Game One Hundred Fifty-Four - Cubs 5 Cardinals 1
WP - Ryan Dempster (17-6) LP - Braden Looper (12-14) Save - None
Lou Piniella's crew completed the home portion of their 2008 schedule with the 55th win of the year at Wrigley Field....just one short of the organization's all-time mark of 56 set in 1933 and equaled in 1935. The Cubs' skipper ran out a lineup more reminiscent of a Spring Training contest than the 154th game of the regular season. All of the regulars were given the afternoon off. Kosuke Fukudome and Felix Pie were the only starters on Sunday that were in the Cubs' Opening Day lineup on the cold and rainy last day of March....in fact three of the starters on Sunday were not on the Cubs 40-man roster when the season began.
The 2008 Chicago Cubs finished with a home mark of 55-26....not bad for a team that lost their first two games of the season at Wrigley to the Milwaukee Brewers. The win on Sunday allowed this version of the Cubs to finish the regular season with only four home series losses on the year....a truly remarkable summer on the North Side of Chicago.
Ryan Dempster picked up his 17th win of the year after allowing only one run in 5 innings of work, a sacrifice fly by Albert Pujols after a Skip Shumaker single and a Ryan Ludwick double in the 1st inning. Kosuke Fukudome threw out Cesar Izturis at the plate to end the 5th and preserve the 2-1 lead for Dempster before he turned the game over to the pen.
Kosuke Fukudome had one of his better games of the second half at the plate. Fukudome was 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Felix Pie scored a pair of runs with a single and a triple in four trips to the plate. Casey McGehee recorded his first big league hit and drove in two more runs....including the go ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the 4th inning. McGehee finished his day 2-for-3 with 2 RBI's.
Jim Edmonds received a standing ovation when he stepped to the plate in the 6th to pinch hit for Jeff Samardzija. Edmonds drove in the Cubs fourth run with a sacrifice fly to left. Chad Gaudin returned and worked off a little rust in an inning of work.
The Cubs added to the new attendance record they set on Saturday....40,551 entered the gates on Sunday running the final attendance for the season to 3,300,200.
The Cubs finished season series against the Cardinals with a 9-6 record with their 94th win of the season....just two short of the 96 wins the 1984 squad posted and only four behind the 98-56 mark of the 1945 National League Champions.
The Cubs first run of the game came in the 3rd inning after a lead off single to right by Kosuke Fukudome. Lou Piniella called for the hit and run and Ronny Cedeno delivered with a single to right. Fukudome ended up at 3rd and scored on a throwing error by Felipe Lopez. Micah Hoffpauir hit a grounder to the Cardinals' second baseman, he tried to throw out Cedeno at 2nd but the throw pulled Cesar Izturis off the bag....Kosuke scored to tie the game at 1.
The Cubs took the lead for good in the 4th after a lead off triple by Felix Pie. Casey McGehee drove him in with a sacrifice fly to center for the second run. The Cardinals argued the very close play and replays showed the Cubs might have caught a break.
Mike Fontenot lead off the 6th with a walk....like so many rallies this season. Felix Pie followed with a smash into right past Albert Pujols. Pie advanced to 3rd and scored on a single to center by Casey McGehee. Koyie Hill sacrificed Fontenot and Pie to 2nd and 3rd and Piniella went to his 'shallow' bench for Jim Edmonds. The Cubs' centerfielder received a standing ovation with his former employer in the visitor's dugout. Edmonds responded with a sacrifice fly to foul ground in left on the first pitch.
The Cubs last run came in the 7th on a wild pitch. Ronny Cedeno led off the inning with a double. After a Micah Hoffpauir walk and a 4-6-3 double play off the bat of Daryle Ward, Cedeno ended up at 3rd and scored on a wild pitch by Kyle McClellan with Mike Fontenot at the plate.
What a year at Wrigley!
The Cubs start the final week of the regular season on Monday in New York against the Mets. Jason Marquis is scheduled to face Jonathon Niese in the first of four in what could be a first round playoff preview. Ron Santo will not make the trip to Shea Stadium to see his 'favorite park 'for the last time in a regular season series.
A few thoughts...
* Future HOF'er Ron Santo needs a break just in time for the playofs.
* Titans Win! Titans Win!
