The Cubs are playing in my neck of the woods, so I thought I'd try one of those running diaries that is all the rage. I'll try and update every half inning or inning as long as the twins cooperate.
Pre-game
You know it's your first major league start when the L.A. Times list the matchup as Derek Lowe versus
Jeff Koronka. At least the picture was right, I think. I've actually never seen Koronka.
Top of the 1st
The great Vin Scully lets us know the Cubs haven't swept a series in Dodger stadium for 10 years. He also says Ramirez turned an ankle yesterday which explains his absence. Scully can't explain why Enrique is batting second....
Neifi doesn't waste any time, singling on the first pitch.
Neifi doesn't waste any time getting thrown out at second either.
Lee singles but Mr. Burns ends the inning.
Bottom of the 1st
Scully says Koronka is a "southpaw all the way"...what the hell does that mean?
Someone told Koronka to stay away, away, away.
Scully says Koronka has surprisingly had trouble versus lefties in his career and on cue, Drew singles.
Replay shows it was a bad call though, third day in a row Lee makes a throw while on his butt.
Top of the 2nd
Walker leads-off with a groundball single. Get used to that with Lowe on the mound.
Hollandsworth does his job by grounding to the right side with runners on 2nd and 3rd. Gets the added bonus of Lowe not covering 1st properly and beats Saenz to the bag. Bet Choi makes the play...kidding.
Hollandsworth steals second, the Cubs attempt their second of the game. The word must be around that Lowe/Phillips aren't good at throwing runners out.
Barrett strikes out on a 3-2 slider way off the plate and the bat flies towards Lowe. Barrett immediately apologizes but Scully says you can see why Barrett bats eight swinging at stuff like that. You just got schooled by Vin Scully.
NEIFI!!! with the three run homer. Everyone GO VOTE!!!
Bottom of the 2nd
Koronka's first walk of the game, I expect a few more.
Jayson "Not" Werth-It. Batting only .192 this year. I'm doing my best Vin Scully impersonation...or is that Chris Berman.
Koronka battles back from 3-0 and gets Werth swinging, nice. Looks like Koronka is all fastball and changeup, the occassional slider. That should last him twice through the lineup at best.
Scully comments that Koronka has a huge leg kick with a man on first. See if the Dodgers try and take advantage.
Nice necklace Lowe....thanks for grounding out.
Top of the 3rd
Someone forgot to tell Scully they were back on air. First words out of the commercial were..."Oh No...Lowe is Hurt". Scully thought doesn't miss a beat and goes right into his regular silky, smooth ways. Looks like Lowe hurt himself throwing a chair in the dugout in one of the previous innings.
Looked like he was leaving the game, but came back out after the commercial.
Stud-Lee with another hit..........ridiculous.
Ah crap....thought Walker had a hit there but lined to Werth.
Another groundout to end the inning by K-Pax.
Bottom of the 3rd
Third night in a row that Scully tries to play these teams as historic rivals. Historically the franchises are 938-931 in favor of the Dodgers I believe, maybe it was the Cubs, ah crud.
Single to right for Izturis, flyout to right Perez...away, away, away.
Great move by Koronka to pick off Izturis...too bad he cheated. Balk and now it's one out with a runner at second.
0-2 on Drew, most lefties are afraid to throw a change to another lefty as the change tends to drop right in a lefties sweet zone....does he dare?
Fastball, slider, fastball, slider that Drew doubles into center and brings in Izturis. The lefty is 2-2 against Koronka...wonder if Tracy got the same scouting report that Scully got since he only put one lefty in the lineup.
Saenz crushed an inside fastball. 4-3 Cubbies....should have kept with the away, away, away strategy.
The AngelFan wife just made dinner and the twins are getting cranky. Be back in a bit.
Top of the 4th throught Top of the 5th
Dinner was good...thanks.
Hollandsworth got caught in a rundown between 2nd and 3rd in the 4th. He managed to make it back safely to second but with an awkward slide...lucky he didn't sprain his knee.
The bottom of the 4th was uneventful other then Corey's great catch to leadoff the inning and Izturis with his second single of the game. (He's on my fantasy team!).
Derrek Lee....3 for 3. I'm out of adjectives.
Nice to have Walker back in the lineup, double down the right field line brings in a run.
Corey with runner on third and less then 2 outs. I'm shocked when he doesn't strike out in these situations. And of course he does.
