Sun 07/13/2003
This was a much closer game than the score indicates, but the Cubs deep team pulled out a convincing
14-6 win. Brad Adams was called into an emergency start and went 5 strong innings allowing just 3 hits
and striking out 7 to get the win. Will Lessard and Andy Luckhardt both threw their first innings
of the season and looked good. Andy pitched a 1-2-3 ninth. Earl Carpenter pitched the 7th and 8th
innings and did not allow a hit. There were 3 key hits in this one. Andy Luckhardt had a 2 run triple
that turned into a three run play when Andy scored on a botched relay throw. At the time of Andy's hit,
there were 2 outs in the fourth and the Cubs were losing 1-0. Tim Shaver opened up the lead with a
bases loaded two run single in the fifth making the score 5-1. Peter DiNatale closed out the 7 run fifth
with a towering 2 run homer to left center.
The Cubs picked up their 6th straight win with a 14-6 victory over the Yankees. During their 6 game
winning streak, the Cubs have beaten their opponents 74-14!
This win is a perfect example of how deep this squad is. Today, the team was missing 4 pitchers
(Tom Barnes, Bruce Diaz, Chris Greig and Andy Schultz) and still had 4 pitchers available to get
through the game. Brad Adams had the emergency start and pitched tremendously. Brad went 5 innings
allowing 3 earned runs on 3 hits. Brad had 7 Ks and only allowed 1 run through the first 4 innings.
Will Lessard came in to pitch an inning, his first in three years. He looked impressive even though
he allowed 2 runs (1 earned). Nothing was hit hard, just a bunch of nubbers around the infield. Earl
Carpenter pitched two scoreless and hitless innings. Andy Luckhardt threw his first inning of 2003, a
perfect ninth.
Defensively, the Cubs weren't as sharp as they've been over the last several games. They were charged
with an uncharacteristic 5 errors. Dennis Fontecchio and Peter DiNatale were both very good at short
and second respectively.
Offensively, it started out looking kind of bleak. Besides missing the 4 pitchers above, the Cubs
were also missing their leadoff hitter and team RBI leader, Glenn Legault. On top of that, the Cubs
stranded two runners on base in each of the first three innings. The Yankees led 1-0 going to the top of the fourth when the momentum changed.
After the first two batters were out, Brad Adams got a clutch single to right. Earl Carpenter pinch
ran for Brad and stole second. Peter DiNatale fell into a 1-2 hole but battled to earn a key walk.
Andy Luckhardt followed with a line shot to right center that rolled all the way to the wall scoring
Earl and Peter. When the Yankees botched the relay in short right field, Andy raced all the way home
to make the score 3-1 Cubs. The Cubs opened it up in the fifth scoring 7 times. Will Lessard led off
with a single. A sac bunt that the Yankees thought was going foul but stayed fair ended up putting
runners on first and second. Dennis Fontecchio walked to load the bases with no outs. Tim Shaver
hit a liner to left center for a 2 run single. Earl and Paul Sonnett followed with one out
RBI singles. Peter DiNatale capped the 5th inning with a 2 run bomb homer to left center.
The Yankees continued to battle however, and the game was 10-6 after 6 innings. In the top of the 7th,
Tim Shaver led off with a triple to straight away center field that one hopped the wall. Tim was
driven in by a single from Earl. Later in the 7th, Earl ended up scoring from second base when the
Yankees failed to turn an inning ending double play. The Cubs scored two more in the ninth when Rich
Schwarz and Eddie Murray reached on errors and then Earl delivered another run scoring single.