After Kevin Tapani underwent surgery last year to repair ligament damage in his right hand, he was asked whether the unprecedented procedure one day would be associated with his name like the famous “Tommy John surgery” during the ’70s.
“Only if I’m successful when I get back,” he replied.
Tapani has kept up his part of the deal. It’s up to the surgeons to do the rest.
Tapani threw his second complete-game shutout Wednesday in the Cubs’ 5-0 victory over Los Angeles, improving to 15-5 since his surgery.
In his “second chance” career, he’s proving that age doesn’t matter.
“There are certain things I’m able to do a little bit more consistently now than when I was younger,” Tapani said. “But I’d rather be 25 than 34 right now. I can’t lie to you there.”
Tapani (6-2) struck out nine and walked two in going 8-1 as a Cub at Wrigley Field. The Cubs have won eight of their last nine and still trail Houston by one game in the NL Central.
Hideo Nomo (2-6) and Tapani threw up goose eggs for the first five innings before the Cubs struck in the sixth. Mickey Morandini tripled off Gary Sheffield’s glove in right, and Sammy Sosa’s sacrifice fly broke the string.
Henry Rodriguez soon poked a two-run homer on a 3-0 fastball from Nomo, and the Cubs iced it against Brad Clontz in the seventh with RBIs by Jose Hernandez and Sandy Martinez.
If nothing else, the Cubs have exorcised the ghosts of ’97. They really do believe in themselves.
“Until Kerry Wood came here, we didn’t have anyone who could really dominate everybody,” Tapani said. “But everybody we throw out there can keep us in a game and give us a chance to win.
“That, and with the offense we put out there, I think we match up pretty well with anyone.”
