Game Sixty-Two - Cubs 6 White Sox 5
WP - Kevin Gregg (1-1) LP - Matt Thornton (4-2) Save - None
The Cubs appeared well on their way to losing their second game in a row. The offense was horrible for seven innings and managed only one run on four singles off of Gavin Floyd. The Cubs were getting themselves out once again and all signs pointed to the Cubs dropping to two games under .500 on the year.
Ozzie Guillen lifted Gavin Floyd for a pinch hitter in the eighth after the White Sox tacked on two against Carlos Marmol. Floyd had thrown only 90 pitches through seven innings. With the Cubs down 5-1, Guillen turned the game over to his pen ... and the Cubs took advantage.
Micah Hoffpauir reached on a error by Chris Getz and advanced to second on the first hit of the series by Alfonso Soriano. Scott Linebrink then retired Ryan Theriot on an infield pop up and struck out Milton Bradley for the second out of the inning. Derrek Lee lifted the first pitch from Linebrink into the basket in right center.
Derrek Lee's eighth home run of the year might have been the biggest swing of the Cubs first 62 games.
Geovany Soto followed and on a 1-1 pitch from Linebrink, got a fastball in his wheelhouse and tied the game at five. Soto's fourth home run of the year ended up in the bleachers in left center ... and the Cubs bench exploded. The Cubs battled all the way back and while all four runs in the eighth were unearned, they were a long time coming for the Cubs' struggling offense.
Kevin Gregg retired three of the four batters he faced in the ninth and set up the possibility of another win in their last at bat.
Reed Johnson pinch-hit for Kosuke Fukudome and led off the bottom of the ninth with a single to center off Matt Thornton. Andres Blanco sacrificed Johnson to second but Aaron Miles grounded out to short for the second out of the inning.
Alfonso Soriano, who was 0-for-his-last-17 with runners in scoring position, came through with his second hit of the game ... a bloop single to right center that plated Reed Johnson with the winning run.
Kevin Gregg earned his first win as a Cub and Derrek Lee extended his hitting streak to 15 games with his dinger in the eighth ... Lee recorded four of the Cubs six RBI on the afternoon.
Lou Piniella's crew even their season record at 31-31 with exactly 100 games left to play. And there is little doubt this was a big victory for the Chicago Cubs. Could Thursday's come from behind win be a springboard for better things left to come this season?
Carlos Zambrano turned in another quality start and once again pitched good enough to post a victory. Zambrano allowed only three runs on six hits in seven innings with three walks and three strikeouts. The White Sox scored their first run off of Big Z in the sixth and tacked on a pair in the seventh on Alexei Ramirez's second home run of the series.
All three runs the Sox scored off Zambrano came with two outs and he did everything he could to keep his team in the game ... Zambrano's only mistake was the longball served up to Ramirez.
Jermaine Dye reached on a one-out double to left center in the sixth. After Paul Konerko flied out to right, the Cubs intentionally walked A.J. Pierzynski with two outs. Brian Anderson then delivered a two-out single to right that plated Dye with the game's first run.
The Cubs tied the game in the bottom of the sixth after a lead off single by Ryan Theriot ... on a 0-2 pitch from Gavin Floyd. Milton Bradley followed with a single to right center on a 3-2 pitch. Theriot advanced to third. Derrek Lee then hit a soft grounder to short that plated Theriot with the Cubs' first run. Bradley was forced at second on the play.
Geovany Soto grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the sixth.
With the game tied at one, Carlos Zambrano issued a leadoff walk to Gordon Beckham. Gavin Floyd sacrificed Beckham to second. Scott Podsednik then fouled out to Alfonso Soriano for the second out ... Soriano made a fine catch in the Cubs bullpen near the wall and almost ran over Aaron Heilman in the process.
Alexei Ramirez followed with his seventh home run of the year ... a two-run shot on a 1-0 pitch. Ramirez appeared to hit the knock out blow at the time.
Carlos Marmol was awful once again and gave up two runs on three hits in the eighth. Marmol managed to record just two outs ... and it was the bottom of the Sox offense that did the damage.
Paul Konerko led off with a single to right off of Marmol. After a passed ball advanced Konerko to second, A.J. Pierzynski grounded out to second. The productive out put Konerko at third with only one out. Brian Anderson popped out to Derrek Lee but Chris Getz doubled to right ... Konerko scored the Sox fourth run.
Gordon Beckham followed with a single to right ... 5-0 White Sox and all five runs were scored with two outs.
Sean Marshall replaced Marmol and walked pinch-hitter Josh Fields. Marshall then retired Scott Podsednik on a come backer to the mound ... it was a big out that will go unnoticed.
Game Two went to the Good Guys...
Rich Harden is slated to face Cliff Lee in game one of the Mark DeRosa-Kerry Wood series on Friday afternoon.