Bottom of the 5th
It takes Scully to the 5th inning before he mentions all the Cubs injuries. The first game he did it within the first sentence, the second game it waited till about the 2nd inning. He insists on mentioning Scott Williamson each time but not Chad Fox.
Koronka is nearing his limit it appears after walking Saenz. Dusty is of course trying to get him through 5.
Werth bails him out by flying to center. Go bullpen..
Top of the 6th
I actually enjoyed Koronka's style. He could have a nice career by just constantly mixing fastball and changeup and staying away from righties as they meekly ground to right side of the infield. Glavine and Moyer made careers out of it and if he ever develops some better control he could be useful.
Macias pinch hitter [insert joke]
NEIFI!!! with the double. If he gets a hit in his next at-bat he needs to keep running until they tag them out.
Enrique Wilson is up...just don't hit into a double play so Lee gets a chance. Good....2 out with a runner on third and Lee up. They have to intentionally walk him here.
Nope they're going after him. Lee goes to 3-2 before blooping a single to right. You wonder if managers pay attention to the rest of the league sometimes. Lowe is gone for the night down 6-3. Come on bullpen....
Bottom of the 6th
First time I've seen Borowski pitch this year. Let's see if he's back to his old tricks.
Back to his 2004 tricks...first batter hits a homer. Way to give that run back.
Edwards crushes one to center that Patterson catches on the track. I pray Borowski survives this inning.
We think the Cubs bench is bad, Tracy sends up Oscar Robles to pinch hit. Borowski survives the inning.
Top of the 7th
First time Cubs go down in order....did I mention "Go Bullpen"?
Bottom of the 7th
I've been to Dodger Stadium a number of times and their 7th inning stretch is about as exciting as a wake. Of course most the fans are leaving the game right about then.
Wellemeyer is in.....tonight better not be the night the scoreless streak ends.
Leadoff man gets on, tying run up in Drew. A pitcher who walks a lot of people and a hitter who likes to walk a lot. Not good...not good.
So do you actually have to win a Gold Glove to get a mitt with the gold label on the back like Neifi has or can anyone get one at Sportmart?
What did I say about the walk to Drew? You really don't have to make this game interesting.
That was close on the double play, should have given it to the Cubs for screwing up Drew's single in the first.
1st and 3rd, one out. Time for one of those vaunted strikeouts, Welly.
Nope, walks him after having Saenz down 1-2. This is the Welly we all know and love.
Baker is asking Barrett to stall, looks like Wuertz will have to save the day.
Uh oh, Baker is doing the double switch, very dangerous tool in his hands.
If he plans to use Wuertz for the 8th, then the double switch of Dubois and Wuertz for Holly and Welly, is a good idea. Otherwise why take out Holly when he is the better defender? We shall see...
Welly's streak is over....Werth hits a sac fly to right. One run game. Wuertz gets Phillips to pop out. 2 more innings bullpen....come on.
Top of the 8th
Dubois strikes out...I'm shocked, I tell you, shocked.
NEIFI!!!!...no cycle though.
Enrique manages an infield single to keep the inning alive for the Lee. What shall the Dodgers do?
They pitch to him and he hits a 3 run homer. And you think Baker is an idiot?
Bottom of the 8th
I was on baby duty. The Dodgers rallied a bit but Wuertz and Ohman wiggled out of it without allowing a run.
Top of the 9th
Knowing Dodger fans as I do and the fact that the parking situation is just as horrible as they say, I'm guessing it's about a 10:1 Cubs/Dodgers fan ratio at the moment.
Hairston is up, is he the last Cub left standing besides Blanco?
3 outs from their first series sweep in LA in 10 years and I believe their second of the year (the other being the 2 game series vs the Pirates)
Bottom of the 9th
3 up, 3 down for Dempster in a non-save situation. You think we have it bad, the Dodgers have more players on the DL then us. First time in years I didn't get to see the Cubs trip to Dodger Stadium and the first time in years, the Cubs sweep the Dodgers. Congratulations to John Koronka and his first major league win against a rather respectable team. Cubs go to 3 games over .500 and now travel to San Diego to face the hottest team in the National League. I'll take a split if we can get it and take our chances at home versus the Blue Jays and the Red Sox next week. Keep the good baseball coming Cubbies, six in a row.
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