The Cubs beat the Phillies in a huge National League tilt 11-3 on 4/29.
It's amazing how differently every week is played out in our league. In the previous game the Cubs
were outscored 5-0 in inning 1 and this week the Cubs outscored the Phillies 4-0 in the first inning
and never looked back.
The Cubs are now 1-1 and tied for first in the National League after defeating last year's National
League Champions.
This was a true team win as everyone contributed to this victory. On the mound, Tom Barnes went 8
innings allowing just 2 earned runs. Tom allowed 10 hits and 7 walks, but made the pitches to
escape jams when he needed to. Tom struck out 9 including the side in the first and two batters
with the bases full and no one out in the 8th. Tom also picked off a runner at first in the 5th.
Ken Hamm pitched a scoreless 9th for his first inning of work this year. Ken looked solid allowing
a walk and striking out one.
The defense was very good for the Cubs this week. Eddie Murray started a great double play in the
third inning. There was a runner on first and the Phillie batter hit a shallow liner to right. Eddie
charged in to make a nice catch on the line drive and then threw a bullet to first to beat the runner
back to the bag. In the 4th, Eddie threw out a runner at the plate with a cutoff and relay from Brad
Adams, a big play at the time. In the 5th with runners at first and second and one out, Tom Barnes
struck the batter out and then Paul Sonnett threw to Brad Adams at first to pick off the runner and
complete the inning ending double play! It seems that every week Alex Scott makes a tremendous play
somewhere in the field. This week it was the final out of the game, a grounder in the hole at short
that Alex slid on one knee to field then popup and throw a strike to first to get the runner.
The Cubs offense was great on Sunday, smacking several clutch 2 out RBI hits. Tim Shaver (1-1, RBI)
started the 2 out magic with an RBI single to left center in the first inning making the score 4-0.
Ken Hamm (2-2, SF, walk, 3 RBIs, 1 run scored) had a 2 out RBI double in the 3rd to make it a 5-1
game. Brad Adams (1-4, RBI) brought in the Cubs 6th run in the 4th with a 2 out RBI single. Then
in the 5th inning the Cubs collected three consecutive 2 out RBI hits. Those hits were a single by
Eddie Murray (1-4, RBI, 2 runs scored), a double for Paul Sonnett (3-4, 2 2Bs, 2 RBIs, 2 runs scored)
and a single from Ken Hamm. Alex Scott had 2 hits including a triple, an RBI and 2 runs scored. Tom
Barnes had 2 hits and an RBI to help his cause on the mound.
Matt Corkum, an original Cubbie made his 2007 debut and went 1-3 with a run scored. The only negative
for the game was that Bill Bracken injured a hummy running out a grounder to short. We hope Bill ends
up OK and this was only a minor pull, we'll have to wait and see.