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Great Win! Clutch Win.... and we need to go out tomorrow, get another and know that we beat a very very decent AL team --- take that and whoop up on a pretty mediocre AL team get this train rollin
they say a win is like any other win....
but surely a come from behind win against the Sox is worth 2-3 against non descripts like Pittsburgh or Washington...
And you know why Reed Johnson needs to be in this lineup over Fuk?
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=5114511
Even though it was probably an easy run in home.... just look at him MOTOR like his life depended on it on Soriano's single....... that is MASSIVE heart, and that is an INTANGIBLE boost that this team so dearly needs
I'm so glad the Cubs have gotten back on track and the fonz is out of his hitting slump.
OK, sorry, that was sarcastic and probably inappropriate. And maybe Soriano will start hitting the cover off the ball. But who cares? It will last a few weeks, and then he will struggle again. Especially when it matters the most. Soriano is a career sub .200 BA in the postseason with ONE whopping HR.
As for Lee, he's back to his career averages in BA, HR, and RBI's. Good for him. If he keeps this up, he should finish the season with another .280, 20HR, 80 RBI season. Sorry guys, I know there are several D-Lee lovers out there (Jim K). But those numbers are NOT acceptable for a team that is supposed to legitimately contend for the world series.
Look at the first baseman for the last five WS winners:
2008 Howard: .251 48hr 146rbi
2007 Youkilis: .288 16hr 83rbi .390obp
2006 Pujols: .331 49hr 137rbi
2005 Konerko: .283 40hr 100rbi
2004 RedSox platoon: doesn't matter cause manny and big papi put up monstrous #'s
The fact is, you need offense to win. We don't have a single power threat. I remember when the Angels won a few years back, everybody was saying how that team would just "single you to death." But even THEY had some power guys like Glaus and Garrett Anderson. This team has nobody. It's pathetic. It's entirely possible that the team will end up with only ONE player with 20+ HR's for the season. I can't remember the last time that happened to the Cubs... OK, i just looked it up: the pathetic season of 2001 when Sammy was juicing and hit 64hr's.
Oh to have Dunn or Texieria right now...
Tonight...is a night to celebrate the improbable.
Soriano had a good game...
Lee hit a 3 run homer
Soto, pudgy Soto jacked one out.
Z pitched great.
I cannot remember that string of occurences happening together this season.
Yes, tonight Cubdom, we celebrate.
Tomorrow, there will be time for debate.
GO CUBBIES !!!
and for those who doubt the value of Z to this team....
he has allowed 5 earned runs in his last 28 innings pitched... a 1.60 ERA
I guarantee you one thing: If any elite AL team like the Red Sox or Yankees come looking for ANY (and i mean ANY) Cub player... he will CERTAINLY be no.1 on their list....Though Lilly has been just spectacular this year, Z is by far and away the biggest superstar on this team....
Great win, but this is just one game. Sori is so inconsistent this means nothing. He needs to put a string of good games together to prove anything.
Does anyone know what the Sox did with Wilson Betemit? I know they DFAed him for Beckham, but I was thinking if the Cubs can't get Derosa back, Betemit would be a decent addition. Not as good as Dero but better than Miles. In fact I'd take Neifi Perez over Miles.
Yes, this game was a memorable one for Cubs' fans. And yes, Elliot, I'm pleased with the recent performance of my man, DLee. I've said that his place is now lower in the order, on an intact, performing team, but Lee won't be our downfall.
I'm not forgetting that several other Cubs heros too exhibited some lessening of skills in past years--while sustaining admirable character and effort. It may be instructive that we remember our Hall of Famers and guys like Randy, Jody, Beckert, Sutcliffe and Holtzman and many others, even though we can't remember if the teams were above or below .500. I'm also thinking that, if some other bats were having standout years (Aram, Soriano and Bradley), Lee's numbers would have less importance than you give them.
It doesn't make much practical sense to think about Dunn and Teixeira. You might as well throw in Sabathia, Hudson and Abreu too. Tex was never affordable. Dunn was only down to 5 years and $70 mil (from 5 and $90 at the end of last season), when JH opted to act. JH had less than half that amount to work with when he pulled the trigger earlier in the post season.
I don't think any of us ever thought that guys like Abreu and Hudson would be begging for jobs in February or that both could be signed to one year deals for a combined $10 mil. That would really have made a difference.
The cumulative, extreme angst here(understandable by the way) could be reflecting that 2008 was our best chance with the current team. If that is the case, it will be sad for me too--but I won't be cutting off my head. In the meantime, I'm just wanting the next game to be a good one for the Blue--and thinking wistfully about the Miracle Mets.
We are the Calamitous Cubs...not the Miracle Mets....But it would be interesting to see Leo Durocher at the helm of this team....The ink hasn't dried on this season yet...and who knows...maybe this is the one season in a hundred that defies all odds...maybe this is the one where we start in ignomy
and finish in Glory...smart brains & money say no...but our pitching is there...and usually that is the hardest to achieve...if we somehow get one hot bat and ARAM back...who knows?
