HEADLINE...
Cubs Beat Nationals In Sunday Finale...
Rich Harden, throws 7.0 innings, K's 11, allowing just 2 hits and 1 run on 1 HR, as the Cubs get HR's from Mark DeRosa, Geovany Soto and Kosuke Fukudome to take a 6-1 lead over Washington after seven. DC righty Jason Bergmann surrendered the homers to DeRosa and Soto in the third, giving up 4 runs on 4 hits and 4 walks with 6 K's over 6.1 inning pitched overall. DC reliever Steven Shell serves up the long ball to Fukudome in the Cubs' seventh and allows two after that for Aramis Ramirez, who grounds into a fielder's choice to score a run. 6-1 Cubs after seven.
In the DC third, Austin Kearns hits his first HR in a while (try 8/10 and before that 7/20), providing the Nationals' only offense through the first seven innings. The Nationals load the bases in the eighth with Chicago reliever Carlos Marmol on the mound, and Cristian Guzman K's looking and let's Umpire Angel Hernandez know he disagrees.
The Cubs take two of three after the Nationals' surprise win on Friday. The win ties the '08 season series at 3-3. Cult-favorite Jeff Samardzija comes on to end it and sends the Chicago fans home happy, that is, whenever they stop singing in unison and decide to finally leave Wrigley...
Beautiful field, great weekend, see you next year Cubs' fans, good luck the rest of the way. (ed. note - "Someone's got to beat the Mets. Please? That is, If DC can't knock them out come September.")
For The Completists, The Full Game Report IS BACK After The Jump...(unedited as of 5:01 pm EST.)
Let's Go Nats Go! Next Game: Tuesday against Manny and The Dodgers at 7:10 pm EST...")
New Nationals now 8-15.
Nationals now 46-85. (Countdown To 100 Losses Stands At...15.)
Willie Harris K’s swinging at a two-strike change outside from Rich Harden that drops off the outside edge. Cristian Guzman slaps a groundout to second where Mike Fontenot fields and throws. Ryan Zimmerman gets an 84 mph change for strike one and K’s swinging at a 95 mph heater to end the DC first...Alfonso Soriano pops out on Jason Bergmann’s first pitch. Ryan Theriot makes Bergmann work and then makes the pitcher walk him. OH NO! It’s Aramis Ramirez. Theriot steals second on a high throw from Jesus Flores. Ramirez hits a check-swing grounder back to the mound. Daryle D. Ward pops out to Zimmerman to end the first.
Lastings Milledge fights off a few 1-2 pitches, but flies out to right for the first out of the second. Ronnie Belliard takes strike three on a change inside. Harden throws a 95 mph fastball by Jesus Flores for another swinging K...Mark DeRosa goes opposite field into the wind and into the stands for a leadoff solo shot in the Cubs’ second. Bergmann walks Jim Edmonds to bring up the catcher, Geovany Soto. Soto clears the ivy in left for a two-run blast and a 3-0 lead. Bergmann gets Fontenot and Harden swinging, and then walks Soriano with two down. Theriot flies to right, Kearns’ catch ends the second.
Austin Kearns blasts a leadoff homer to left and just inside the pole. 3-1 Cubs. Jim Edmonds makes one of his trademark running grabs to catch Anderson Hernandez’s gapper. Jason Bergmann pops out. Willie Harris chops a grounder to first, to end the top of the third...Aramis Ramirez backs Harris up to the track in left where the wind holds it in. D. Ward sends Milledge deep to right center where he stares into the sun to make the grab. Ground ball to second from DeRosa, and it’s a 1-2-3 third for Bergmann.
Cristian Guzman lines out to Soriano in left. Zimmerman swings through a high two-strike fastball. Fastball outside, 94 mph, strike three swinging from Milledge...Bergmann walks Jim Edmonds for the second time in two at bats, but Edmonds is running with Soto swingin on a pop-up and he gets doubled-up at first. Mike Fontenot flies out to left, 3-1 after four...Ronnie Belliard starts the fifth with a line drive single just over the infield. Jesus Flores flies out to left, where Soriano makes a one-handed grab. Austin Kearns K’s. Belliard moves himself up on a wild pitch, Anderson Hernandez? Flies out to center...Bergmann gets the opposing pitcher swinging in the Cubs’ fifth. Soriano grounds to Zimmerman’s backhand for the second out, and Theriot K’s chasing a two-strike curve to end the fifth. Still 3-1 Cubbies.
Bergmann strikes out, Harden’s eighth K to start the sixth. Willie Harris flies out to Edmonds. Cristian Guzman grounds to D. Ward, who tosses to Harden covering to end the DC sixth...Austin Kearns and Anderson Hernandez let a pop fly from Aramis Ramirez drop in for a two-base mistake. Zimmerman catches a popup from D. Ward. Jim Edmonds grounds out to first, 3-1 Cubs after six.
Ryan Zimmerman gets called out looking. Milledge K’s swinging. Ronnie Belliard K’s staring at strike three on the outside edge...Stand up and Stretch...Bergmann gets Soto swinging to start the Cubs’ seventh. Mike Fontenot doubles into the ivy at the base of the wall in left. Bergmann’s done. Steven Shell’s on in relief. Kosuke Fukudome goes DEEP in a pinch hit appearance, and just fair to right. Two-run blast. 5-1 Cubs. Ryan Zimmerman skips the throw to first on a Soriano grounder. Soriano moves to third on a single to right from Theriot. First and third for A. Ramirez, who grounds into a force at second, but beats the throw to first. Soriano scores. 6-1 Cubs. Shell’s done. Charlie Manning comes on to get D. Ward to end the seventh.
Carlos Marmol pops up Jesus Flores for the first out of the eighth. Austin Kearns reaches on an error on a lazy play from Aramis Ramirez on a grounder to third. Ryan Theriot catches a foul pop off Anderson Hernandez’s bat. Pinch hitter Ryan Langerhans takes a two-out walk, and Willie Harris reaches on a single up the middle that’s too deep for a play. Bases loaded for Cristian Guzman. Carlos Marmol gets Guzman staring at a called strike three to end the biggest threat of the day from DC....Mark DeRosa starts the Cubs’ eighth with a single to center off “Wild” Joel Hanrahan. Jim Edmonds flies out to left. Austin Kearns catches the second out off of Soto’s bat. Ronny Cedeno grounds out. Three outs to get five runs...
Cubs’ righty Jeff Samardzija throws a 91 mph heater by Ryan Zimmerman. Lastings Milledge hits a one-hop single to Soriano in left. Ronnie Belliard swings over a low two-strike sinker. Jesus Flores flies out to Soriano in left. Cubs win. 6-1 final.
New Nationals now 8-15.
Nationals now 46-85. (Countdown To 100 Losses Stands At...15.)