I can not believe the Cubs won this game today. The offense looked terrible all day until they got a rally going in the 8th inning. Micah Hoffpauir got things started with a rocket line drive that bounced off of Chris Getz, it was ruled an error. Alfonso Soriano followed this up with a single. I could feel a comeback, I was watching the game with a friend, we could sense something big was gonna happen. I had a hunch that Milton Bradley would come up with a big hit, but he did not, he struck out swinging. It was Derrek Lee who stepped up with an opposite field 3-run HR. This was Lee's biggest hit of the season and I was at the game where he it a grand-slam. The next hitter, Geovany Soto, followed Lee with a line-drive HR to left, tying the game at 5 apiece.
The stage was set for the 9th inning. Soriano made a heck of a catch in foul territory in the 9th. It was one of the few times I have really seen him hustle in the field this season. In the bottom of the 9th Reed Johnson got things started with a single up the middle. He was then sac-bunted over to second by Andres Blanco. Blanco by the way is a solid bunter, it is good to see him execute when the whole stadium knows what he is going to do. After Aaron Miles did nothing up came Soriano. Sure enough Soriano hung in there and hit a bloop single in short right-center to win the game. As bad as he has been at times this season, Soriano stepped up big in the last two innings of today's game.
The Cubs pitching was good today, Carlos Zambrano looked good again, but was probably left out there too long. Zambrano's line: 7IP, 3ER, 6H, 3K, 3BB 117 Pitches. Zambrano was not trying to strike everyone out, there were a lot of ground ball outs today. It was good to see Z get a no decision, he did not deserve a loss. Carlos Marmol pitched in the 8th and looked bad, allowing 2ER on 3 hits, at least he did not walk anyone. I am sure this was nothing too worry about either, Marmol rarely gets hit. Sean Marshall got out of Marmol's jam in the 8th and Kevin Gregg pitched a scorless 9th inning to pick up his first Cubs win.
The Cubs were lucky Ozzie Guillen pulled Gavin Floyd after 7 innings of one-run baseball and only 90 pitches. Floyd was dominant today and apparently has been on a role recently, I hope the Cubs do not have to face him next weekend. Scott Linebrink looked awful, the Cubs hit him hard for 4 runs. Then in the 9th, the Cubs got a run off of Matt Thornton who is said to be a "left-handed Marmol". Today I finally saw the old Cubs! The team that came back from down 5-1 in the 8th to win the game looked a lot like the 2008 team, who was never out of any game. D-Lee had a monster game going 1-4 with 4 RBIs. His opposite field 3-R HR in the 8th was a sight for sore eyes. Soto's HR to tie the game was his biggest hit of the season, easily. I hope this is a sign of good things to come.
Next up: The Cubs begin a 3 game series with the Cleveland Indians, weather permitting. The forecast for tomorrow: hot with temps in the mid-80s and Thunderstorms. I really hope this game does not get rained out, I have rooftop tickets. Tomorrow's pitching match-up should be a good one though. Rich Harden (4-3, 4.53 ERA) vs Cliff Lee (4-6, 2.88 ERA). Harden was good on Saturday in his first start since coming off of the DL. Lee had a slow start to the season but has been hot lately, how do you lose 6 games with a 2.88 ERA? The Cubs have been hit or miss against lefties this season, tomorrow's game should be a pitchers duel. Hopefully the Cubs can get Lee out of the game early and blast off against the Indians bullpen.
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