LOS ANGELES. August 22, 2009. Make no mistake, this was a close game. Ted Lilly came into it with a level of optimistic confidence but he was pitching against one of the strongest teams in the MLB. The Dodgers, always in the market for runs this season got two more today to beat the Cubs. But it could have gone either way.

If the Cubs were ever going to stand a chance of taking the game it would necessitate more than just Lilly‘s pitching. The Cubs Offence was going to have to get some runs too. But as it turned out it was the Dodgers pitcher who got the batting back up.

The Dodgers scored in the 2nd and the 4th. Matt Kemp got the first homer and Casey Blake got the second. Lilly did well as games go except for the two homers. He only left another three men on bases in his 6 innings pitched with 80 pitches and 55 strikes.

It was still 2-0 for the Dodgers when Heilman came into the game in the bottom of the 7th to pitch for the Cubs. The Cubs had their own chances leaving men on bases nine times with five hits and five walks. But they were unable to capitalize.

A swarm of bees took residence in the park during the latter half of the game which caused a distraction for some of the fans to the amusement of others. Then in the 8th with Cubs runners on 2nd and 3rd Broxton, in to pitch instead of the Dodgers starter Haeger, put a ball in the dirt and it went by the catcher. But for the fact that it hit the leg of the Home Plate umpire the likelihood is that at least one run would have got in. Isn’t that life. Don’t the successful always get the breaks? And it was a real break for the Dodgers because they eventually got out of the 8th with their 2 run lead intact. Sherrill came in to close for the Dodgers and gave the home fans a scare when Soto got a single and he then gave Soriano a walk. Baker and Fox were the two already out. Theriot who was pinched in for Fuld ran it all the way to a full count. But the 7th pitch was grounded out and the game was over.

It was more than just a routine loss for the Cubs because the St Louis Cardinals won to take an eight game lead in the Standing. The eight ball that the Cubs are behind… it is now as large as the moon. That is what the Cubs now have to aim for.

A.L.

Chicago Baseball Insider