The Results:
7/6 W vs. Braves 4-2
7/7 L vs. Braves 1-2
7/8 L vs. Braves 1-4
7/10 L vs. Cardinals 3-8
7/11 W vs. Cardinals 5-2
7/12 W vs. Cardinals 7-3
7/12 L vs. Cardinals 2-4
The Story:
The week leading up to the 2009 All-Star Break came and went without too much drama or attention, strange because it included a 4-game series vs the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs began this week in the same woeful offensive form that Cubs fans have grown accustomed to in the first half of 2009; 6 runs over the three games played in Atlanta was luckily good enough for one win.
One thing to take away from the Atlanta series was the continued great pitching from Randy Wells. Wells only allowed limited damage in that frame above but was otherwise strong, earning his fourth straight win. Kevin Hart also made his first major league start against the Braves, his control was shaky but he showed signs of resilience by getting out of jams repeatedly to keep the Cubs close.
The coldest starting pitcher for the Cubs, Rich Harden, continued to get knocked around in the series opener against the Cardinals on Friday as he allowed four runs in five innings, and Aaron Heilman allowed four of his own in one inning of relief. Things got better as lone All-Star Ted Lilly dominated the Cardinals over eight innings to earn his 100th career victory. The player to be named later, Jeff Baker, hit a two-out, two-run single in a three-run first inning to get the Cubs rolling,and that was all Ted Lilly would need.
Sunday’s Kid Cudi day & night double header was only the third of it’s kind played at Wrigley Field; what’s more amazing is that the Cubs have only played the rival Redbirds in those games. Carlos Zambrano stifled the Cards outside of a three-run third, and then his homer, his third of the year and 19th of his career, propelled him to his first win since June 5.
Randy Wells took the hill in the night cap and the crafty Cubs settled for a series split with the first-place Cardinals despite a wild ninth inning of moves and clutch defense that kept St. Louis within striking distance. There was a very odd moment in the later stages of Sunday nights game, Piniella pulled an unusual double-switch, moving the pitcher to the outfield for one batter because Marshall is the only lefty in the bullpen and the Cubs didn’t want to lose him. The move worked out beautifully as Heilman got his man out and Marshall came back to the mound from left to record another K.
There are many things the Cubs need to work on as this season moves forward. The old saying is that you are what your record says you are. Right now the Cubs are average, who knows what their record will tell us in October.
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