A Big Inning....A Big Win

By Neil on May 10, 2008 16 Vote 0 Votes

Game Thirty-Six - Cubs 7 Diamondbacks 2
WP - Scott Eyre (1-0) LP - Chad Qualls (0-4, BS 3) Save - None

The top two scoring offenses in the National League played another close, low scoring game until the 7th inning. Max Scherzer held the Cubs offense to an unearned run on 5 hits through the first 6 innings of the game. Ryan Dempster matched him pitch for pitch until the top of the 6th when the Diamondbacks plated a pair of runs on a bases loaded walk by Justin Upton and a fielder's choice ground out with the bases loaded by Mark Reynolds.

Bob Melvin replaced Scherzer with Chad Qualls in the 7th inning. For the second day in a row Mark DeRosa started the Cubs rally with a base hit. After a sacrifice bunt by Reed Johnson put DeRosa in scoring position, Daryle Ward came through with his first pinch hit of the season (0-for-14). Ward's opposite field single scored DeRosa with the tying run. Alfonso Soriano doubled in pinch runner Jason Marquis with the eventual winning run....the second game in as many days Soriano drove in the winning run.

Ryan Theriot followed with a single to center, an obviously hindered Soriano scored on a close play at the plate. Derrek Lee was robbed of a single but advanced Theriot into scoring position. Aramis Ramirez drove in Theriot with a single to right center and Kosuke Fukudome hit his first home run since Opening Day to cap the scoring.

Alfonso Soriano scored two big runs with two close plays at the plate and finished the day 4-for-5 with the game winning RBI. The Cubs scored a season high 6 runs in the 7th inning and took over the lead in the National League with 205 runs scored.

Ryan Dempster pitched an excellent game but did not figure into the decision after allowing a pair of run in his last inning of work. Dempster tied a season-high with 7 strikeouts, walked 3 and gave up only the 2 runs on 3 hits. Scott Eyre picked up the win in his first appearance of the year. Bobby Howry was impressive in the 8th and Carlos Marmol recorded the 27th out to secure the win.

After struggling for the past two weeks, Lou Piniella's crew has won 3 of the last 4 games and their first series since sweeping the Mets back on April 22nd.

The Cubs offense had a couple of chances against Max Scherzer but made bad decisions on the base paths that looked like could cost them the win. Aramis Ramirez doubled to left center to start the 2nd inning. He advanced to 3rd on a ground out to short by Kosuke Fukudome. With the infield back, Geovany Soto hit a one-hopper to Augie Ojeda at 2nd base. Ramirez hesitated before taking off, Ojeda threw home to get Ramirez and keep his former team off the board.

Alfonso Soriano blooped a single into right field with 2 outs in the 3rd inning. Ryan Theriot followed with a single to right. Justin Upton bobbled the ball before tossing it into Ojeda. Mike Quade held Soriano at 3rd but after Upton's bobble and indecision on what to do, Quade sent Soriano. The throw beat Soriano to the plate but Chris Snyder could not hold onto the ball, Soriano touched got his hand in and was safe with the Cubs' first run....it was one of those plays, and it turned out being a great call because Soriano scored.

Reed Johnson started the 5th by being hit by a pitch for the 7th time this season (Johnson was hit again in the 8th....number 8). Ryan Dempster sacrificed him to 2nd and Soriano blooped another single into right, Johnson could not score and the Cubs had runners on 1st and 3rd with 1 out. Scherzer hit Ryan Theriot to load the bases. Derrek Lee followed and swung at the first pitch. Lee flied out to Justin Upton in right....Upton threw a one-hop perfect strike to Chris Snyder and Johnson was out by a mile.

That appeared to be the turning point in the game.

Ryan Dempster cruised through the first two innings. He allowed just a 2-out walk to Chris Snyder but elevated his pitch count. Dempster hit Augie Ojeda with 1-out in the 3rd inning, pitched around the mistake and struck out Chris Young to end the inning.

The Cubs defense played a big role in Dempster retiring the Diamondbacks in order in the 4th inning. Ryan Theriot made a solid play on a ball hit in the hole by Conor Jackson and a spectacular play on a ball hit toward the middle by Justin Upton. Aramis Ramirez stepped in front of Theriot to throw out Mark Reynolds to end the inning.

Dempster struck out the side in the 5th but struggled in the 6th.

Augie Ojeda led off the inning with the Diamondbacks second hit of the game....a solid single to left center. Stephen Drew followed with a single to left. Dempster retired Chris Young on an infield fly for the first out but issued his second walk of the game to Conor Jackson to load the bases.

Dempster received a generous call from home plate umpire Dana DeMuth on a 2-1 pitch to even the count but DeMuth called the next pitch a ball....it all evened itself out. Dempster ended up walking Upton to force in Ojeda to tie the game....it was the D'Backs first run since the 1st inning on Friday, 13 innings. Mark Reynolds grounded out to Theriot at short for the second out but Drew scored the go ahead run on the play. Dempster retired Chris Snyder on a tap back to the mound on the 32nd pitch of the inning.

