Cubs 78-72, +1
Cardinals 70-78, -7
POTG: SP Jason Marquis (6.1 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K, W [12/68]
Runner Up: C Giovanni Soto (4 H, 2 2B), SS Ronny Cedeno (2 H, RBI), RF Matt Murton (HR [7/27], 2 H, 3 RBI), 1B Derrek Lee (2 H), LF Soriano (2 2B, R, BB), 3B A Ram (3 BB)
Cardinals cleary did not respect Matt Murton at all, walking Ram on four pitches his first two times up. This might have been Matt’s last chance this season to do something big, and he sure did in the 3rd. Matt’s gotta be disappionted by this season, and probably would’ve rather followed that at bat up with something besides a bases loaded double play to end the ending, but big home runs are still big home runs. That was the difference in this game. (Note that they walked Ram again on four pitches in the 6th, and Murton got a single. Maybe teams will learn, maybe it won’t come again, but Murton was making the Cardinals look dumb.)
It’s odd – when it’s all said and done, Murton’s HR per AB look to actually be up this year.
2006: 2.86% of ABs are HRs
2007: 3.35% of ABs are HRs – while only being down slightly in average.
I think the key to remember is it was never about him, it was about too many like options to sort thru, and who could manage to hit the best in a tough situation. He’ll still be of use next year. He hasn’t shown the form he showed in 2005, but he’s a usable piece.
This was another fine start from Marquis. Nothing thrilled, but kept the Cardinals from doing much. It’ll go without notice because it took place against the start of the Bears game, but Howry and Marmol were looking shaky today and Dempster was fine. Everyone has bad days, you just gotta get thru them.
The Cardinals fell apart in the fashion everyone figured they would – starting pitching could not hold it together. I think it was Viva El Birdos who was making the case that however Mark Mulder goes on his return, so goes the Cardinals. Mark Mulder’s dropped three straight, and the Cardinals have gone 2-10 in that time. That’s it.
12 to go. I have no idea what’ll take to win it – can 7-5 do it? 8-4?