Finally, Cubs own 3-game winning streak
Who knew a three-game winning streak could be so much work?
The Cubs got their first back-to-back-to-back wins of the season, and it took every ounce of effort (with some luck thrown in) to beat the worst team in baseball.
What was even more fun was listening to manager Mike Quade explain all the plots and subplots after Sunday's 5-4, 10-inning war of attrition against the Houston Astros at Wrigley Field.
Quade's main purpose was to defuse any second-guessing after a game in which reliever Kerry Wood, who hasn't pitched since last Wednesday, did not warm up.
Game situations also might have called for Quade to pinch run for catcher Geovany Soto in the eighth inning or to use Reed Johnson as a pinch hitter.
So Quade took the lead in the postgame session before reporters could ask any questions.
“Let's head some of this off at the pass in case the second-guessers unite,” Quade opened. “Johnson and Hill were not available at all today. Hilly's down with the flu bad. Thank God Sote got through. He (Hill) was here. In case something bad happened, we could have dragged him out of there, because I could have pinch run or done some things there.
“And Reed wasn't feeling very good today as well.”
On to the bullpen.
Quade turned to Jeff Samardzija in the eighth with the Cubs ahead 3-2 and starter Matt Garza in line for a victory. Samardzija, who worked his third straight day, suffered a blown save by giving up a 2-run homer to Carlos Lee before the Cubs came back with a run in the bottom of the inning and 1 in the 10th.
Sean Marshall warmed up late but didn't pitch. After Samardzija, Quade brought in Rodrigo Lopez to finish the eighth, Carlos Marmol for the ninth and John Grabow for the 10th.
“Marsh, we thought, could give us a hitter or two,” Quade said. “We were trying to stay away from him. We talked to him before the game. When things got crazy, he said, ‘I can go.' So I appreciate that from him.
“Woody was the same way. I probably threw him 3 or 4 innings in the bullpen the last two days. He was feeling a little cranky today. He didn't feel great.”
The only crankiness from Wood came when reporters visited his locker and he asked, “What did I do?”
Well, nothing, and that's why reporters visited.
“We talked before the game,” Wood said. “News flash: Sometimes guys need a day here and there. Nothing new. I pitched a lot in the pen. Just a day.”
But, of course, we're getting away from the euphoria that comes with a team's first three-game winning streak of the season, as that team ran its record to 42-60.
The Cubs won the game in the 10th when Marlon Byrd led off with a triple that right fielder Hunter Pence lost in the sun. Byrd eventually scored on pinch hitter Jeff Baker's bases-loaded pinch single with one out.
About the only other downer on this festive day was that Garza left for the sixth time this year with a lead, only to come away with no decision. His record held at 4-7 with his ERA falling from 3.80 to 3.72. Garza worked 7 innings, giving up 5 hits and 2 runs.
“We pulled it off, got that third straight,” said Garza, staying on talking points. “See if we can take it into Milwaukee and build from there, try to get four. It's a lot funnier when you're winner, I'll tell you that much. We played great, battled to the end like we always do and came out on top.”