Scott Eyre retired the first two batters he faced in the 7th before giving up a single to Augie Ojeda. Ojeda was responsible for 2 of the Diamondbacks' 4 hits and reached base three times. Stephen Drew lined out to left to end the inning. Eyre did his job and the Cubs' offense put the game away in the bottom of the inning.

The Cubs have played very good ball over the last two games and have a chance for a sweep of the best team in the National League, weather permitting, on Sunday.

Carlos Zambrano will face Randy Johnson in the series finale on Sunday. It's 'The Battle of Guys with the Word Big' in their nickname and an important game for the Cubs' ace.

GaryLeeT

awwwww stop, Barry you are breaking my heart. OK, I would not move Soriano to 2nd because the way I see it, the fewer chances for him to touch the ball the better. Oh, and half the outfield assists Soriano gets are from him recovering from when he has loafed to or misplayed the ball.

agustin rexach

Jason B. you make a good point. Soriano did carry this team. He has done his job on the plate in this series and just got back from the DL so he is just heating up. I like him but he is not sacred and he is in fact selfish. He sucks as the leadoff hitter but I prefer to have him there than not having him at all. Some here have stated that a trade for Adam Dunn would be great and I agree... but do not tell me that he is a better than Soriano because he might have a higher OBP but has a anemic AVG and strikes out more than SOSA and SORI together. True, Dunn is not afraid of the wall like Sori but that is because he cannot get there...ever!

***If we had signed Pierre to a long term deal Soriano would still be hitting leadoff. Like I said, I like him as a Cub but he is selfish and dumb.

**Second base is out of the question, he sucked there harder.

The #2 Pitcher could Burnett and his price will be high.

***I don't care on how much money they spend..at all. I't is not as if they are going to sell the tickets cheaper if they keep the payroll down.

SWEEEEEEEEP THOUGHTSSSSSSSSS!

Barry

I guess my Post earlier here was lame. I can only assume since no one has agreed or disagreed with my moving Sori to 2B. LOL Damn, that has never before happened to me here.....LOL

Jason B. from AZ

There must be some odd chemicals floating in the Chicago water lines this week.

Soriano hit .299, not .266. He also stole 19 bases. He also had more OF assists than anyone else in the league. He also led the team in HRs, and was a major reason we finished strong and won the division. How short your memories are.

Of course, I remember a bunch of people telling me how Mike Fontenot was practically the next Ryne Sandberg last year, because he had a good month.

Reed Johnson is Angel Pagan. He is a backup.

Why are you all worrying about his contract? You don't have to pay it, and it hasn't stopped the Cubs from signing Fukudome, or resigning Ramirez/Wood, etc...

Put money aside, and realize that his arm/defense, his power, and his speed are not easily replaceable.

Sure his legs are hurt now...but he will heal up. I don't remember anyone asking to trade Derrick Lee when he laid an egg for the majority of last year, until he heated up the last couple of months.

Big-time free agent money is always better spent on position players than pitchers.

The lack of a #2 starter falls more on the consistent inability of the Cubs to have a solid/healthy home-grown starter since Zambrano. Obviously we all know about Wood and Prior. So where is Guzman, Rich Hill, and all the other "untouchable" pitching studs? We traded a few for Juan Pierre, and then forgot to sign Pierre. How would you like the .300 career hitting Pierre in CF right now, compared to an inept Pie and a low-talent like Johnson?

Blame Hendry for the lack of pitching in the rotation...but don't take it out on Soriano, that makes no sense.

You may not know it now, but you all really do know better.

GaryLeeT

Cary,

First we would have to assume Soriano would waive his no trade.....which he would never do and the Cubs would eat some salary. For the sake of fun, I considered a Zito swap, but I don't think he will ever regain his old form. I liked this spring's talk of going after Joe Blanton in Oakland, but Billy Bean would never take a prima donna like Soriano. Maybe Padilla in Texas(who I thought they should have gone after when he was a free agent)?

aaronB

I was very excited when we signed Soriano, and I still think he is a very good player. His leg issues are concerning, but I still see him contributing at the plate this year.

BUT...I agree 100% that a stud #2 starter is the biggest key to the Cubs bringing home the big one.

AND...in order to get a stud #2 Soriano's stock need's to rise. We are right in it now, and have the team to stay in it. So we wait for another month or two, and see what shakes out.

nick

Mike, on cubs.com, it says Soriano hit .299 last not .266, it was Theriot who batted .266 last year.

Cary

As a quick follow up to the posters here, if you had your choice of the current Soriano (and his contract and performance level) v. trading him for a quality (and I mean quality #2 starter), which would you prefer?

I know it won't happen based on his contract provisions, your answer would tell of the value his really brings currently to this team. And I'm sure many here would say you couldn't get a quality #2 starter for Soriano straight up currently.

Cary

Mike, really well stated. DeRosa was truly the guy that carried us last year based on his versatility. The club continued to perform last year in Soriano's absence (just as it did last year), but could you imagine what our record last year would have been without DeRosa playing in right for the awful Floyd or filling in for Ramirez.

I agree, $14m for Soriano's performance level is not worth being happy about.

