Pirates 21-22, 4th (-5.0)
Cubs 27-16, 1st (-2.0)
POTG: LF Soriano (2 HR, 2B, 5 H, 2 R, 2 RBI)
Runner Up: SS Ryan Theriot (2 H, RBI), 2B Mark DeRosa (2 H, 2B, R), RP Michael Wuertz (2.2 IP, H, K)
This was really disappointing. An average start, not even an average Z start, gets the Cubs their eight straight win versus the Pirates. It easy to say he went off the rails after breaking his bat over his knee, but he’d already given up more than usual before things broke down in the 5th. Everyone’s entitled to a few bad starts out of the 35-ish they have, but it’s still disappointing when it happens.
Same thing for Marmol. He was due, it just was a bad time.
Soriano’s carrying the team right now. It’s incredible the Cubs scored 8 runs in this game with not much help. 3-4-5-6 went a combined 1 fo 15. This game isn’t close if Soriano doesn’t explode.