Saturday, April 18, 2009

Just an Average Cubs/Cardinals Game

Wow! What a thriller! Here's the recap:

Ryan Dempster worked 3 up and 3 down in the first and second innings. The game was moving quickly as we went to the third with now score. Dempster got himself into trouble in the top of the third by walking the first to men. After Kyle Lohse failed to lie down a bunt, Skip Schumaker singled home a run. Pujols walked with 2 outs to load the bags, then Ludwick hit a soft fly ball that fell in for a 2 run single.

The Cubbies got one of the runs back in the bottom half on a Kosuke Fukudome RBI double. Then, the Cards got that run right back on a solo Khalil Greene home run.

Ryan Theriot tripled to lead off the bottom of the 5th, then Aaron Miles got an RBI on a ground out. After two 2-out walks to Soriano and Kosuke, Derrek Lee got a BIG double to bring in 2 runs and the game was tied at 4.

In the bottom of the 6th, Aaron Miles smacked an RBI single to score Soto and give the Cubs their first lead of the game! The dreadful Neal Cotts, who will not be mentioned again in this post, came in to start the 7th and walked the only 2 men that he faced. Lou had to bring in Marmol a lot earlier than he wanted to. The hard throwing right-hander did a tremendous job, getting Ankiel, Pujols, and Ludwick in order without allowing the runs to score.

Lou was forced to use Marmol to soon because of "you know who", and Marmol ended up allowing 2 doubles in a row to start the 8th after an impressive 9th, and the Cardinals tied the game at 5. Carlos hit Khalil Greene with a pitch, and then Kevin Gregg was brought on with 2 on and nobody out. Gregg was equaly as impressive in the 8th as Marmol was in the 7th, getting out of it with 2 Ks and a ground ball.

In the bottom half of the 8th, the Cubs got 2 guys on but did not score. Gregg worked a 1, 2, 3 top of the 9th and gave the Cubs a chance to win it in the bottom of the frame. But the Cubbies failed to score and we went to extra innings.

Alfonso Soriano made a great play in the top of the 10th, catch a fly ball and then making a strong throw to second to double off Chris Duncan to end the inning. With one out in the bottom of the 10th, the Cubs got a break when Reed Johnson reached on an error. Soto then walked to put two men on. Theriot grounded out but advanced the runners. Miles was walked to load the bags. Joey Gathright, the pinch hitter, struck out to end the inning and great scoring chance. So they played on...

Angel Guzman was able to get through the 11th despite a lead off walk. Then in the bottom of the 1tth with 2 outs and a man on, Aramis Ramirez launched a walk off homer! Cubs Win in a game that lasted nearly 4 hours!

Game Highlight: Gotta be the walk off homer!

My Player of the Game: Has to be Ramirez, even though he went 1-6, that one was a BIG one! Also Kevin Gregg did great, along with most (but not all) of the other relievers.

Up Next: ESPN's Sunday Night baseball tomorrow for the Cubs and Cards at 7:05 CT. Ted Lilly will pitch for the Cubs against former Cub Todd Wellemeyer.

Cubs lead the series 2-1, still one more left...

Let's do it again tomorrow night!

4 comments:

  1. I hope thay play and does not get rained out because I am going. If it does get rained, I think it will be made up on Monday because the Cubs and Cards are off.

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  2. I am going to the game too, and I think the rain chances are smaller.

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  3. Yeah, right now weather.com is showing a 70% chance of rain tomorrow. Let's hope if it does rain, it is only a little during the day! Have fun at the game Tanner and Waldo if it does not rain! Go Cubs Go!

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  4. Aramis ramirez was 0 4 5 before home run. Aaron miles got rbi single that scored soto.

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