I know Lou mentioned "owing" it to baseball to stay competetive over the next week plus, but here is a theory I have.....going to NY to play the Mets, I would like to see Lou adjust our rotation a bit so that in the event we play the Mets as the wild card team, they are not fresh off facing our starters. Marquis is fine because he is not likely to be a starter. After that I'd use Marshall for a spot start....and go from there. Minimize the amount they see our starters in case we turn around and face them right away again next week.
As it stands I hope it works out to be the Mets....or even the Brewers.....the Phillies scare me a bit as Len and Bob mentioned on air.....
I loved seeing Jim Edmonds get a standing ovation from the crowd!! Was incredible to see the class the guy has shown in trying to win the fans over from the time he got here. That was well deserved!! I love that he has been a voice in the clubhouse during this clinching celebratin reminding everyone to keep their eye on the prize!! He is going to be a key player if we go all the way!!
Joe S., where do you live in San Diego? I'm from the Chicago area and a die hard cub fan. My wife and I live in Carlsbad now for the past 2 years. I'm pulling for an Angels/Cubs series so we can go to a game in Anaheim!
A few thoughts in the Jim[tp] format...
**I think it will be the Brewers, they seem to be a better team than the Mets and it is up to us who we play...!?
**I HATE Bridgeport, no White Sox near our prize please/thankyou.
**Joe S. great points of view on your part.
**Neil thanks, please ask the podcasters to podcast something before the playoffs.
**It is safe to say that the NL Central is not that comic anymore...four good teams and a lot of promise in the other two.
Goodbye Yankee Stadium.....
A timeless slice of Americana --- with Wrigley, of course!!
Yes, Baron...
A big 'thank you' to Yankee Stadium from a lifelong fan of America's Pastime
Chad....I'm down south from you in Santee....I'm also from the Chicagoland area....last living in Jim's hometown of good ol Tinley Park...I too am rooting for the Angels/Cubs for the same reason!!
The Cubs can't play the Brewers in the first round. If the Brewers win the wild card the Cubs will play the winners from the West...either Arizona or LA.
Hey Joe S and Chad!
I also live in San diego(Casa de ore)
Maybe we can meet at the Angels Park for the (shall I say)
The WORLD SERIES!
I Love this site!! Such classy individuals.....
I have had a greater sense of confidence about this club than in past years. Even 2003. It is such a compilation of youth and verterans and coaching I just cannot believe we look so FREAKING DOMINATING!!!
I am REALLY starting to believe that we are the best team in baseball. I just cannot believe we are fially here. Our expectations for this team have not only been realized but produced more.
I must give credit to a member of the coaching staff that perhaps some of you may not have yet expressed here. Our walks, RPGs, OBP...... I mean you name a offensive stat that we are lower than 4th in the NL maybe even the MLB.
My point is let's give Gerald Perry some love. This team is a ghost of its former self w/regard to PATIENCE at the dish. Yes Lou brought in the mindset but Gerald, TY DUDE!! Give him a raise!!!
Peace out CUB NATION!!!
GOOOOO CUBBIESSSS!!!!
agustin,
It seems that the Crews will lose Ryan Braun. He just admitted that he's not feeling well. His August injury really hurt him, and his run production had dropped significantly since then.
I don't mind playing our best starters against the Mets. When our Z, our Rich, and our Dempster are intact with their stuff, they are not going to give up runs.
The problem would be our offense. They seemed to have cooled down with the weather. Can the team risk playing Hoffpauir and Pie as starters while Fukudome, Johnson, and Lee are struggling at the plate?
Tough call, right?
Barry,
Sorry, I just burped. I guess I'm not too classy.
But, anyway, I have more confidence in this team then any Cubs team I ever watched. Its just a different feel. Even with the losing streak we had at the end of the season, we have been more consistant then we have ever been. And we are still strong. Now the mental games start. But this team, I believe, has the right mentality to overcome the pressures that come with a "Cubs" playoff team.
I think everybosy would agree that being on a Cubs playoff team has more pressure then any other team.
But I have confidence that we will make the WS.
But thats were it can go anyway. Angels look good. It will be a great WS battle no matter what. Should be fun to watch.
And I know that there is no guarentee that we will make the World Series because the playoffs are a crap shoot but we can do it. We are definitely the front runners. Which other then 2003 maybe, this will be the first time fro that too.
Remember all those "First time since..., first time since...." If we could get at least two more.....
First time since 1945 and a first time since 1908.
The Cub nation can let go a big sigh of relief heard around the world.