Bucs Win In 15

Although they have already won a game in 16 innings this season, the Bucs were out to prove that winning long games is no fluke. Jack Wilson admitted that the game was the worst in his career, but his bat atoned for a throwing error in last night's 4-3 win over the Cubbies. The game took 15 innings to complete.

Jonah Bayliss (3-2) pitched 3 strong scoreless innings to get his 3rd win of the season. Bayliss needed a strong outing, after struggling over the past week and a half.

Jack Wilson committed a fielding error in the 7th, allowing Cesar Izturis to reach first. Daryle Ward delivered a pinch-hit single, and Alfonso Soriano drove in Izturis for a 3-2 Cubs lead. Ward looked to be out at 2nd, and Jim Tracy was ejected for arguing the call. Wilson was able to make up for the costly error by delivering a sac fly in the 9th off Ryan Dempster to score Nate McLouth. After unsuccessful attempts to drive in baserunners in the 11th and 12th, Wilson hit another sac fly, which scored the decisive run in the game.

Ian Snell pitched an alright game. He went 8 innings, and struck out 5. However, he allowed 10 Chicago hits. He luckily only gave up 2 earned runs over those 10 hits. No walks issued by Ian, so his control seems to be in the right place.

Tonight's game pits Tom Gorzelanny (4-1 2.97 ERA) against Jason Marquis (4-1 2.09 ERA). Both pitchers have started the season as well as they could have hoped. Marquis has won his last 4 starts, and Gorzo recorded wins in 3 of his past 4 starts. Gorzo or Marquis could tie the league lead with their 5th win tonight.

Uncool Rain Suspends Game, Relieves Bullpen

Tony Armas Jr. provided a second straight quality start, but the much-lauded (by me) bullpen gave up 4 runs. The Cubbies lead, 6-5 in the 7th, as both teams endured a 2 hour 18 minute rain delay.

The rains were pretty strong at times, so strong that they forced 2 birds into my parents' basement. My dad advanced upon the frightened creatures with a broom, and I countered with a mop. The basement ceilings are only about 7 feet tall, so the birds started nervously flying around at human-head level. My dad pinned one against the rafters in a bucket, and while he held the bucket to the ceiling, the other made a kamikazee move to Dad's head. It missed, and we released the first bird outside. I stood in the doorway to the attached furnace room as the 2nd bird approached, and proceeded to block it's path with the mop, causing it to land and hold on to the mop head as I held the handle. I then ran to the door and shook the mop outside, while hiding on the other side of the door (I didn't want that flying demon to turn around and make a last dive at me. I've seen that happen, only it was at college, and a lacrosse stick took the place of the mop, and it was a bat instead of a bird...and the bat didn't turn at the person, but at a brick wall. Okay so its not the same, but it made me think about that).

Oh, yeah...the game. After all the praise I've given the bullpen, John Grabow and Jonah Bayliss both gave up 2 runs each. Cliff Floyd crushed a ball that found its way into the Allegheny (bounced). Alfonso Soriano also started the game with a solo shot, which was his first of the year. More important, is that it was the 33rd leadoff homer of his career. Not as impressive as Rickey Henderson's record of 81 leadoff smashes (for which he hit a leadoff homer for 9 different teams), but it allows Soriano to creep closer to Craig Biggio at number 2 with 50 homers of the like.

The game will be finished at 12:35 today, and the regularly-scheduled game will be played a half hour after this one finishes.