The Cubs salvaged the final game of their series with the Philadelphia Phillies to finish the first road trip of the season at 4-2, 7-5 overall on the year. The Cubs’ starting pitching woes continued and another member of the bullpen faltered, but the bats picked up the slack and Carlos Marmol, Kerry Wood, and Bob Howry, closed the door for the Cubs to get another extra inning victory.
Jason Marquis pitched five innings, giving up four hits, five walks, and a pair of runs; Marquis threw 86 total pitches 46 for strikes. Marquis left with the lead thanks to a three run third for the Cubs which featured three singles which were capped off by a Derrek Lee two R.B.I. double. Mark DeRosa tacked on a controversial sixth inning home run to push the Cubs ahead 4-2 before the pen took over. DeRosa hit a home run that passed over the fowl pole which the umpire ruled a fair. Phillie left-fielder Pat Burrell and third-baseman Pedro Feliz argued the call as did manager Charlie Manuel who was ejected. The home fun stood and proved to be an important run.
Michael Wuertz came in to start the sixth inning and did not record an out surrendering four hits and three runs including a home run to, Eric Bruntlett, the first batter he faced. Sean Marshall, came in to relieve Wuertz and allowed both of his inherited runners to score, the runs were charged to Wuertz. Marmol came into get the final out of the sixth and by the time the inning ended the Cubs trailed 5-4.
The Cubs tied it in the eighth inning when Geovany Soto pitch hit and sent a broken bat single into right scoring Ronny Cedeno. Kerry Wood then came in with the score tied in the bottom of the eighth and pitched a pair of scoreless innings to get the Cubs to the tenth inning. Cedeno led off the inning with a walk and was sacrificed over to second by Ryan Theriot. Soto then walked to put runners at first and second with one out and Kerry Wood due up. Manager Lou Pinella, then chose to pitch hit Carlos Zambrano for the second time this week. Zambrano, then hit into what should have been an inning ending double play, instead Chase Utley threw the ball into the dugout and Cedeno came in to score and put the Cubs up by one. With Marmol and Wood already having pitched Pinella brought in Bob Howry to close out the game in the bottom of the tenth. Howry did get into some trouble including an Utley double and an intentional walk to Ryan Howard, but Ronny Cedeno was able to pick up a grounder off of So Taguchi’s bat and threw it to Lee to end the game.
Notes and Numbers:
W: Wood (1-0, 2 innings, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 R)
L: Seanez (0-1, 1 inning, 0 H, 2 BB, 0 K, 1 R, 0 ER)
Most Valuable Cub: Derrek Lee (3-5, 2 R.B.I., and a game saving defensive play in the bottom of the 9th)
Number of the Day: 10 – the Cubs played 10 innings today and 10 total extra innings this week.
