Game 75 Recap: Cubs 10, Rockies 9
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W- Howry (4-4) Wrigley security workers. Former LSU tigers. Soriano. Derosa. Pagan. Saving potential scapegoats from scapegoatdom. Fans who stayed for the bottom of the ninth. Darn near everyone.
L- Fuentes (0-2 ) Doom and Gloom. Loser fanatics who think being famous and tough is all about trying to blindside a pro athlete in the middle of game.
Things to take from this game Where to start..... 1. The 9th inning. (part 1) 8 runs crossed the plate in the ninth. Six of there were for Colorado, but the final two to cross were the ones that mattered most. In a questionable effort to relieve a strained bullpen, Eyre came out to start the ninth, up 8-3, after pitching an effective 1.1 innings. The first three batters reached,Howry came in, three more batters reached, capped by a go-ahead home run by Troy Tulowitzki. Six batters, six runs, without an out registered. 2. The Ninth Inning (part 2) Some jackass got within a couple feet of blind-siding Howry with a full head-on sprint, after the home run. Some member of the Wrigley security crew earned his paycheck, spearing the clown at just about the last possible moment. Len reminds us it's a felony charge, not to mention, I presume, permanent banishment from Wrigley. 3. The Ninth Inning (part 3) They weren't rockets, but Derosa and Koyie Hill singled. By the time we exchanged pinch runners and runners forced, you have Jacques Jones standing on second, Hill on first, with two outs. Theriot hits the game-ending grounder to second, which Kaz Matsui boots into a game-continuing error. Bases loaded for Soriano, who delivers the come-from-behind, game-winning, two-run single. 4. That Scrappy LSU Middle Infield and other Heroes. Fontenot went 5 for 5 and now has hits in seven consecutive at bats. Theriort, entering the game on a double-switch, went 2 for 3, with the one "out" being the Matsui boot. They also turned a nice double-play. They scored 4 runs, total, while Derosa scratched out the ugliest 3 RBI you could hope to get, and Angel Pagan smoked a three run HR, back when this looked like it would be an easy victory.... 5. The Response The fans booed Eyre as he was pulled in the ninth, unfortunate given that he'd had a solid outing, until being left in for another inning. By the time Howry was done giving up the lead after that, the mood was predictably glum. But wow, the reaction when Soriano hit that single.... The comedy-free details, below!- A Matsui infield single, stolen base, and Holliday single, and Cubs are down 1-0 in the first
- Fontenot singles, and promptly is picked off first by Francis in the Cubs half of the first inning. Lee and Ramirez then single, making the pickoff quite unfortunate.
- Brenley reports that the wind is howling out...
- Derosa comes through on a 3-2, 2 out count, with a single, and the game's tied at 1. Nice job by Derosa in a clutch AB
- Better clutch hitting by Pagan, who then hits a 3-run HR to left. Looked like a fastball, flat and over the outer half of the plate. 4-1, all runs with two outs.
- with one out in the second, Izturis boots a ball hit just a bit to his right. Sort of a weird ball - definitely an error, but the ball seemed to skid a bit.
- Marquis pitches out of it, with a bouncer to third that Ramirez hobbles after, and steps on the bag for a force. Ramirez looked very ginger on his feet, there.
- Fontenot and Lee with infield singles to start out the third.
- The marketing genius who came up with the notion of returning the 7th innning stretch to the fans, in light of the Kellie Pickler Incident, is an insufferable jackass. Going on about how the executive suits decided that the fans should be part of it. Makes it sound as if there was a vote somewhere about whether or not we were worthy and deserving of participating. Very paternalistic, condescending tone. Jay Blunt, I guess he is. We're not worthy! I'm already annoyed by the transparent cynicism and tokenism of the latest gimmick....
- Meanwhile, a couple of groundouts score another run. Derosa with the RBI, 5-1 through three!
- Aramis looks a LOT more nimble ranging to his left to throw out Atkins, in the fourth.
- Marquis sticks out the bare hand to try to grab a bouncer back up the middle in the fourth. Deflecting it, Izturis is able to get the out at first, but lose a potential DP chance.
- Very nice to see Glenallen Hill back in a major league uniform, with the Rockies.
- Marquis again escapes a bit of trouble in the fourth, with another ground-out. Not a great game, but effective enough at keeping the ball down, so far.
- Marquis with a nice job fielding a leadoff bunt attempt by Tavares in the fifth
- Fontenot bloops a double down the left field line, and now is 3-3 on the night, bottom of the fifth.
- Lee singles through the hole, just past Tulowitzki. Fontenot broke for third on the bal, and is fortunate (or a very good ball-reader) that it got past Tulo. Lee and Fontenot are now 6 for 6 combined, batting 2nd and 3rd today. Runners on 1 and 3.
- and again, Derosa gets an rbi via groundout. Beats out a potential double-play ball, letting Fontenot score from third. 6-1
- Francis walks Pagan and Bowen back to back, with two outs, and now the bases are loaded, two outs, Izturis up to hit, still in the fifth.
