Cubs 15-6, +2.0 (1st)
Rockies 9-12, -6 (2nd)
POTG: 3B A RAM (2 H, 2B, HR [6/228], 3 RBI)
Runner Up: SS Ryan Theriot (2 H, RBI, SB), 1B D Lee (4 H, 3B, R, RBI, SB), RF Fukudome (3B, IBB, R), C Soto (4 H, HR, 2B, R, RBI), SS Cedeno (2 H, SH, IBB because they fear Ronny Cedeno!)
Ram’s home run wasn’t the game winner, because things went bad with Wood, but the Cubs clearly do not win that game unless he gets that home run. That was as tremendously game changing hits as they come and can not be understated. It also made the game feel like another in the series of Games The Cubs Had No Business Winning, But Did. It seems to be a long running show this year.
It almost didn’t work out that way, thanks to Wood’s trouble in the 9th. Just like his other blown save, the Cubs managed to put things back together and get the win in the end. You’d like Kerry not to blow the games in the first place, but he’s done a good enough job of keeping things from exploding when they go bad, allowing the Cubs to get chances to clean up for his mistake. The Cubs non-stars got one more shot around the Rockies bullpen and got just enough to get this over.
In a place where he’s looked really bad before, Rick Hill had an okay start. Just like with Lilly, you would’ve liked to see it go longer, and it was even more so true when Wuertz exploded behind him. There was some good bullpen work (Marshall, Howry, and Marmol) and bad (Wuertz, Lieber and Wood) mixed in.
I don’t care who’s behind him or where he’s bating, seeing Ronny Cedeno getting intentionally walked is odd. There are some pitches on this team that they’d normally want to see less than Ronny Cedeno.
Last year, it took until the last week of August for the Cubs to get 2 games in the lead. They achieved this by April 23 this year. Better starts DO work!
I’m always going to remember the Cubs 10,000th win as the one I listened to while the cop that was giving me a ticket at the time took forever in his car to write up the ticket. I almost think he was listening to the game too, as he was probably stalling to listen to the finish too.