CHICAGO. August 15, 2009. The only way that there could have been an anticlimax after the run fest of yesterday was if the Cubs lost this afternoon. And I don’t think any of the 40,530 Cub fans that flocked through the gates expected either a loss or a repeat performance of Fridays Pirates defensive collapse and the Cubs merciless batting aggression. By the way there was one neutral fan and the rest were Pitts Villers. Full marks to them for having the courage to attending today to encourage their battling Bucs to hold their heads high. And today they did not disgrace themselves.

Gorzelanny (5-2) threw the first pitch to Pirate McCutchen who was out on a fly ball to Bradley who was back for the Cubs after a day’s hip rest. He then gave Milladge a walk but got the next 3 up out.

In the Cubs 1st Bradley got a single and then was moved around the bases with infield play to give Baker an RBI. Result 0-1.

The Gorz held the Pirates scoreless again in the 2nd but did give up his second hit of the day. He made good amends in his at bat and drove home Soto who had started his offensive day with a nice double (12) to right field. The 2nd ended at 0-2 for the home team.

The top of the 3rd saw the 3 up Pirates dispatched with strikeouts. The Cubs didn’t score in the bottom of the 3rd but former Cub Ronny Cedeno was chalked with a fielding error to put D Lee on 1st. And at the end of the 4th it was still 0-2.

As much as I love the Air Force showing their stuff to the Cub fans on Air Display Weekend sometime I think it can be a distraction because the beginning of the 5th young Tom Gorzelanny gave two walks in a row to Vazquez and Cruz. Larry Rothschild the pitching coach went out to the mound (I assume) to tell him to keep his mind on the job. A bunt by Duke and a sac fly by McCutchen got Vazquez home for the only run of the game by Pittsburgh.

Baker homer’d in the 6th to get the last run of the game for the Cubs and it ended up 1-3.

Duke for the Pirates pitched 7.1 innings and gave up the 3 runs and 9 hits. Gorzelanny pitched 5, Guzman 2, Marmol 1 and Gregg 1. Gregg gave me a fright in the 9th when he gave up a double to Delwin Young (pinching for Cruz). Next up was Moss. Two men were already out. Gregg took Moss to a full count with the first 5 pitches. Fortunately I didn’t have time to lift the receiver to call my analyst because the 6th pitch was a 93mph chest high fast ball and the Moss swing of the bat was the cue to start the Cub Fans singing their winning end of game song. Strike out!

Unfortunately Cub Ramirez is still using throat lozenges and is needed back. Of the two men who took a turn at 3B, Baker did a reasonable job but Fox was given the benefit of the only Cub error of the day.

My man of the game was 6ft 2in Tom Gorzelanny.

As long as the Cubs don’t look over their shoulders at the previous games or at the Cardinals they will be ok. A repeat performance tomorrow would be real nice.

A.L.

Chicago Cubs Baseball Insider