- and Izturis bounces out to end the threat.
- Soriano's little leap-hop style of catching fly balls almost causes him trouble, as a fly ball by Helton takes off on him, at the last second, as he's hopping. Has to stretch and extend himself to keep the ball from dropping in behind his head.
- Marquis in trouble again in the sixth. Rockies, interestingly, respect Soriano's arm and don't send the runner from second, when Torrealba singles to left. Instead, bases loaded and two outs. Spilborghs in to hit for Francis
- Spilborghs singles down the line in right. Two runs score, but Derosa did a decent job getting to the ball so that it couldn't roll into the corner. 6-3 and Marquis out of the game in the sixth. Not a great performance by Jason, but effective at pitching around potential trouble, until now.
- Wuertz comes in, and gets the ground ball to get out of the jam.
- Bottom of the sixth, Theriot gets an infield single, is balked over to second, and goes to third on a Soriano ground out.
- And guess who singles for his fourth hit, and an RBI? Fontenot making a case for a permanent home as the 2 hitter. 7-3.
- Aramis the gimp-legged makes a fine leaping catch to start the Rockies' half of the seventh. Maybe he's healthier than we thought?
- Eyre gets brought in, in the tightest situation he's faced in awhile: to get Hawpe, with two outs and two on in a7-3 game. K's him on a 3-2 count. May this be a sign of things to come.
- Scott Eyre batting for himself with a runner on second, two outs, 7-3 game in the seventh. Interesting.... Grounds out, 3 unassisted, to end the inning.
- Pagan with sort of an odd missed play in the top of the eighth. Tulowitzki hits a drive almost to the warning track in center. Pagan goes back for it, probably should have been running a bit harder to try to get in position, leaps, misjudges the ball, and it hits him on the wrist of the glove hand. Called a double, as it was a leaping catch for a ball over his head, but Pagan probably should have had it.
- A walk, and now there are runners on 1 and 2, no outs, a four run lead, late, and Eyre pitching. Happily, he gets Spilborghs to GIDP, with a nice turn by Theriot and Fontenot. Almost as if these guys are used to turning the double-play, together....
- and Eyre strikes out Jeff Baker on a slider in the dirt, to end the inning. Isn't looking dominant, by any means, but it's still a lot better than what we've seen, to date.
- Theriot smokes a high Jorge Julio heater into the left-center gap for a double, leading off our half of the eighth. Great, great game, for theLSU duo.
- Speaking of.... Fontenot, with a chance to go 5-5 and 7 of last 7, fights one off for a double down the left field line. Theriot scores, 8-3
- And Eyre comes out for the ninth!
- Matsui single, Holliday walk, Helton double just inside the left-field line, and Eyre is chased before getting an out in the 9th. Have to wonder about this. He had a fineperformace in 1.1 innings, before returning for the ninth, and now is leaving to boos.
- Howry forced to come in at a tight spot, and Atkins promptly singles in a run. 8-6 When Hawpe singles, the tying runs are on base
- And Tulowitzki homers into the second row of the bleachers, just left of center. In the blink of the eye, it's 9-8. "I can't believe how quickly this has happened" - Len.
- Ugly incident on the field. Someone comes sprinting out of the stands and gets within a couple feet of Howry, before Howry even sees him. A dugout security guy makes a saving tackle, in a knick of time. Len reminds us that going on field is a felony.
- And after the mayhem, Howry settles down to get out of the inning.
- Wow.
- So bottom of the ninth begins with Derosa dropping a fly ball into center for a hit. Centerfielder was defending the double, allowing it to get in. Pie comes in to pinch-run.
- Pagan strikes out.
- Bowen bounces one to first, Pie forced at second, but Bowen makes it to first. We go from our fastest runner to a catcher, and lose an out. 2 outs, Bowen on,Koyie Hill to pinch hit. (With Fuentes a left-hander, our right-handed options off the bench aren't looking too good, tonight)
- Hill down 1-2 on a very, very borderline called strike. Comes through, however, on the next pitch with a base hit to left. Outfielders all playing very deep, again. Tying run now on second.Theriot up. Much maligned Jacques Jones in to pinch-run for Bowen.
- Maybe Rod Beck is looking out for us? Theriot hits a grounder towards Matsui, up the middle, and Matsui botches the hop. Can't get the force at second or first, looks to see if he can catch Jones over-running third, nope. Error keeps the game alive, bases loaded forSoriano.
- In the sort of ending that is reminiscent of the 03, 98, or 89 cubs, Soriano hits a Fuentes fastball into right-center, scoring Jones and Hill. Cubs Win. Crowd goes absolutely bonkers. Len is yelling like a man possessed.Parachat reports are that Santo died and ascended directly into heaven. Soriano comes out for a curtain call. Fans are acting like they just won a playoff series. Goosebump-worthy.
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