My cynical brain says no. But the heart is beating and the fingers crossed.
Go Cubs!!!
There is nothing wistful about the Miracle Mets...except youth and passion.
You can ask Santo,Kessinger, Beckert and Banks about that.
Susy....You may have missed my point. I didn't say the Miracle Mets were wistful. I said that I was wistful thinking about what the Mets did. They had a few exceptional players and some role players who all got hot at the wrong time for us (as you know). As mentioned a few days ago (when we were also at .500), we are still even with the league, but several other teams are better than that. So, like you, I'm not optimistic about the playoffs given our team's issues. But, I do think we can win the next one...and the one after that.
I don't know if you were on site months ago when I described my role in helping Mr. Wrigley bring Leo to Chicago to manage the Cubs. He was an old school task master who could get in players faces--at least for a few years. He could also be found mingling with the public in a watering hole fairly frequently. And he wasn't above buying a round.
Firey guys like Leo, don't seem to succeed these days. The out-of-work Larry Bowa is probably a good example.
Jim, I guess I did miss your point...sorry....but understand now.
St.Louis of a few years ago...might be a better example then the Mets.
I went to school at Marquette in Milwaukee...and was there when we won the NCAA tournament in McQuire's last year. The team was far inferior to other teams we fielded during that era...we just barely squeaked in to the 32 team
tournament with 7 losses to our credit.
At the beginning of that season...Al McQuire announced his retiremaent at the end of the season...and we had, by our standards...a miserable regular season...
and then won it all.
So I share your concern...but have also learned to reserve judgement until the ink has dried.
btw...one summer...I did a summer school stint at MU. That summer, a young scrawny
baseball draftee was hanging around MU...
used to watch him play catch in the early mornings...that guy was Robin Yount
at the very beginning of his career...great player.
I missed your Leo story...and you are right...the modern player would not take to him...actually he lost his team's respect back then.
Just watched the replay on tv. No matter how bad it is for the Cubs. Thank your lucky stars Hawk is not your announcer. What a crybaby! The only thing that makes listening to him tolerable is Stoney. Even Stoney's arrogance gets under my skin.
Hawk maybe a huge contributing factor why i didn't become a Sox fan growing up as a kid.
I second that motion, Rich.. I absolutely can NOT stand Hawk Harrelson. To me, it seems like he thinks that because he was the GM of the Sox in the 80s that Sox fans and the rest of us should be lucky to hear him... dude's a joke.
JimK,
Uh, Larry Bowa is 3rd base coach for Dodgers. He was with Torre in NY too.
JimK, my disdain for Lee comes from his lack of leadership, and his refusal to accept responsibility for the team's short-comings. Derek Jeter probably puts up similar numbers as D-Lee, but he is looked upon as a true leader, not only by his teammates, but by the fans. I'm sorry, but when he shot back at the fans a few years back and ultimately at steve stone (eventually causing his firing) for being "too critical," he lost me. You don't bite the hand that feeds you.
It's the same song and dance with Corey Patterson. The Cubs fans were merciless on him, and he got pissed off at us. Well buddy, guess what. This ain't highschool anymore. You're getting paid to play, and if you can't perform, quit.
I gave Lou an earful a few weeks back in San Diego and he basically brushed me off. He even told me that Jake Fox would get some playing time! What a f*n liar. I can't trust this entire team. It's filled with a bunch of prima donna pansies. If I was Len and Bob, I'd quit now before they get fired for being "too critical" of the team.
"The Tigers Bench Magglio Ordonez Indefinitely" for performance. Gee, while Magglio is earning over $15m a year, there's a team that's at least holding the player accountable. Take note Jim/Lou.
Hey All! Yesterday was a great day!
Not only did the Cubs have a great come from behind win against the sox, BUT my Wife and I found out we are expecting our first Child!!
CONGRATS NICK!!!!
Hey nick, great day indeed!!! FELICIDADES!
Congrats Nick. And as Lou would say, "Pass that along to the Mrs. too!"
cc....Thanks for citing Bowa's coaching job. I wasn't clear, but I was thinking managers' jobs. Bowa has been on a few short lists, but doesn't get picked.
elliot....You are right that Lee is not an outspoken, emotional type. But going from first to third a night or two ago is leadership too. And his recent productivity is as well. We all hope it inspires a few others to step up, and we hope he can keep it up.
Re. sitting some non-performers: I agreed with Jim TP a couple of days ago about sitting Sori and Bradley (for 5 or 6 games) and said that Lou make changes soon if the laggards didn't step up soon. Yesterday's step up fits the caveat of "soon", and likely gets them another day or two in the lineup.
Thanks guys!! JimK, I will pass it along