Game 58: Cubs 7 – Padres 6

Cubs 37-21
Padres 23-36

POTG: SP Z!! (5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, ER, 4 BB, W; 3 H, 3B, RBI)
Runner Up: SS The Riot (3 H, R, RBI), 3B A Ram (2 H, R, 2B), CF Edmonds (2 RBI, 2 2B)

You can’t hold the short start too much against Z; this was a rebound thing after the 130 last time out, and they understandably wanted to get him out early if at all possible. After an iffy first inning, Z was solid for everything after the Gerut pickoff, and more than made up for the 1st inning with his hitting.

This really shouldn’t have been a close game, but Marmol struggled when he came out for his second inning – this time runners were on when he gave up the home run.

Despite scoring 7, it seems like the Cubs left some runs on the table. At least they took as much advantage of a replacement pitcher as they could, and you always like it when the team puts a heavy load on the bullpen in a the first game of a series.

Game 57: Cubs 5 – Rockies 3

Cubs 36-21
Rockies 20-37

POTG: CF Edmonds (2B, 3B, 2 RBI, BB)
Runner Up: RP Bobby Howry (1.2 IP, 2 K, 0 H + BB, 0 R), SS The Riot (2 R, 2 H), 3B A Ram (2B, IBB, 3H, R, RBI),

3 straight versus the Dodgers, 4 straight versus the Rockies, undefeated homestand. There was a bit of “well, how good are they REALLY” before this set of games started, and winning 7 in a row quiets those for a bit.

My memory of this game is Gallagher being wild (2 HBP!), and that leading to his short perfomance. But he wasn’t so wild that the Rockeis weren’t swinging at his pitches – no walks on the day – and they were doing a lot of missing. 8 Ks in 5 2/3 is greatly impressive, and he’s credited with giving up 3 runs only because Wuertz was back to being completely ineffective for eight pitches.

Edmonds giving the Cubs something out of CF versus lefty was a big improvement over the nothing they were getting before. They needed someone to step up with Lee out of the lineup (and the weirdness of Hoffpauir being the #3 hitter – I can’t understand how attached regulars get to their normal spot in the batting order, but it obviously means more to them that it’d seem.)

Game 56: Cubs 5 – Rockies 4

Rockies 20-36
Cubs 35-21

POTG: LF Soriano (HR, 2 H, R, 3 RBI, HBP, SB)
Runner Up: 3B Ram (2B, BB, R), C Soto (2 2B, RBI), RP Cotts (1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, K)

After winning some with singles, this is a stretch of winning it with power – 7 of the 11 hits were for extra bases, and all the run scoring plays were of XBHs.

Dempster was due a bad outing. This wasn’t really that bad, but very inefficent to only make it thru five innings. (He did make it up a bit with the bat.) Luckily, it was a good night from Wuertz, Cotts, and Howry to pull the game to the closer. Not the greatest Marmol as sub closer for Wood. His trend of giving up long flies when he gives up anything at all keeps on going, but at least he didn’t walk anyone before it.

I think the Cubs still like Glendon Rusch, but they sure treat him badly as an opposing pitcher. He’s back in AAA last time I checked.