Mets 10-8, 2nd (1.5 GB)
Cubs 13-6, 1st
POTG: SP Z! (7 IP, 5 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 K, W [3/85]
You can have your Johan Sanatans and Brandon Webbs and Felix Hernandi, I’m going go roll with Carlos Zambrano each and every day. Night like this, I don’t believe there’s anything he can’t do. He was far more in control than numbers showed – if Soto makes the correct throw in the 6th and the Cubs needed to keep the Mets off the board, Z probably comes out of this with a shutout. If this was later in the season and Cedeno didn’t get on in front of him, maybe he comes out for an inning more. Tonight, Z did all the Cubs needed to him do.
It’s a good thing he did, because until Aaron Heilman and Jorge Sosa got involved, it didn’t look like there was going to be much of a margin. John Maine was pretty effective, but the Cubs also just couldn’t advance any runners until he was gone.
I was fast forwarding a lot of this game to catch up (to speed things up to give more time for sleep), so when DeRosa and Soto went down with the bases loaded, I was just thinking about quickly finishing up the inning to see how Wood would do under pressure. Instead, Cedeno fouled pitch after pitch – nearly as much as Fukudome did before him – enroute to his best plate appearance of the year. That was huge for Ronny, and Felix Pie’s huge home run was good for him.
I still wish they’d give Felix more of a shot, but I am believing the talk about giving him a lot of side work to fix him. It makes more sense than sending him back to Des Monies, and he’s find as a fifth outfielder. I just wish he’d be more than that.
Highlight of the ESPN Broadcast: Orel talking about Carlos’ fight last year with “Marty Barrett.” Yes, Carlos threw down with the old Red Sox third baseman and apparently only ESPN was there. If things get into a rut, I hope Z takes on Mike Greenwell next.