Game 1 – Braves 6, Cubs 5 (12)

This was a game the Cubs literally gave away. Rookie pitcher Randy Wells flat out dominated the Braves for 7 innings, giving up 2 runs (only 1 earned) on 2 hits, and left with a 5-1 lead with two runers on base. The Cubs late inning relievers came in and were pathetic. Carlos Marmol walked in a run and closer Kevin Gregg was pitiful and blew a two run lead to force extra innings. The Cubs eventually lost in the 12th on a Chipper Jones single scoring Yunel Escobar, otherwise known as the biggest drama queen in baseball.

Alfonso Soriano led off the game with a long YAK EM!!! to move past Craig Biggio on the all time leadoff YAK EM!!! list. Sori now has 54 leadoff YAK EMs!!! in his career and is currently 27 behind the all time leader, 2009 Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson.  Derrek Lee would add a solo YAK EM!!! of his own in the 8th inning to give the Cubs a 5-0 lead. That should have been enough for rookie Randy Wells to earn his 1st major league victory.

Wells was fantastic all night. He threw six hitless innings until Chipper Jones laced a single to left with two outs in the 7th. Wells was actually perfect going into that at bat, but it was not reflected in the boxscore. Early in the game, Braves shortstop Yunel Escobar was at the plate and Wells threw a pitch somewhat up and in. The ball made contact with something and made a loud noise, Escobar went down in a heap prompting most everyone to believe the ball hit him in the head. Nope.

Wells is 0-2 with a 1.69 ERA since joining the Cubs

After reviewing the replay, the ball actually hit the bat and was about a foot away from Escobar’s head. As the lil girl was lying on the ground, the home plate umpire, who clearly did not pay attention, awarded him first base. As Escobar got up and went to first, he was still acting as if he got hit by the pitch.

This is the same lil girl who ran his mouth to Reds pitcher Edinson Volquez after being hit with a changeup. Oh, and not only did he run his mouth, he started walking to the mound towards Volquez, but slow enough so the home plate umpire could restrain him. And he has frosted tips…I hate him so much.

CLICK HERE FOR THE BOXSCORE COURTESY OF YAHOO

Game 2 – Cubs 3, Braves 2 (11)

The Cubs bullpen redeemed themselves big time in this game. With the game tied 2-2, the Chicago relievers threw four scoreless innings to keep the Cubs in the game. In the top of the 11th with Derrek Lee on third and Reed Johnson on first, pinch hitter Micah Hoffpauir dropped a single into left over Chipper Jones to drive in the winning run. Angel Guzman took the win and improves to 2-0 on the year.

The scoring began in the 4th inning as Cubs second baseman Mike Fontenot launched a two run double off the wall in right center. With the Cubs up 2-0, starter Ted Lilly was once again superb. Lilly kept the Braves off balance with a sneaky fastball and great command of his big curveball. However, the Bulldog could not keep the Braves off the scoreboard for long.

Braves catcher Brian McCann plated a run in the 6th with a RBI single to left. With the Cubs clinging to a 2-1 lead in the 7th inning, Chipper Jones stepped up to the plated and ripped a RBI double to score Gregor Blanco and we were back to even at 2-2. The teams would trade scoreless innings until the 11th. 

Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee, who has taken a lot of flack from Cubs fans this year, started the inning with a single to left off Atlanta reliever Jeff Bennett. Mike Fontenot came up and lifted a foul ball to left. Left fielder Martin Prado fielded the ball, but Derrek Lee tagged and beat the throw to second to put himself into scoring position. Reed Johnson then singled, but Lee had to stop at third. Micah Hoffpauir was then called upon and he delivered.

The Hoff stepped up and was forced to face left handed reliever Eric O’Flaherty. On a 2-2 slider, Hoffpauir barely got the bat on the ball and dumped it into left for the go ahead run. Failing to add on, the Cubs gave the ball to closer Kevin Gregg 24 hours after blowing a two run lead.

D-Lee after scoring the game winning run

Gregg didn’t mess around and shut down the Braves, including an at bat involving Brian McCann in which Gregg completely dominated the catcher and blew him away with a fastball. The Cubs improved to 26-25 and look to ace Carlos Zambrano to give them a series win on Thursday.

CLICK HERE FOR THE BOXSCORE COURTESY OF YAHOO

Game 3 – POSTPONED

El Nino strikes again as following a two-hour plus delay, game three of the series was postponed and the Cubs were rained out for the third time this season. The game is rescheduled for June 22, a mutual off-day for both teams. With the makeup game included, Chicago will now face a stretch of 23 consecutive games from June 16th through July 8th.

Because of the rainout, Carlos Zambrano will start on Friday night at Cincinnati in the opener of a three-game series, and Ryan Dempster will be pushed back to Saturday.

Sean Marshall, who had been scheduled to pitch on Saturday, will go to the bullpen, and Randy Wells will start on Sunday as scheduled.