Cubs 9, Astros 7
W. Hart 1-0
L. Oswalt 0-2
Wind blowing out, Marquis taking the start instead of Zambrano, who was probably sucking down prescription banana daquiris getting ready for tomorrow’s start, everything set up for an Astros’ day.
In the first three innings everything set up great. Bourn led off the game with a single up the middle, stole second, moved over as Pence topped a pitch into the Squibbler Zone, Marquis shanked the throw to 1st but Bourn hesitated. He scored on Berkman’s bouncer to the pitcher that set up the 1-6-3.
In the 2nd Loretta singled home Tejada from second. Tejada broke for 3rd on the pitch and scored easily, unfortunately another dp ended a promising inning. The Cubs turned 3 dps in the first 4 innings.
Similar to last game Roy didn’t have much today. Neither curve was on, lived on fastball slider. No strikeouts. In the 2nd Soto tripled off the Ivy, ricocheted off Flapjack and by the time Bourn corralled the thing Soto was standing on 3rd. Roy almost got out the jam. He got Theriot to pop to center and Soto hesitated, didn’t test Bourn. With two outs though, Marquis doubles to right on Roy’s first pitch.
Then in the 3rd they hit 4 flies off Sparky, one went out. Flapjack answered and put the Astros up again, 3-2. They extended their lead in the 6th when Erstad, in for Berkman who did something to his neck, (listed as day to day) doubled in Pence. Lee doubles to the same area, boos start to rain down from the Chicago attendees. Next batter, Tejada tries the same spot but Fukudome makes a great running catch and flags it down.
In the 6th, score 5-2, Lee leads off for the Cubs with a double. Fukudome bunts. Roy and Wigginton are dumbfounded. They just watch it. But apparently Roy did something to his bicep. He shoes the trainer and everyone else off the mound, refuses a practice pitch and throws the next pitch wide. It tips off Ausmus’ glove for a passball. 5-3. Roy keeps shaking his arm but gets a couple grounders. The throws over on these plays weren’t major league quality but Erstad saved the inning.
Generally the defense was pretty good. Tejada showed that if he can get to the ball he can make the throw. Wigginton was solid, except for a throw that he sailed into the stands in the 5th. Bourn saved him by throwing out Marquis shortly after trying to advance from 2nd on a fly to center.
But the 7th was the killer. The pesky Theriot and the homeboy Fontenot (go Slidell) got on to start the inning and Roy was chased with 2 outs, the score tied. With runners 1st and 2nd, Wright came in to face Fukudome. He worked him outside, and got to a 3-2 count pounding the fastball away. Fukudome anticipated the last one and lined it to left. The runners were moving on the pitch and when the ball bounced off the turf in front of Lee’s sliding attempt at a catch, 2 had scored and Fukudome was on 2nd. At the end of the 7th it was 8-5. Big hits by Erstad, Lee, and Blum, (in for Wigginton who had his hand spiked by Marquis in the play in the 5th, day to day) closed the gap to 8-7, but that was as close as they got.