The Cubs are like a camel in the ever-shifting sands of the National League Central. They can’t shake the hump.
Playing come-from-behind ball on a frequent basis makes for good TV and mediocre teams. Especially when you attempt it against the major league’s earned-run average leader in Kevin Brown, a Fighting Fish tipping the scales at 1.90.
The Cubs reiterated that they aren’t heads above anybody, a 4-3 loss Monday night to Florida keeping them from exceeding .500 once again for the first time since May 5.
“He didn’t have to worry about a lot,” Brian McRae said of Brown, who allowed no runs and four hits in seven innings. “We had some chances early and didn’t finish at the end.”
The Cubs so enjoyed rallying from a 5-0 deficit Sunday to beat Houston they thought they’d try falling behind Brown 3-0 in the first inning. They neglected to consider that Brown (12-10) has the majors’ lowest run-support totals of any starter at 3.17 runs per game, so this looked like Thanksgiving to him.
“Fall behind Brown and you have your hands full,” manager Jim Riggleman said.
Sammy Sosa’s two-run homer off reliever Robb Nen in a three-run eighth set up another soap-opera ending that dissolved into tears this time. Sosa’s 40th was his first homer in 10 games.
“I need to get hot again,” he said. “This team counts on me.”
Falling so short accentuated the meager manner in which the Marlins scored their last run in the seventh–an infield single, a stolen base, a ground out, an intentional walk and a sacrifice fly. Ouch.
The Cubs filled the bases against Brown in the fifth with one out. But pinch-hitter Scott Bullett popped out and McRae struck out.
