Game One Hundred Thirty - Cubs 6 Nationals 1
WP - Rich Harden (9-2, 4-1) LP - Jason Bergmann (2-10) Save - None
The Cubs won their 8th straight series for the first time since 1937 behind an impressive outing by Rich Harden. Harden dominated the Nationals lineup and tied a career high with 11 strikeouts....but most importantly no walks. Harden allowed only 2 hits in 7 complete innings on 109 pitches. Harden won his second straight game at Wrigley and fourth consecutive decision. The only mistake, a solo home run by Austin Kearns to lead off the 3rd inning.
Mark DeRosa became the first Cub since Fred McGriff in 2001 to hit a home run in four straight games. DeRosa's 18th put the Cubs on the board in the 2nd and two batters later Geovany Soto added his 19th of the season, a 2-run shot that gave the Cubs a 3-0 lead. Soto tied the franchise record for home runs by a rookie catcher set by Randy Hundley in 1966.
Kosuke Fukudome came off the bench in the 7th inning and hit his 9th of the season, his first pinch-hit home run in the majors. Fukudome added two very important insurance runs and Aramis Ramirez drove a run with his team leading 91st RBI on a fielder's choice that capped the scoring on the afternoon.
With the win Lou Piniella's crew improved to 30 games over .500 for the season and became the first team in the majors to post their 80th victory of the year. The 30 games above .500 is the highest the organization has been over the break even mark since the final day of the 1984 season when they finished 31 games over with a mark of 96-65....
With the wind blowing in it did not figure to be hitter's day at the Friendly Confines but the Cubs hit three long balls and two more were held up by the wind in the 3rd inning. Five of the six runs the Cubs scored came off home runs by DeRosa, Soto and Fukudome and two of the other four hits were doubles by Aramis Ramirez and Mike Fontenot. For the second day in a row the Cubs tacked on late and gave their pitching staff a little breathing room.
The Cubs offense gave Rich Harden an early lead and he more than took care of the rest. Harden was just nasty once again. He threw strikes and kept his pitch count low for the most part early on which allowed him to complete 7 innings for the second time in as many starts.
Here are Harden's pitch counts and strikeouts by inning:
- 1st inning - 12 pitches, two strikeouts - both swinging
- 2nd inning - 20 pitches, two strikeouts - one swinging, one looking
- 3rd inning - 13 pitches, no strikeouts
- 4th inning - 14 pitches, two strikeouts - both swinging
- 5th inning - 21 pitches, one strikeout - swinging
- 6th inning - 11 pitches, one strikeout - swinging
- 7th inning - 18 pitches, three strikeouts - one swinging, two looking
Carlos Marmol took over in the 8th and an error by Aramis Ramirez opened the door for a possible big inning by the Nationals. Marmol walked Ryan Langerhans with 2 outs then surrendered an infield single to Willie Harris after two borderline ball calls by homeplate umpire Angel Hernandez. With the bases loaded, Guzman received a break on a 2-2 pitch from Hernandez then a makeup on called third strike to end the inning....the Cubs caught a break.
Jeff Samardzija gave up a hit in the 9th with 2 strikeouts. On the afternoon, Harden, Marmol and Samardzija struck out 14 and walked only 1.
The Cubs offense was jump started in the 2nd inning by Mark DeRosa. He hit his fourth home run in as many games into the first row of the bleachers in right. Jim Edmonds followed with a walk and scored on a home run by Geovany Soto into the bleachers in left.
After the Kearns home run in the 3rd, the score remained 3-1 until the 7th inning.
Mike Fontenot reached on a 1-out double to left center and Lou Piniella went to his bench for the struggling Kosuke Fukudome. Fukudome was 4-for-9 with a double as a pinch hitter and took two out of the strike zone from Steven Shell. Fukudome then launched the next pitch down the right field line for his 9th home run of the year. Fukudome was greeted in the dugout by a lot of smiles and hugs from his teammates, and Ronny Cedeno even bowed showing his respect. The smile on Fukudome's face was just priceless....
Alfonso Soriano reached on an error by Ryan Zimmerman and advanced to 3rd on a single to right by Ryan Theriot. Aramis Ramirez grounded out to 2nd base but the Nationals could not turn the inning ending double play and Soriano scored with the Cubs' sixth and final run on the 91st RBI of the season by the Cubs' third baseman.
Sunday's win was the Cubs' seventh in a row in the rubber game of a series and for the year they improved to 16-6 for the year on Sunday. They completed the homestand with a 4-2 record and the season series with the Nationals at an even .500 after losing 3 of the first 4 games.
The Cubs open a brief 3-game road trip in Pittsburgh on Monday night. Ted Lilly is scheduled to face Jeff Karstens in the opener.
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Just read that the Cubs might hesitate to sign Demp long term because they have Z, Harden, Lilly and Marquis signed through 09. Uh.... does anyone else see Marquis in a Cubs uniform next season, I don't think so. As for not signing Demp for that reason or any other is absurd. From what I gather he is one of the leaders in the Clubhouse. Oh yeah and he is having a Cy Young year.
