.62 (HR/9), .319 BABIP
2007: 3.03 (BB/9), 6.28 (H/9), 0.47 (HR/9), .216 BABIP
I don’t know if the hits will stay that way, but if he can keep the home runs down, he’s going to be a fine fourth starter. Right now, he’s a fine #1 starter, really. So it’s going to turn bad at some point, but oh well. Better to have it balance out negatively, then for it to start negative and pray for a positive turn around.
Speaking of trends which won’t continue and we might as well enjoy until then:
D LEE 2Bs: 17 doubles, 16% of the season (26 games)
Earl Webb: 10 doubles, 16% of the season (24.6 games) – holds all time doubles record.
We probably should be worried a bit by those numbers – some of those doubles should surely be HR, and I don’t know if it’s the wrist or just luck – but he’s still hitting 400, and if he hits doubles at a crazy rate, it’ll still work out okay.
I think we’re going to have to live with Soriano’s baserunning being as is – it shouldn’t be this bad, but he seems like a guy who’s very set in being who he is. He hasn’t killed a game yet with a baserunning blunder, but they’re really adding up.
Team took 7 walks, and allowed 0. That’s a new formula, probably a winning one.
Brewers are starting to edge away from the pack. Now’s a fine time for the Cubs to get hot as well, and not get let gone.