The
Cubbies are finally back in Chicago after a horrible 2-5 road trip and will play 17 of their next 23 games in the friendly confines. Thankfully, the Brewers stunk it up as well and the Cubs only lost one half game in the standings. The road trip came at the tail end of a 20 games in 20 days
stretch in which the Cubs went 9-11 but managed to make a game and a half on the Brewers.
Anyway, the Cubs nearly stole one tonight, in fact, they fell just inches short of winning the game on as Mike
Fontenot hit a ball to the right field wall that looked like it was going out but was caught to the end the game. Matt
Murton hit a rocket to left earlier in the 9
th but the ball was also caught at the wall. Being SO Close to a winning game we had no right to win with the way
Zambrano pitched coupled with the Brewers loss to St. Louis makes the loss a little easier to take but this is getting ridiculous.
Now is the time to make a run, Big Z needs to get his head straight after two horrible starts, including tonight's 7 innings, 13 hits and 6 runs allowed, zero
strikeout effort against Cincinnati. when Z is going good, the Cubs win, when he's not, neither are the Cubs. He sort of sets the tone for the rest of the team.
The Lovable Ones finally rediscovered their power stroke, hitting three homers--by D-Lee,
Aramis, and the one formally known as "the struggling"
Jacque Jones. If we are going to make a run deep into the postseason it's going to be because
Zambrano and the sluggers.
In the
reshuffled bullpen, Bob
Howry was perfect in the 9
th and Carlos
Marmol did a great job after loading the bases in the 8
th, striking out Jeff
Keppinger and Ken
Griffey Jr., and getting Brandon Phillips to pop out to end the threat and keep the Reds lead at 6-4. D-Lee followed that by hitting two out RBI single to make the score 6-5 and
Aramis had a great at bat and drew a walk. Darryl Ward couldn't come through as he popped out to end the 8
th. Ryan
Dempster did not pitch but warmed up in the 8
th. It is going to be interesting to see what Lou does with his new nasty boys. I want
Demp in the 7
th,
Howry in the 8
th, and
Marmol in the 9
th, assuming we ever get another save opportunity.
Let's get 'em tomorrow
Cubbies.
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