Return of the Long Ball

I have been to many, many Cubs games, but few were as exciting and heartpounding as the game tonight.  It was a rollercoaster ride for sure, but in the end, The Cubs were able to win the important rubber game of the series 6-5 againt the Brewers, and took the season series 9-6.  It wasn’t pretty, but the Cubs got it done.

Bad From the Start

Most Cubs fans hadn’t even gotten comfortable in their seats when the Brewers took a 1-0 lead on a lead off homer by Ricky Weeks off of Cubs starter Ted Lilly.  The first inning was brutal, with eight batters coming to the plate, two walks, and a Kevin Mench RBI double.  Lilly had no control all night, but the Brewers could never take advantage.  Lilly threw 107 pitches, giving up five hits, four walks and three runs in his five innings.  Luckily, he got some run support.  Aramis Ramirez led off the second inning with a walk and Craig Monroe got a double when right fielder Hart lost his liner in the lights. He would make up for that gaffe with a run saving catch later.  Mark DeRosa delivered a clutch two-run single and after Jason Kendall walked, Jacque Jones added an RBI single to give the Cubs a 3-2 lead.

Lilly wasn’t able to hold the lead as Milwaukee scored on a sacrifice fly by Kevin Mench to tie the game at three.  Milwaukee starter Manny Parra left the game after the third with a "bruised thumb", and another left, former starter Chris Capuano came into the game.  Capuano worked in and out of trouble for three innings.  Lou Pinella took out Lilly after the fifth and called on Carlos Marmol to take over.  Carlos was lights out, throwing striking out the first three batters he faced.  Meanwhile, the Cubs, whose biggest weakness has been lack of home runs, finally hit a couple.  With two out in the bottom of the sixth, pinch hitter Matt Murton hit one into left field.  Alfonso Soriano, who was 0-3 at that point with three strike outs, hit another home run, back to back jacks, giving the Cubs a 6-4 lead.  The excitement was short lived.  Ricky Weeks led off the seventh with a single, which Matt Murton misplayed, allowing Weeks to advance to second.  JJ Hardy grounded out, moving Weeks to third.  Marmol hit the next batter, Ryan Braun, and he was able to steal second.  With runners at second and third, and only  one out, Marmol was able to strike out Prince Fielder and Corey Hart to end the threat, leaving the tying runs on base. 

Never Easy

Bob Howry worked a nice eight inning before Ryan Dempster came out in the ninth.   It started out real bad, with pinch-hitter Joe Dillon doubling off the wall and Rickie Weeks getting hit by a pitch. J.J. Hardy sacrificed and Prince Fielder was walked intentionally one out later to load the bases. Dempster then walked Corey Hart to force in a run, cutting the Cubs lead to 6-5.  With two outs and every Cubs fan screaming, Dempster finally got Kevin Mench to ground into a fielder’s choice, causing the fans to erupt.

Crushing Defeat

The loss was a tough one for Milwaukee, who hoped to use Wednesday night’s win as a springboard.  They are now 2 1/2 games back and will not face the Cubs again this season.  The Cardinals also lost a nail biter, 2-1 moving them three games back.  Houston, who just fired their manager and GM this week, will send lefty Wandy Rodriguez to the mound.  The Cubs proved they can hit lefties, and must continue to prove it, as the Cubs will face at least two more lefties this weekend.  Besides Rodriguez, the Cubs will face another left making his second biig league start, Troy Patton, before closing the series with Woody Williams.  The Cubs will answer with two lefties of their own, Marshall, then Marquis, followed by Hill. If you remember, the Astros swept the Cubs in the first week of August.  It’s payback time. Their is absolutely no reason that the Cubs can’t sweep this team.  They are much worse on the road, and the Cubs need to keep pressure on Milwaukee and St. Louis.  Let’s keep adding a little distance.  Time is running out, and the Cubs need to keep putting the pressure on the Cardinals and Brewers.  August wasn’t the greatest month for the Cubs, but let’s end it with a W tomorrow.

Go Cubs!