Mets 10-9, 2nd (-1.5)
Cubs 14-6, 1st (+1.5)
POTG: SS Ronny Cedeno (2B, Grand Slam [1/12], 5 RBI)
Runner up: LF Reed Johnson (H, 2 RBI, BB), RF Fukudome (2 R, 3 H, 2 BB), SP Ted Lilly (6 IP, 4 H, R, 4 BB, 4 K, QS, W [1/75]
It’s too much to overemphasize one AB in from a guy who may end up with 400 of ’em, but it doesn’t take much to imagine Cedeno’s long successful plate appearance to close out Monday night’s game might have flipped a switch. He sure continued his strong hitting here, following that unbelievable hit with an unbelievable grand slam.
Note that some of Cedeno’s runs come directly by being in the seventh slot. As long as Fukudome continues to bat 5th, there are going to be days where he gets on 5 times and the guys behind him will get chances to make huge impacts. It’ll be changed before the season is over (and Fukudome can’t possibly stay this great), but the guys batting sixth and seventh getting off to good starts have been a big help to this team’s win total.
Maybe it’s the competition – the Pirates were very bad and there are a lot more holes than people let on about the Mets before this season started – but I have never seen a Cubs team where everyoen seemed to hitting at once or as well as this team at this moment.
Counting this game, the Cubs have had 2 games that weren’t close from the middle innings on, and 2 that turned into a blowout in the 8th. That’s a really nice stretch when you’re starting to get bullpen concerns.
Ted Lilly’s performance is the last major problem with the club, so to see him get on track against the team picked to win the pennant this year is a really good sign.