Just read that the Cubs might hesitate to sign Demp long term because they have Z, Harden, Lilly and Marquis signed through 09. Uh.... does anyone else see Marquis in a Cubs uniform next season, I don't think so. As for not signing Demp for that reason or any other is absurd. From what I gather he is one of the leaders in the Clubhouse. Oh yeah and he is having a Cy Young year.
Jim, where did you read that? I have heard/read that Dempster wanted to stay. Can you provide a link?
Neil, its from John Perrotto's "Every Given Sunday" column at Baseball Prospectus. Requires a subscription but mlbtraderumors summarized it as Jim wrote above.
It'd be a shame if the Cubs didn't re-sign Dempster. Arguably, he has been the key catalyst and rock of the pitching staff this season.
Trevor....thank you. I have a subscription and just read the article. That is the first I have read/heard that about Dempster. Many have thought Dempster would give the Cubs a 'hometown discount.'
I just do not see how the Cubs could/can continue to run Marquis out there...even as a 5th starter. I would like to see Marshall in the rotation for the rest of the year, especially after the September call-ups. There will be plenty of arms Piniella can use if needed for long relief.
I will say this, the faster the sale of the team is finalized following the season, the better.....
With that said, let's 'worry' about next year after this season is over.
Neil,
Speaking of September call-ups. If I remember correctly from years past, the MLB team won't call anybody of importance up until the PCL playoffs are finished. So that could mean mid-September call-ups.
And who was it that bit my head off about a week ago, when I said that the Cubs would probably not resign Dempster?
Gary...and the Cubs will resign Dempster. One BS opinion on MLBTradeRumors doesn't mean a thing. Ryan has a strong relationship with Hendry, loves playing in front of the Chicago fans, and realizes what the franchise has done to turn his career.
He'll be back.
I agree....they will sign him. 2-3 year deal, maybe 6-8 million a year. maybe more. probable 10M if he actually wins Cy Young.
If they dont, I would say it was either that Dempter decided to play the market(which I doubt)or even worse, that the Cubs decide to go back to not spending money and try going cheap again.
Marquis will be sent on to make up for the extra money that they spend on dempster.
What I want to know is why is it taking so long to sell the team? Its got to be more profitable now then any time in its history. Whats holding it up???
Inuendos and Outuendos: If payroll limitations present signing problems for our stars next year, there is as good a chance that JH will trade Z, Pie and Rhee to the Red Sox for Elsbury (CF), Masterson (RHP) and Lars Anderson (1B) as there is that JH will not sign D to something like $50 mil and 4 years. In that unlikely scenario, we would get younger with a likely star in Elsbury and standout prospects Masterson and Anderson. Z's $18 mil per would be gone--as would our tempermental hero. We would not resign Edmonds. Hoffpauir and Anderson would give us two big lefty bat options with Anderson a couple of years away.
Neil is right about the Cubs sale needing to get done. That will clear the air about salary limitations. If we can go from $120 mil to $140 mil, there would be room for signing all of our stars.
IMO, the AAA playoffs will not keep players like Hoffpauir from being called up at the first opportunity. A guy like Fox, who has been on a tear for a few months after a horrible start, would fill in at 1B for Iowa very well.
Gary....that is what I always understood as well with the call-ups. Take a look at yesterday's game preview. I put a link to a repot on Cubs.com that indicated the Cubs would promote from Double-A to help the I-Cubs in the playoffs.
What they have done in Iowa this year is great, don't misunderstand. But I think they will do what is right for the big club first and that is pull up players like Hoffpauir, Pie and Koyie Hill.
Can you believe it? Another 10 game grading period has come and gone (the 13th), and the Blue turned in a nifty 7 wins and 3 losses. That is a PASS. We are now on a winning percentage course (61%) to win 99 games.
DeRosa was a showoff with 9 R, 13 H, 5 HR and 10 RBI's. Rameriz was too with 7 R, 11 H, 3 HR and 13 RBI's. Johnson and Theriot were noteworthy with 11 H each.
On the mound, showoffs were D and Harden who each were 2--0. H was amazing with 14 IP while allowing 4 H and 1 R while walking none and getting 13 strikeouts. Marmol and Wood led the pen giving up a combined 1 run on 4 H and striking out 13 in 11 IP.
The no shows among position players were Edmonds (0 for 14) and Dome (5 for 26). Marquis gave up 12 H and 6 R in 6 IP while Gaudin disappointed with 6 H and 6 R allowed in 6 IP.
Of note are the continuing totals of the acquired Edmunds Johnson. EJ's 93 RBI's leads the team and his 22 HR are tied for the top spot with Soriano and Aram. Also of note, the season-long Cubs grades are 3 High Pass, 5 Pass, 2 Kiss Your Sister and 3 Fails. What a season, and please baseball gods--Let It Continue To and Through the Playoffs.
Our Cubs, with 80 wins, should clinch a playoff spot this week. Reserved seats for the playoffs are on sale at $10--with senior citizens tickets priced at $6. (Hell yes, age has a few advantages.) That would be our Iowa Cubs, of course, who have a magic number of 2. At the minor league level, baseball is still America's game. At the major league level, it's priced out of reach for most Americans to consider attending on any regular basis.