DeRosa delight for Cubs
A curious mixture of anticipation, foreboding and tension permeated the Wrigley Field scene Monday evening as the Cubs prepared for the final 12 games of the season.All of that got washed away in euphoria and no small amount of relief as the Cubs scored an improbable 7-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds with a 3-run rally in the ninth inning.Mark DeRosa's infield single -- his fifth hit of the night -- against a desperation alignment of five infielders, scored pinch runner Sam Fuld from third base with the winning run two batters after Aramis Ramirez tripled home the tying runs.DeRosa's single hit the glove of pitcher David Weathers and caromed toward the right side of the infield enabling the speedy Fuld to score.The victory kept the Cubs (79-72) atop the National League Central by 1 game over the Milwaukee Brewers (77-72), who beat Houston.In winning this game, the Cubs also overcame several mistakes and subpar performances. They also seemed to overcome some pregame uneasiness.Some Cubs players reacted testily to the increased media crowd that always greets a contender when it returns home. And fans and media members alike were dredging up memories of late September 2004, when the Reds came into Wrigley Field and essentially knocked the Cubs out of the wild-card race."We didn't play a real good ballgame today and were able to win it," manager Lou Piniella said.Even the hero of the night said he could have done his job better."Honestly, I didn't do what I wanted to do in that situation with the five infielders," said DeRosa, who has a pair of 5-hit games against the Reds this year. "I was looking for something up that I could put in the outfield. Sammy was on third base, and he can run like a deer."I just think there's no quit in this team. I'm sure Lou said it -- we did not play fundamentally sound baseball tonight."The Reds went up 1-0 in the third against Cubs lefty Rich Hill, who started well but couldn't make it out of the fifth inning. In the bottom half of the third, Cliff Floyd hit a 2-run homer, and before the crowd of 39,075 could sit back down, DeRosa hit a pitch from Bronson Arroyo into the bleachers in left-center.Hill exited in Cincinnati's 3-run fifth. The Reds added 2 more in the sixth. The Cubs had a chance in the bottom of the sixth when Alfonso Soriano doubled with one out, but he was easily thrown out at third trying to advance on Ryan Theriot's grounder to the left side.Little-used Cubs relievers Kevin Hart and Will Ohman (2-4) held the game at 6-4 going to the ninth.Theriot led it off with a walk."I was kind of searching to get back to where I was," Theriot said. "I think I found it that at-bat. I scooted up on the plate a little bit and said, 'I can't hit a 2-run homer with nobody on base. I'm going to try to get on for the guys behind me and let them be the heroes.'"Derrek Lee singled Theriot to third before Ramirez tripled past a diving Norris Hopper in right-center to score both runners."Our confidence level is high," Lee said. "We feel like we can win any type of ballgame. We didn't feel like we were out of it just because we were down 2 in the ninth."The Reds walked pinch hitter Daryle Ward, setting the stage for DeRosa's single."Well, that was exciting enough," Piniella said. "Great comeback win. Really, really a great win for us."Cubs 7, Reds 6At the plate: Cliff Floyd hit a 2-run homer, his ninth, in the third inning. Mark DeRosa followed that with a homer, his 10th of the year and his fifth hit of the game won it for the Cubs to cap a 3-run ninth inning. Aramis Ramirez's tied it in the ninth with a 2-run triple.On the mound: Lefty Rich Hill started well, with 5 strikeouts over his first 3 innings, but he couldn't make it out of the fifth inning, when the Reds scored 3 runs. Hill gave up 4 runs. Michael Wuertz gave up 3 hits and 2 runs in 1 inning. Scott Eyre allowed 2 hits and an inherited run to score in one-third of an inning.-- Bruce Miles 440512Mark DeRosa reacts after a 5th-iining call at 1st goes against the Cubs during Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 512325Aramis Ramirez triples in the 9th during Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 512345Cliff Floyd watches his 2-run homer in the bottom of the 3rd inning during Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 427512Mark DeRosa turns the first half of a inning ending double play in the 7th during Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 512316Alfonso Soriano is out at third on fielder's choice during the 6th inning of Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 449512Alfonso Soriano doubles to lead off the Cubs half of the first during Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 512314Ryan Theriot can't come up with a shallow pop fly by Edwin Encarnacion as LF Alfonso Soriano arrives on the scene too late to help in the 7th inning of Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 512310Jacque Jones can't come up with a diving catch during the 5th inning of Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 485512Derrek Lee scores the Cubs 4th run during Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 512402Cubs teammates engulf Mark DeRosa after his game-winning hit during Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 512355Cubs manager Lou Piniella argues with 1st base umpire Tim Timmons during the 5th inning of Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 415512Rich Hill delivers a pitch in the first inning of Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 452512Cliff Floyd watches his 2-run homer in the bottom of the 3rd inning during Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 413512Jacques Jones congratulates Mark DeRosa after his game-winning single in the 9th inning during Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 512375Cubs manager Lou Piniella greets Mark DeRosa with a hug after his game-winning hit during Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 512352Cincinnati's Ken Griffey, Jr.reacts after striking out with a man on 3rd and only 1 out during the 1st inning of Monday's game at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 512381Aramis Ramirez hangs his head after being erased on a double play ball hit by Craig Monroe in the 7th inning of Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 512351Derrek Lee and Carlos Zambrano, right, lead the charge out of the Cubs dugout after Mark DeRosa's game-winning hit during Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 378512Felix Pie, left, and Jacques Jones mob Mark DeRosa after his game-winning hit during Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 388512Mark DeRosa connects for a game winning single in the bottom of the 9th during Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 512387Rich Hill delivers a pitch in the first inning of Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 512328Mark DeRosa watches his solo homer leave the park in the bottom of the 3rd inning during Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 512350Red's pitcher Bronson Arroyo smiles at 1st base coach Billy Hatcher after getting on during Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 512343Derrek Lee screams as he crosses the plate to tie the game in the 9th inning during Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer 512363Second baseman Mark DeRosa reacts as things start to go bad for the Cubs in the 5th inning of Monday's game against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field in Chicago.Rick West | Staff Photographer