Game Eighty-Four - Cubs 1 Giants 2
WP - Matt Cain (5-6) LP - Jason Marquis (6-5) Save - Brian Wilson (23)
Matt Cain dominated the Cubs on Tuesday night and out pitched Jason Marquis. After rough starts by Marquis and Cain, both pitchers settled down and a double steal in the 1st inning ended up being the difference in the game.
Marquis gave up a hit to Fred Lewis to start the bottom of the 1st and then walked Ray Durham. Randy Winn hit a soft grounder to Ronny Cedeno at short, he took it to the bag himself and tried to turn the double play, his throw was late and Winn reached on the fielder's choice. Winn broke for 2nd on a 0-2 pitch to Bengie Molina, Geovany Soto threw to 2nd, Fred Lewis broke from 3rd and scored the first run of the game.
Matt Cain made the run in the 1st inning hold up. Cain tossed 8 innings of shutout ball, allowed only 2 hits, walked 3 and struck out 10. Cain kept the Cubs off balance and guessing at the plate all night. Jason Marquis gave up another run in the 6th and left after the 7th inning. Marquis allowed 2 runs on 4 hits with 3 walks and 5 strikeouts.
The Cubs rallied once again in the 9th. Lou Piniella's team never seems to quit but could not push across the tying run against Brian Wilson. Derrek Lee tripled to lead off the inning and scored on a 1-out single by Geovany Soto. Mike Fontenot reached on an infield single and with the Soto at 2nd and 2 outs, Ryan Theriot battled Wilson but struck out swinging on the eighth pitch of the at bat.
Lou Piniella's crew dropped their 4th game of the road trip and are 1-4 in the last 5 games.
Tuesday night was one of those games a team loses in a 162-game schedule. Matt Cain was at the top of his game and the Cubs could not take advantage of the limited opportunities they had. Derrek Lee recorded the Cubs first hit in the 1st inning....and the second hit did not come until the 7th inning, a leadoff double by Daryle Ward. Jim Edmonds drove a ball to straight away center two batters later that Aaron Rowand caught right before hitting the wall....it was that kind of night.
Jose Castillo made a tremendous play to rob Mark DeRosa of a hit to end the 8th inning.
The Giants other run came in the 6th after a lead off double by Fred Lewis. Lewis hit a ground rule double just to the left of straight away center that hit on the warning track and bounced over the wall. Ray Durham grounded out to 2nd, Lewis advanced to 3rd and with the infield in scored on a single to left by Randy Winn.
Ryan Theriot was in the original starting lineup but was a late scratch due to stomach flu. Theriot pinch hit for Ronny Cedeno with 2 on and 2 out in the 7th....and struck out. Cedeno's at bats against Matt Cain were bad and his defense was questionable once again....he must have really gotten on Piniella's bad side to be lifted for a guy reportedly with the flu.
A day after scoring 9 runs, the Cubs managed only 1 and the Giants won for only the 4th time in their last 19 games at home.
The Cubs will try to get back on track on Wednesday night. Ryan Dempster will face Kevin Correia in the third of four by the bay.
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