Same old sorry-ass Cubs

Between 1990 and 1998, the San Francisco 49ers beat the Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams seventeen times in a row. In the midst of this run, the Niners came to St. Louis for the first time in 1995 with the Rams in their new home and supposedly improved. San Francisco ran away with the game, and a 49ers player was quoted as saying, "Same old sorry-ass Rams."

I mention this because the title of this post, a paraphrase of the Rams quote, was what popped into my head after the conclusion of tonight's game, the second straight devastating loss in a row just when we thought the Cubs were turning the corner on their season.

First came last night, of course - when the Cubs put up a four-spot against Atlanta's best starter, Tim Hudson, in the top of the first and then saw him leave the game early, it looked like things were steaming along nicely. Then Jason Marquis laid a six-run egg, going just an inning and two-thirds, the bats fell asleep for the rest of the game, and the final score was 9-5.

Taken by itself, of course, those games are bound to happen occasionally. And with the good fortune of having John Smoltz pushed back again, the Cubs looked like they could still win the series - three out of four on the road would have been huge. So what happened?

Ted Lilly hit Edgar Renteria in the first inning, and because it appeared to be retaliation for the Braves' having hit Soriano on Saturday, Lilly got ejected. This forced the pitching scramble that, ultimately, led to the loss.

Marmol, Ohman, Wuertz and Howry took the Cubs through the seventh with a 4-2 lead. In the top of the eighth, a great time for insurance runs, the Cubs loaded the bases with no outs - but Mike Fontenot, who had homered to lead off the seventh, hit into a double play, and no runs scored.

Although four relief pitchers had already been used, I'm not sure about Piniella's decision to send out Dempster in the eighth. Was he hoping Dempster could go two innings? He must have been; with Eyre and Gallagher - who had both pitched multiple innings on Saturday - the only other relievers on the bench, and Howry having pitched two innings already, Dempster going two was the only way the Cubs were going to get out of it with a win.

As it turned out, Dempster avoided having to go two by absolutely gagging up the game. First he gave up a double. Then he gave up another double; 4-3. Then he gave up a single. First and third, still no outs. Willie Harris, on first, stole second; now Dempster walks Kelly Johnson intentionally to load the bases. He induces a double play, but the tying run scores and Harris moves to third. Dempster proceeds to walk the bases loaded again, and then throws a wild pitch, allowing Harris to score the go-ahead run. Soriano and Pie hit a couple long flies in the top of the ninth, but the Cubs lose 5-4.

I said before the series that I'd take a 2-2 split on the road. But Jesus, like this? Marquis shitting the bed on Saturday and the bullpen getting shredded on Sunday? Derrek Lee going 0-for-4 on Sunday to continue his June funk, lowering his average to .332? (Granted, not having Ramirez for protection is hurting, but ugh. .233 in the last week and an OBP higher than his slugging?) This should have been 3-1 at least, probably 4-0. And the same stuff that always bites the Cubs in the ass did it again.

Zambrano starts tomorrow in the makeup game against Houston. I'll be there. Hopefully the real Zambrano is too.