ST. LOUIS — Helping deny the Cardinals a postseason berth would be small consolation for the Cubs, but it’s something to shoot for in this lost season.
It has been done before.
In 1974, Cubs catcher Steve Swisher let strike three roll past him with two outs in the ninth inning of the final game of the regular season in Pittsburgh. The passed ball allowed the Pirates to tie the game and eventually win in 10 innings, clinching a division title over St. Louis.
While beating their archrivals two of three games in mid-August may not provide the same kind of drama, it’ll have to do.
The Cubs nearly blew a seven-run lead Sunday before outlasting the Cardinals 9-7, winning a series for the first time since July 23-25, when they beat the Cards two of three at Wrigley Field.
The loss dropped St. Louis one game behind division-leading Cincinnati in the NL Central race.
“Just playing good baseball against a good team means something,” winning pitcher Ryan Dempster said. “When you come in here, they’re always exciting games. Case in point, today. Somehow, someway, the tying run on either side always seems to be on base. They’re always a lot of fun.”
Dempster allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings in steamy Busch Stadium for his third straight victory, and Derrek Lee hit two home runs off Kyle Lohse before leaving in the fifth inning when it looked like a rout.
Manager Lou Piniella said Lee had a stiff back, though Lee seemed puzzled by the comment and said his back was fine.
Carlos Marmol finished off a scary ninth in which St. Louis scored five runs.
After missing four games to be with his ailing grandfather in Sacramento, Lee came back with four home runs in the series, the first time he has homered in three straight games since June 18-20, 2009. The Cubs finished their seven-game trip 3-4 and headed home to begin a four-game series against NL West-leading San Diego on Monday night.
The goal now is just to look respectable.
“Just play it out,” Lee said. “The consensus here is we just don’t want to finish the season the way we’ve been playing. It’d be nice to really play good baseball the last six weeks and just finish on a good note.”
Marlon Byrd had three hits, including two during the six-run fourth when the Cubs broke the game open. But after Dempster and Sean Marshall were removed, the rookie relievers caved in until Marmol stemmed the tide in the ninth.
“I guess it’s a learning experience for these kids,” Piniella said.
And for Piniella too?
“No, I think I’ve learned enough,” he said. “I don’t want to get too smart in my old age.”
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