I like the lineup of DeRosa in LF, Johnson in CF, and Cedeno at 2B. Now that's the patience lineup that will produce.

Mike

For all the Soriano fans there, consider this:

In 2007 Soriano hit .266 with 33 HR's and 70 RBI's with an OBP of .337, and earned $14 million.

In 2007 DeRosa hit .293 with 10 HR's and 72 RBI's with an OBP of .420, and earned $4.75 million.

So who was really the "star" that we wouldn't have made the playoffs without last year.

I'm not campaigning here for DeRosa, but the guy plays all positions, without complaint, and just wants to be team player.

I just don't get the infatuation with Soriano based in his 2007 numbers. And if anyone thinks he'll get back to his 2006 numbers with the Nats based on his current health matters, you gotta be kidding. And the issue is you have 6 more years of this contract. Would anyone here really want to spend $14m a year for 70 RBI's and a .266 batting average? I think we'd all consider that a contract disappoint. So if you want to get giddy over his 30HR's (and what does that tell you about his ability to hit with runners on base), the please do.

Barry

Gentlemen,

I have an idea. What would you all feel about moving Sori back to 2d base and platoon LF between Johnson and Cedeno? Sori was, and I believe still could be, an All Star 2d baseman. Ronny has been tearing it up at the plate and gaining much needed trade value!! I'm foreseeing a BIG trade at the ASB involving Cedeno for that #2 we desperately need!! RJ has certainly showed he has not an ounce of fear of the wall. The guy is a throwback to what and how the game used to be played before all the coddling of perceived Super Stars. Sori may never again have "that burst of speed" we thought we would enjoy for years to come. So, what say you all??

By the way, DeRo would platoon with Sori at 2B or wherever our supersub needs to to further the longhaul rehabbing of Soriano. I was beginning to get the "give up on Sori early" feeling but he is a star. Unfortunately he has been hit with some leg injuries that some would say are inexplicable. I mean, "The Hop?" What the hell was that? Certainly not his fault but we must now consider these little injuries and take appropriate actions to stretch out a career that might be ended years earlier. (and get our monies worth!!!)

One last bit of advice to JH and the organization. SIGN SOTO LONGTERM NOW!!!! This kid is "Special" and as the Marlins are doing with Hanley Ramirez and the Diamondbacks with Haren, GET'r'DONE!!

Let's GO CUBS!! I've got my Broom out!!!!

Aaron

preach on Gary and Mike....I don't see anything great about Soriano.....So what, he had 4 hits...DeRosa had a 5 hit game last year, and he was solid, but not great.

Soriano was gimpy around the bases..You are totally brainwashed if you think he's going to hold up for the long haul.

ARAM had similar issues, but he worked his ass off in the off-season a year or two ago I believe, and he's far more durable now. Soriano is a joke that makes near 20 million a year, and doesn't want to put in the work to make it last

GaryLeeT

I am with Mike on this. Soriano would have to put up MVP type numbers for the next 7 years to cover his salary, all the runs his non-diving, won't go to the wall, alligator arm, defense has let in. The multiple stints on the DL and his overall non-team play. He never situation ally hits, and is notoriously non-clutch. He selfishly demands he hit leadoff even though his stats have never warranted him batting in that position. "The Catch" Johnson made, makes me ten times more proud to be a Cub fan than anything Soriano has done in his Cub's career.

Mike

While I'll give Soriano some credit for portions of yesterday, many here are way too over optimistic on him currently.

While he made something happen on the base paths, his decision to go home early on the Theriot hit was ill-advised, and without the dropped ball by the catcher he would have been an easy out. But again, credit to him for trying to make something happen.

He had a bloop single, and hit a pitch in the 8th that was a pure mistake down the middle, but did connect well on it. He swung at 11 of 15 pitches yesterday....that is not what a leadoff hitter should be doing. His pitch selection is still really poor, but if you guys are sold on his resurrection, then great.

I still think he's a DL listing waiting to happen again, as many noted his running from yesterday. He has no first step burst nor second gear anymore.

Finally, for the person who asked yesterday whether we now would take Johnson over Soriano in the lineup, I certainly would, and would try to move the resurrected Soriano for a stud #2 pitcher. Since he's now that megastar again we should be able to get ton's of great arms. Sure!

Jeff in Az

I think that Soriano's performance the last 2 days just demonstrates how ridiculous everyone sounds when they want to trade him.

I 'm glad Soriano is heating up as I was biting my tongue (and my keyboard) the last couple days with all of the outlandish trade proposals including Soriano.

I'm sure if he goes 0 for 4 tomorrow everyone will want to trade him milton bradley again.

Go cubs, let's get the sweep.

Austin

It makes me so happy to see Soriano heating up. Anyone out there still wish to bench him in favor of Johnson still? Also, I think Dempster has been the key to this rotation. Without him this year, we are obviously no where near where we are now. Great to see Z pitching well, Lilly really turning it around, and Dempster continuing to pitch well. Now all we need is to find a way to get Marshall in and Marquis out.

Baseball is such a funny game: we lose four series to mediocre teams, and here we are bringing out the brooms for tomorrow, against th best team....lets do it! Go Cubs!