TODAY'S CUBS GAME: 8 - 7
I'm listening to the game live today. Ryan Dempster is on the mound for Chicago and I hope he does well. As I mentioned earlier, in two of his last three games, he's given up only a single run and still been charged with the loss. He starts off impressive, striking out the first three batters.
The Cubs are batting in the bottom of the first, there's a runner in scoring position, but there are two outs. Derek Lee comes to the plate. He's leading the league in RBIs, and ... Yes! Derek Lee drives in the run with a single!
There was a lot of talk at the beginning of the game about Carlos Zambrano getting tossed yesterday for what appeared to be an intentional bean to a Reds batter. I guess maybe there's a downside to all that energy I've been singing about. He's been ejected from two of his five starts this season, not a trend I'm happy about at all. But back to today...
Top of the third, Dempster has the bases loaded and is facing Adam Dunn. Ron and Pat are worried, and as I look him up, I see that Dunn's on-base percentage this season is .453 and he's slugging .783. This could be ugly... Strike three! Go Ryan Dempster. The next batter for the Reds is Austin Kearns. He's not the same caliber threat, and Dempster gets ahead, one ball and two strikes. We might get out of this... Ball two, ball three, ball four. Ryan Dempster has just walked in a run. The next batter is the shortstop, Felipe Lopez. He hits a grand slam homerun. Awe, hell!
I'm taking Cooper for a walk. A long walk.
It's now the bottom of the sixth. Pat and Ron are talking about how the Reds had the bases loaded again in the top half of the inning but hit into a double play. Ron thinks that could be a real momentum changer. I hope you're right, Ron.
Since I've been away, the Cubs have gotten one back and now, Patterson gets a single. It's Derek Lee again. He was batting .400 coming into the game and has managed to raise that figure by going 2 for 2 thus far. Make that 3 for 3. He hits a homerun! We're within two. This game is suddenly within reach.
The starter for the Reds, Aaron Harang, is still in the game but after a walk to Burnitz, he's gone. Hollandsworth gets a hit off the new guy. Runners at first and second. A sacrifice bunt by Jose Macias moves Burnitz and Hollandsworth to second and third. There's only one out. We should be able to cut the lead to one. Michael Barrett comes in to pinch hit. He started slow this season but has been doing well lately... A shallow pop-up, the runners don't advance. Ron Santo is grunting and groaning with disappointment. So much for small ball. The next batter hits a sharp liner right at a fielder and the inning is over.
In the top of the seventh, the Reds score. We're down three and I feel things slipping away again.
Len Kasper and Bob Brenly, the Cubs television announcers are singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame. This is the second game this season that I've heard them lead the crowd. It strikes me as odd. It shouldn't. It's a tradition immortalized at Wrigley by another announcer, the beloved Harry Caray. He sung it every home game. Since he died in 1998, the Cubs have brought in celebrities to sing it but for some reason this new spin seems to be waning (I can't really say why I feel that way, just a vibe I'm getting). If it is put on the shoulders of Kasper and Brenly to keep the tradition alive, well, I don't know. It's still early, but they've got a ways to go before they find their legs in the charisma department.
It's the bottom of the seventh and we've been in this situation before. We have runners on the bases but there are two outs. Derek Lee steps to the plate. He's already 3 for 3. Baseball is a game of averages, surely the numbers have to catch up to him here. Wrap my knuckles for that kind of attitude. Derek Lee has no fear of the number gods. Not only does he make it 4 for 4, he goes long and punches out a 3 run homerun. It's a brand new game. We're all tied up.
Top of the eighth and we keep the Reds scoreless. Bottom of the eighth, we go quietly.
It's the top of the ninth, and the game is still tied. LaTroy Hawkins takes the mound. My stomach knots up. He gets the first batter... Strikes out the second... Almost there, but I don't feel safe. Hawkins always seems to get the first two outs; it's the third he has problems with. Not this time. Strike three, inning over. Good job LaTroy!
Now it's our turn, and the first batter is Neifi Perez. He's been excellent, filling in for Todd Walker and Nomar Garciaparra and batting just shy of .400. A lead off single would be great. Not to be, he's out. Corey Patterson now, and ... I hear the crack of the bat ... it could be ... it might be ... it is ... a homerun. Cubs win! Cubs win! Holy cow! You know, a game like this, well, it's just the kind of game that could make a fan out of me.
