Chicago Cubs @ Cincinnati Reds – Series Recap

Game 1 – Cubs 2, Reds 1

Carlos Zambrano returned to the mound looking for his 100th career win. The Cubs would stake Z to an early lead off Reds starter Micah Owings courtesy of what seems like the 50th bases loaded walk Chicago has drawn this year.

Up 1-0 and cruising along, Zambrano decided in the top of the fifth he would like an insurance run just in case the bullpen decided to blow his bid for 100. Carlos drove the ball deep to centerfield and GONE! It was Z’s second YAK EM! of the year and put the Cubs up 2-0.

Chicago would need that insurance run. Carlos Marmol worked the eighth and walked Jerry Hairston Jr. to lead off the inning. Following a Chris Dickerson groundout, Brandon Phillips tripled to slice the Cubs lead to 2-1 with just one out. Lance Nix then popped out ahead of another Marmol walk to Ramon Hernandez and then Marmol got Jay Bruce to ground out to second to end the inning.

Kevin Gregg came on and immediately retired the first two batters he faced. Then Ryan Hanigan singled up the middle and Gregg struck out Jerry Hairston Jr. to end the gam——– wait, no for some reason Jerry Jr. got to run down to first base on a wild pitch, even though he swung and missed for his third strike of the game.

Pinch runner Wilton Castillo went to third and it looked like the Cubs would be burned by the dumbest rule in all of sports for the second time in three games. However, Chris Dickerson popped out to end it and give Z his 100th career victory and Gregg his 10th save of the year.

I have re-written the ever so popular “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” to more accurately reflect what the real nonsense of rules state: “For It’s One-Two-Three strikes you’re out – unless you get made to look like a fool and swing at a terrible pitch, and then you get to run to first – unless there are runners on first and second and then you’re automatically out for some reason – but if there isn’t the pitcher still gets credit for a strike out but its not really an out so your team gets four outs in that inning, at the ol’ ballgame!!!!!”

After the game Zambrano announced his retirement effective at the end of his current contract in 2012.

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Game 2 – Reds 4, Cubs 3 (11)

In Game 2 the Reds got off to a quick start thanks to a fielding error by Mike Fontenot (please hurry back A-Ram). Chris Dickerson doubled home a run and then with two outs Ramon Hernandez sent a shot to right that left the yard for a 2-run YAK EM! and a 3-0 Cincinnati lead.

Cubs starter Ryan Dempster settled and pitched six innings giving up no earned runs while striking out seven against his former squad.

Bobby Scales homered in the fourth for the Cubs first run. Soto gave Chicago its second score of the game on a solo shot in the seventh and then the Cubs tied it in the eighth via a Jake Fox sac fly plating Ryan Theriot.

The Reds have just two blown saves all year, and both now belong to David “Stormy” Weathers. Nick Massett would pitch two innings of scoreless relief and pick up the win as Sean Marshall allowed a leadoff 11th inning walk to Jay Bruce, followed by a wild pitch moving Bruce to second. After a sacrifice and a walk to set up the double play, pinch hitter Adam Rosales chopped one softly to third baseman, Mike Fontenot.

Fontenot came home to try and gun down Bruce, but his throw was waaaay off mark and Bruce scored easily. Rosales, hustling down the line as always, had no idea what had happened until he turned around to be mobbed by his teammates.

It was originally ruled an error, which may have marked the first time in MLB history a player committed an error on the first and last plays of the game, but was later overturned to give Rosales the game winning RBI.

Matt Maloney, making his major league debut before a raucous sellout crowd of 40,194 — pitched six solid innings for Cincinnati and singled in his first plate appearance. He started the seventh inning but was lifted after Soto’s bomb.

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Game 3 – Cubs 6, Reds 3 (14)

Chicago played in its fourth extra inning game in its last five overall and earned a 2-2 split in those four as Alfonso Soriano led off the 14th inning by sending Reds reliever Mike Lincoln’s first pitch outta the park for his 14th YAK EM! of the year.

The Cubs once again blew Randy Wells bid for his first major league win. This kid has got to be extremely frustrated by now. Wells again was magnificent, going 6 2/3 and allowing just two earned runs. Randy now has a 1.86 ERA in six starts and 38 2/3 innings, with 31 strikeouts versus just eight walks, yet is 0-2 on the season. He also has four career relief appearances and a career ERA of 1.64, yet again, still winless.

This time it was Carlos Marmol who blew it, coming on in the eighth and promptly walking B. Phillips and then Lance Nix on four pitches, bringing Lou out of the dugout calling for the Mayo Man, Aaron Heilman.

Heilman got a groundout before Jonny Gomes sacfly tied things up at three apiece. The Cubs got their three runs on a Ryan Theriot solo YAK EM! in the first, and a two-out two run single by Derrek Lee in the third.

Kevin Gregg pitched an inning of scoreless relief, followed by three innings of the same from Jose Ascanio and one more from David Patton who earned his second win of the year. Angel Guzman worked the 14th for his first save of the season and his career.

The Reds bullpen combined to pitch six shutout innings before Dusty Baker called on Mike Lincoln. As mentioned previously, Lincoln’s first pitch found the right centerfield seats courtesy of Soriano’s bat. The Cubs then touched up Lincoln for two more runs on a Fontenot infield single and a Reed Johnson double.

Chicago is now 28-26, tied with St. Louis and just two back of division leading Milwaukee in the loss column. Cincinnati is 29-27. The Reds now travel to our Nation’s capital to take on the Nationals while Chicago heads to Houston to face the Astros.

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