DeRosa Returns to Chicago, Cubs Win In Dramatic Fashion

Despite Mark DeRosa pitching a wonderful game and hitting 2 3-run home runs and driving in another run, the Cubs won 8-7 in 10 innings. No, seriously, Cliff Lee was really good, but the Cubs managed to get 3 runs off of him. Unfortunately the Cubs were way down to begin the game. Harden gave up a 3-run home run in the 2nd inning and then a 3-run home run in the 3rd inning and allowed another run in the 4th inning. Indians up 7-0 with one of the game’s best pitchers on the mound. Cubs lose. Not so. This was the best Cubs game I’ve seen (I missed the first several innings) since the Cubs erased a 9-1 Rockies 6th inning lead against the Cubs at Wrigley last year. The Cubs trailed 7-0 before Reed Johnson hit a home run in the 5th inning. Derrek Lee added his 2nd in days in the 6th inning and then in the 8th inning the Cubs made it a ballgame. The Cubs bullpen did their job exceptionally well today. The cubs bullpen has been very good lately. Kevin Gregg squeaked out of the 10th inning after 2 errors were made with some really good pitching picking up his teammates. Back to the 8th inning. the Cubs trailed 7-2 and put together a really nice rally that included 2 RBI from Andres Blanco and an RBI single by pinch hitter Koyie Hill. Soriano also drove a run in. In the 9th inning, Kerry Wood came in to get the save and Derrek Lee hit his 2nd home run of the game to tie it up. In the bottom of the 10th inning, Luis Vicaino takes the mound for the Tribe. He gets 2 quick outs and then Soriano lays off some of the same pitches he has been swinging at the last 6 weeks and worked a 2-out walk. After that he got a great jump off 1st base and stole 2nd easily before Ryan Theriot hit a very hard ball to 1st base that took a Cubs bounce and Soriano came around to score the winning run. Huge. Just a huge win for this team.