OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Goodbye to the Goat

Dougiestyle · 08-04-2004, 10:57 PM

April 20th-22nd

@

Cubs Falter Again

At times this season the Cubs have looked like a World Series team and at other teams they have played like a team that was going to lose 100 games. This series was the tail of both stories, with the Cubs looking great in one game and awful in the other two. The Pirates took 2 of 3 in this series, bring them to 5-1 against the Cubs. Could the Pirates be that much better than the Cubs? This time they were.

GAME ONE

M. Clement (0-0) @ K. Wells (0-1)

This is the kind of game all Cub fans expect from the team every day on the field. The bats were hot and the arms were strong. Matt Clement pitched a strong 6 innings allowing only 5 hits. However, 4 walks created a high pitch count, limiting his work. However, with only one earned run against him, he was in position to get the decision. In the top of the 4th, Moises Alou's lead-off double was almost wasted until with 2 outs and a 3-2 count, Michael Barrett singled him home, giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Barrett had 3 hits on the day. In the top of the 6th, Derrek Lee was driven in by a double from Aramis Ramirez, who was then knocked in on a double by Barrett, upping the Cubs' lead to 3-0. In the bottom of the inning, Tike Redman burnt the basepaths for a 1-out triple, then promptly scored on a Craig Wilson groundout, and the Cubs lead 3-1. In the top of the 7th, the Cubs exploded, putting 5 runs on the board. Barrett got his 3rd RBI of the night, Derrek Lee scored on an error, and Slammin' Sammy hit his 8th HR of the year with a 3-run towering shot, giving the Cubs an 8-1 lead. The Pirates would score two runs off struggling relief pitcher Joe Borowski, but the final went to the Cubs, 8-3. Big games from Michael Barrett (3-4, 3 RBI), Sammy Sosa (2-5, 3 RBI), and Derrek Lee (3-4, 2 R) were the highlights.
FINAL: Chicago 8, Pittsburgh 3

S. Sosa

GAME TWO

S. Mitre (0-1) @ S. Burnett (0-0)

Sergio again gets in trouble with the lead-off batter as he allows a lead-off triple to Rod Mackowiack. The next batter, Raul Mondesi, belted a two-run homer to give the Bucks an early 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the 3rd, Mondesi again drove in Mackowiack, this time with a single. Catcher Jason Kendall followed with another single, and rookie LF Jason Bay bashed a 3-run homer and the Cubs were down 6-0, and Mitre got the early hook. The Cubs would rally for 3 runs in the top of the fifth on Mark Grudzielanek's 2-run double, scoring Mike Remlinger (!!!) and Corey Patterson. Remlinger pitched 2.2 perfect innings in his return from the DL, highlighting his night with his frst ever run scored, closing the gap to 6-3. However, Jack Wilson's RBI double in the 6th and Mondesi's solo shot in the 7th put the score at 8-3. In the top of the 8th, Sammy Sosa singled in PH Todd Walker, then Michael Barrett hit a 3-run bomb that brought the Cubs within a run at 8-7. The rally wouldn't last long as in the bottom of the 8th, Todd Wellemeyer and Joe Borowski gave up 5 runs (no HRs), giving the Pirates a 13-7 which would stick for the win. The bats for the Cubs took a little while to get in gear in this game, but they did enough to win, but the Cubs bullpen could not keep it close. Sergio Mitre has struggled in his two starts in place of injured Mark Prior, but the Cubs believe he can hold the fort for a week or two longer. Sean Burnett for the Pirates did not pitch an exceptional ballgame, but pitched well enough to get the decision over the Cubs.
FINAL: Pittsburgh 13, Chicago 7

R. Mondesi

GAME THREE

K. Wood (0-0) @ K. Benson (1-1)

Another first inning problem for the Cubs as Jason Bay hit a ball to the gap, allowing him to get to 2nd standing up and scoring Mackowiack. Tike Redman knocked him in with a single, and again, the Cubs found themselves down 2-0 after the 1st inning. The Cubs never really were able to hit Kris Benson, as he went 8 innings, allowing 6 hits and 1BB, striking out 5. The Cubs got a solo homer in the 7th from backup catcher Paul Bako, bringing the game to a 2-1 score. However, freshly called up from AAA, RP Gary Glover (Andy Pratt sent down to Iowa) gave up 3 runs in the 7th, and Mike Remlinger gave up another in the 8th. The Cubs couldn't push any more across, and take the loss 6-1. Kris Benson's performance was good enough to receive player of the game.
FINAL: Pittsburgh 6, Chicago 1

K. Benson

Next Cubs Opponents:
3 vs. New York Mets
3 @ Arizona Diamondbacks
4 @ St. Louis Cardinals

(Ed. notes: Kris Benson's Pirate mugshot was unfindable. Also, I have already simmed through the Cardinals series, so I can't tell you about standings, league leaders, team leaders, etc; Sorry, one night I got so into it, I couldn't stop playing. Once I get through the Cardinals series, I will update standings, leaders, and start giving transactions and injuries, and also trade talks.)

