Game Recap: Cubs 3, Giants 2

Jeff Baker is looking like a hell of a pick up by Jim Hendry.  It was his bat -- and his bat alone -- that lifted the Cubs to victory last night in a game dominated by pitching. Ryan Dempster went 7 innings and allowed only 2 runs, but Brad Penny was even more effective.  The only runs the Cubs scored in the first 8 came from a double play ball -- hit by Baker -- after which the Giants scored 2 runs (1 immediately in the 4th, the other in the 7th). Then, in the 9th inning, Derrek Lee drew a walk, stole his first base of the year, and was then knocked home by a Baker ball that could not be contained by the ballpark.  Carlos Marmol then proceeded to strike out the first batter he faced, before giving up a single to Randy Wynn and then walking Travis Ishikawa.  Then, like the Marmol of old, he buckled down and struck out two batters to end the inning. Since joining the Cubs, Baker is batting .329 with 4 homers and 19 RBI.  Odds are he's a backup at best ...