Cubs win!
The Cubs are batting in the bottom of the first, there's a runner in scoring position, but there are two outs. Derek Lee comes to the plate. He's leading the league in RBIs, and ... Yes! Derek Lee drives in the run with a single!
There was a lot of talk at the beginning of the game about Carlos Zambrano getting tossed yesterday for what appeared to be an intentional bean to a Reds batter. I guess maybe there's a downside to all that energy I've been singing about. He's been ejected from two of his five starts this season, not a trend I'm happy about at all. But back to today...
Top of the third, Dempster has the bases loaded and is facing Adam Dunn. Ron and Pat are worried, and as I look him up, I see that Dunn's on-base percentage this season is .453 and he's slugging .783. This could be ugly... Strike three! Go Ryan Dempster. The next batter for the Reds is Austin Kearns. He's not the same caliber threat, and Dempster gets ahead, one ball and two strikes. We might get out of this... Ball two, ball three, ball four. Ryan Dempster has just walked in a run. The next batter is the shortstop, Felipe Lopez. He hits a grand slam homerun. Awe, hell!
I'm taking Cooper for a walk. A long walk.
It's now the bottom of the sixth. Pat and Ron are talking about how the Reds had the bases loaded again in the top half of the inning but hit into a double play. Ron thinks that could be a real momentum changer. I hope you're right, Ron.
Since I've been away, the Cubs have gotten one back and now, Patterson gets a single. It's Derek Lee again. He was batting .400 coming into the game and has managed to raise that figure by going 2 for 2 thus far. Make that 3 for 3. He hits a homerun! We're within two. This game is suddenly within reach.
The starter for the Reds, Aaron Harang, is still in the game but after a walk to Burnitz, he's gone. Hollandsworth gets a hit off the new guy. Runners at first and second. A sacrifice bunt by Jose Macias moves Burnitz and Hollandsworth to second and third. There's only one out. We should be able to cut the lead to one. Michael Barrett comes in to pinch hit. He started slow this season but has been doing well lately... A shallow pop-up, the runners don't advance. Ron Santo is grunting and groaning with disappointment. So much for small ball. The next batter hits a sharp liner right at a fielder and the inning is over.
In the top of the seventh, the Reds score. We're down three and I feel things slipping away again.
Len Kasper and Bob Brenly, the Cubs television announcers are singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame. This is the second game this season that I've heard them lead the crowd. It strikes me as odd. It shouldn't. It's a tradition immortalized at Wrigley by another announcer, the beloved Harry Caray. He sung it every home game. Since he died in 1998, the Cubs have brought in celebrities to sing it but for some reason this new spin seems to be waning (I can't really say why I feel that way, just a vibe I'm getting). If it is put on the shoulders of Kasper and Brenly to keep the tradition alive, well, I don't know. It's still early, but they've got a ways to go before they find their legs in the charisma department.
It's the bottom of the seventh and we've been in this situation before. We have runners on the bases but there are two outs. Derek Lee steps to the plate. He's already 3 for 3. Baseball is a game of averages, surely the numbers have to catch up to him here. Wrap my knuckles for that kind of attitude. Derek Lee has no fear of the number gods. Not only does he make it 4 for 4, he goes long and punches out a 3 run homerun. It's a brand new game. We're all tied up.
Top of the eighth and we keep the Reds scoreless. Bottom of the eighth, we go quietly.
It's the top of the ninth, and the game is still tied. LaTroy Hawkins takes the mound. My stomach knots up. He gets the first batter... Strikes out the second... Almost there, but I don't feel safe. Hawkins always seems to get the first two outs; it's the third he has problems with. Not this time. Strike three, inning over. Good job LaTroy!
Now it's our turn, and the first batter is Neifi Perez. He's been excellent, filling in for Todd Walker and Nomar Garciaparra and batting just shy of .400. A lead off single would be great. Not to be, he's out. Corey Patterson now, and ... I hear the crack of the bat ... it could be ... it might be ... it is ... a homerun. Cubs win! Cubs win! Holy cow! You know, a game like this, well, it's just the kind of game that could make a fan out of me.
Cubs win!
posted by Erik at
1:24 PM
1 Comments:
I'm waiting to read your recap until after I've finished watching the game (I'm streaming now.). Go Cubs!
By
Andrew, at 7:51 PM
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