08-04-2004, 10:57 PM	#13
Dougiestyle All Star Reserve Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 922	April 20th-22nd @ Cubs Falter Again At times this season the Cubs have looked like a World Series team and at other teams they have played like a team that was going to lose 100 games. This series was the tail of both stories, with the Cubs looking great in one game and awful in the other two. The Pirates took 2 of 3 in this series, bring them to 5-1 against the Cubs. Could the Pirates be that much better than the Cubs? This time they were. GAME ONE M. Clement (0-0) @ K. Wells (0-1) This is the kind of game all Cub fans expect from the team every day on the field. The bats were hot and the arms were strong. Matt Clement pitched a strong 6 innings allowing only 5 hits. However, 4 walks created a high pitch count, limiting his work. However, with only one earned run against him, he was in position to get the decision. In the top of the 4th, Moises Alou's lead-off double was almost wasted until with 2 outs and a 3-2 count, Michael Barrett singled him home, giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Barrett had 3 hits on the day. In the top of the 6th, Derrek Lee was driven in by a double from Aramis Ramirez, who was then knocked in on a double by Barrett, upping the Cubs' lead to 3-0. In the bottom of the inning, Tike Redman burnt the basepaths for a 1-out triple, then promptly scored on a Craig Wilson groundout, and the Cubs lead 3-1. In the top of the 7th, the Cubs exploded, putting 5 runs on the board. Barrett got his 3rd RBI of the night, Derrek Lee scored on an error, and Slammin' Sammy hit his 8th HR of the year with a 3-run towering shot, giving the Cubs an 8-1 lead. The Pirates would score two runs off struggling relief pitcher Joe Borowski, but the final went to the Cubs, 8-3. Big games from Michael Barrett (3-4, 3 RBI), Sammy Sosa (2-5, 3 RBI), and Derrek Lee (3-4, 2 R) were the highlights. FINAL: Chicago 8, Pittsburgh 3 S. Sosa GAME TWO S. Mitre (0-1) @ S. Burnett (0-0) Sergio again gets in trouble with the lead-off batter as he allows a lead-off triple to Rod Mackowiack. The next batter, Raul Mondesi, belted a two-run homer to give the Bucks an early 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the 3rd, Mondesi again drove in Mackowiack, this time with a single. Catcher Jason Kendall followed with another single, and rookie LF Jason Bay bashed a 3-run homer and the Cubs were down 6-0, and Mitre got the early hook. The Cubs would rally for 3 runs in the top of the fifth on Mark Grudzielanek's 2-run double, scoring Mike Remlinger (!!!) and Corey Patterson. Remlinger pitched 2.2 perfect innings in his return from the DL, highlighting his night with his frst ever run scored, closing the gap to 6-3. However, Jack Wilson's RBI double in the 6th and Mondesi's solo shot in the 7th put the score at 8-3. In the top of the 8th, Sammy Sosa singled in PH Todd Walker, then Michael Barrett hit a 3-run bomb that brought the Cubs within a run at 8-7. The rally wouldn't last long as in the bottom of the 8th, Todd Wellemeyer and Joe Borowski gave up 5 runs (no HRs), giving the Pirates a 13-7 which would stick for the win. The bats for the Cubs took a little while to get in gear in this game, but they did enough to win, but the Cubs bullpen could not keep it close. Sergio Mitre has struggled in his two starts in place of injured Mark Prior, but the Cubs believe he can hold the fort for a week or two longer. Sean Burnett for the Pirates did not pitch an exceptional ballgame, but pitched well enough to get the decision over the Cubs. FINAL: Pittsburgh 13, Chicago 7 R. Mondesi GAME THREE K. Wood (0-0) @ K. Benson (1-1) Another first inning problem for the Cubs as Jason Bay hit a ball to the gap, allowing him to get to 2nd standing up and scoring Mackowiack. Tike Redman knocked him in with a single, and again, the Cubs found themselves down 2-0 after the 1st inning. The Cubs never really were able to hit Kris Benson, as he went 8 innings, allowing 6 hits and 1BB, striking out 5. The Cubs got a solo homer in the 7th from backup catcher Paul Bako, bringing the game to a 2-1 score. However, freshly called up from AAA, RP Gary Glover (Andy Pratt sent down to Iowa) gave up 3 runs in the 7th, and Mike Remlinger gave up another in the 8th. The Cubs couldn't push any more across, and take the loss 6-1. Kris Benson's performance was good enough to receive player of the game. FINAL: Pittsburgh 6, Chicago 1 K. Benson Next Cubs Opponents: 3 vs. New York Mets 3 @ Arizona Diamondbacks 4 @ St. Louis Cardinals (Ed. notes: Kris Benson's Pirate mugshot was unfindable. Also, I have already simmed through the Cardinals series, so I can't tell you about standings, league leaders, team leaders, etc; Sorry, one night I got so into it, I couldn't stop playing. Once I get through the Cardinals series, I will update standings, leaders, and start giving transactions and injuries, and also trade talks.)