JEFF'S CHICAGO SPORTS BLOG - THE CHICAGO CUBS: "BRING ON OCTOBER!"
THE CUBS ARE IN! THERE WILL BE OCTOBER BASEBALL ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CHICAGO!
It took the 160 games to reach that milestone! After a poor performance against the Florida Marlins, the Chicago Cubs came to Cincinnati with the hopes they would earn a National League Central Division Title, and a slot for postseason play. They did just that!
They got help from the San Diego Padres, who beat the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night. The Cubs did what they needed to do - they beat up on the Reds, who always play them tough.
Carlos Zambrano took the mound and pitched a terrific game, shutting out the Reds for his seven innings and being in control the entire time. This makes two very good outings in a row for the Cub right-hander. He will next pitch game one of the division series against an opponent to be determined in the still-unsettled National League Eastern and Western Divisions - the Padres, the Arizona Diamondbacks, the New York Mets, or the Philadelphia Phillies.
Alfonso Soriano led the game off with a home run, his 13th of the month tying a team record held by Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks, for the most homeruns in September. It was Soriano's 32nd homer of the season, and a prodigious blast to deep right center off Reds pitcher, Bronson Arroyo, on a two-strike pitch. That set the tone!
The Cubs would score again in the second inning on a Ryan Theriot sacrifice fly and then score two more runs on a two-run homer from slugger Derrek Lee in the fifth inning. Center fielder Jacque Jones would add to the Cubs lead with at two-run double in the eighth inning.
Once again, you can tribute the success to very good starting pitching - a major shortfall in the Florida Marlins series.
Starting pitching will be the key for the Cubs during postseason and Cub fans are clinging to the hope that they can get to the World Series and make this an October to remember.
Although their work isn't done, The Cubs have made this second half of the season very interesting and a whole lot of fun.
Go Cubs Go!
How many bottles of antacid have you gone through this Cubs season? Have you stockpiled more for the post-season? Perhaps we can share!
DEAN'S TEAM SPORTS EDITOR
JEFF ARDITO
