Blame It On The Rain; Pirates Lose 6-1

Freddy Sanchez kept rolling with his seventh straight hit in the first inning off Cubs starter Sean Marshall.  Unfortunately, he was stranded by Nate and Monroe as Marshall showed command of his curveball and slider.  It was a sign of things to come as the Pirates could only score one run before the rain delayed the game with the score 6-1 in favor of the Cubs. 

The game was called an hour or so later, much to the delight of the Cubbie fans who saw their losing streak snapped.

After retiring the first two batters, Pirates starter Ian Snell left a fastball over the heart of the plate and Kosuke Fukudome put it deep into the seats that gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Snell, who has allowed ten homers this season, missed with his location throughout the inning.

In the second inning, Robinzon Diaz vehemently protested a strike out call. He felt that he had fouled the ball. It was a weird play as the pitch was diving low in the strike zone. It looked and sounded like Diaz had fouled the ball into the dirt. But home plate umpire Jeff Nelson didn’t feel the same. 

The strikezone was shrunk for Snell the rest of the game.

The rain began to fall and fans covered up as temperatures were in the low 50’s it didn’t seem to faze the Cubs as they hit Snell.  Mike Fontenot blasted a one out double into the right field corner.  Snell gave up a walk and Marshall, yes Marshall drove in a run with a two out single to make it 2-0 Cubs.

In the third Snell quickly got two outs, then Milton ‘you tricked me’ Bradley was walked. He would score two pitches later when Micah Hoffpauir blasted a double off the ivy on the right field wall. Snell recorded a three pitch strikeout of Fontenot which gave him three k’s in as many innings and stranded Hoffpauir at second to end the inning.

McLouth walked to start the fourth. Monroe popped out to Soriano, then Nate stole his seventh base of the year and 28th consecutive. 1BLaRoche grounded out to first and hot hitting 3BAndy, who extended his streak to eleven games with a single in the second, walked on four pitches bringing up Diaz. A two out rip through the middle of the infield got the Bucs on the scoreboard.

Great move Marshall. Walk LaRoche and face our pissed off catcher.  Worked out well for you.   Jack Wilson, 290 with RISP, struckout stranding the runners.

A 123 fourth inning for Snell was followed with a leadoff single in the fifth by Soriano. He stole second went to third when Diaz threw the ball into right center field. He was driven in with a flop shot single into shallow right center. After another walk and a visit by Pitching Coach Joe Kerrigan, Snell walked Bradley on four pitches which loaded the bases with no outs. Micah Hoffpauir singled.  Fotenot made it 6-1 with a base hit up the middle.

Koyie Hill made the first out as Evan Meek worked in the pen. Jack and Freddy got the Pirates out of the jam with a fine looking double play. How many times has that happened this year exactly when we needed it? The Bucs lead the league in DP turned.

So speaking of DP combinations who do you think will be turning two after the trading deadline?

Pens Headed to 2nd straight Stanley Cup as the groundscrew rolled out the tarp.  Cowher chokes again when it counts.  In case you missed the Mike Lange call because you were focused on the Versus channel, ”spit shine your shoes Mabel, we’re going dancing with Lord Stanley.”

When you eat meat and potatoes like the bullrider does you can take a line drive like the one Capps took. The ball caromed off these freckled arms of steel and made it all the way to the Cubs dugout!!  PHOTO COURTESY OF MATT CAPPS (his version of sexting)