Bad news right away for Cubs fans: Their team was 5-36 when the opposition scored first, not to mention a baseball-worst 13-23 at home. The Sox score first, a collection of chinkers and bouncers from both sides making it 3-2. Rookie Sean Marshall may have the jitters as he gives up five hits, the big one Juan Uribe’s two-run single. In an un-Cub-like move, the North Siders come right back with two runs on three singles and a walk. But in a very Cub-like move, they leave two runners on base with two straight outs.
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%% 1ST
R H E
SOX 3 5 0
CUBS 2 3 0
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Hits . . . and misses Breaking down one at-bat
On the mound: Sean Marshall
Situation: A.J. Pierzynski up, runners on first and second, one out.
Pierzynski at-bat: Understand that Marshall is a rookie and he is pitching under pressure to not throw too close to the man in the middle of the May 20 melee. Perhaps trying to be too careful, Marshall throws three straight balls. Then came a called strike before Pierzynski singled to load the bases. At least it was a non-eventful at-bat, as expected.
Hits . . . and misses Breaking down one at-bat
On the mound: Jon Garland
Situation: Michael Barrett up, runners on second and third, two outs, Sox lead 3-2.
Barrett at-bat: It is Barrett’s first at-bat after a 10-game suspension for slugging Pierzynski and he gets a standing ovation from Cubs fans. A ball, a foul, a ball, a foul, a ball. With a full count, Barrett grounds out to second base to end the inning. Tensions are eased, at least in the media, which tried to make this a Patterson-Ali rematch.
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2ND
R H E
SOX 3 5 0
CUBS 2 3 0
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About as quiet and peaceful as you can get. The Sox get a two-out walk to Tadahito Iguchi, but Paul Konerko bounced out as Marshall regains his composure. The Cubs go down in order, as Garland runs his out streak to five in a row.
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3RD
R H E
SOX 4 7 0
CUBS 2 4 0
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Uribe becomes the early favorite for player of the game with a two-out RBI double after Joe Crede’s two-out double. The Cubs leave another man stranded when Aramis Ramirez and Jacque Jones are retired.
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4TH
R H E
SOX 4 7 0
CUBS 2 4 0
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Is that a stolen base by Konerko? The slowest man in baseball? Sure enough. He scampers to second, but to be fair about it, the pitch got by catcher Barrett and bounced to the backstop. Other than that, nothing happens and even the crowd seems to be in a mid-game yawn.
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5TH
R H E
SOX 4 7 0
CUBS 2 5 0
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Pierzynski (above) gets plunked! And no one cares! Honest. Pierzynski walks silently to first. Why is no one upset? Why isn’t there Armageddon? Because Pierzynski is hit by a Marshall 74-m.p.h. curveball, with a 2-2 count and is leading off the inning. No way does Marshall want to put a batter on base. Both dugouts fully realize this–Marshall leads off the bottom of the inning and doesn’t find any of the five pitches even close to his body.
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6TH
R H E
SOX 4 9 0
CUBS 2 7 0
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All right, take your pick. Either having two runners on with no outs and not scoring is a) typical Cubs poor hitting execution or b) an outstanding clutch performance from Garland. Whichever your pick, the inning has the crowd buzzing with each pitch as Ronny Cedeno fouls off four straight before making the third out.
Manager’s decision
Ozzie Guillen makes his move
Situation: Runners on second and third, two outs, Cedeno batting, Neal Cotts ready in the bullpen.
Guillen’s call: Leave in Garland after a long pep talk on the mound.
Result: Great move. Cedeno ends the inning with a flyout. In the past Garland might have folded, but he keeps throwing strikes until he gets Cedeno.
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7TH
R H E
SOX 4 9 0
CUBS 2 8 0
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Take your pick again. Either Juan Pierre is a) safe at home or b) out at home as he tries to score from third on a grounder to first base. Umpire Mike Reilly chooses “b” and replays are somewhat inconclusive, although “a” seems to be the favorite choice in the press box. The Cubs don’t argue. As for the seventh-inning stretch, White Sox fans prove they are a good force in the crowd of 40,720.
Manager’s decision
Ozzie Guillen makes his move
Situation: Runner on first, two outs, Cotts pitching, Derrek Lee at bat.
Guillen’s call: Call for right-hander Brandon McCarthy.
Result: Bingo again. Lee battles the count to 3-2 but McCarthy stays with it and gets Lee to fly out to right field.
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8TH
R H E
SOX 6 10 0
CUBS 2 8 0
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Uribe cements that player-of-the-game honor with a two-run homer that gives the Sox what should be an insurmountable 6-2 Sox lead, given the Cubs offense and its 1-43 record when trailing in the ninth inning.
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9TH
R H E
SOX 6 10 0
CUBS 2 9 0
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It’s on to Saturday and the unfamiliarity of Jim Thome playing first base for the Sox. With the weather forecast calling for hot temperatures, the wind may be blowing straight out and Thome may be making it dangerous to walk on Sheffield Avenue.
Glove you, man
Playing the field . . . and loving it
Situation: Runners on first and second, two outs, bottom of ninth.
The play: Shortstop Uribe goes behind second base for Todd Walker’s bouncer and throws on a hop to first base, with Konerko scooping the throw nicely for a bang-bang out, the last out.
