The Cubs picked up their 10th win of the 2008 season with a 7-0 win over the Mariners on 7/27.
The Cubs have played great ball for two weekends in a row picking up three crucial wins in the process.
This was a great game to be a part of. The Cubs scored 2 runs in the first and then didn't score again
until picking up an unearned run in the 7th. They opened the tight 3-0 game up scoring 4 runs in the
bottom of the 8th after there were 2 outs and no one on base.
Of course the main story of this game was the starter, Tom Barnes, who went the distance to pick up
the shutout. In clearly his best outing of the season, Tom allowed just 5 hits with 0 walks and struck
out 8. Just a spectacular outing for Tom who was never in any real trouble as no Mariner even reached
third base.
The Cubs star on offense in this game was Andy Luckhardt who went 3-4 with a double, 3 RBIs and 2
runs scored. Andy's out was a bomb to left that forced the left fielder to make a great catch. The Cubs
first two batters of the game reached and scored. Alex Scott hit a line drive over short, went to second
on an errant pickoff attempt, to third on a wild pitch and scored on Andy Luckhardt's bullet single to
center. Paul Sonnett reached on a fielder's choice that put Andy on third when the throw to third hit
him in the back. Andy scored on the first and third steal play when the ball went into center field.
At this point it appeared it would be a cakewalk for the Cubs. However, the Mariners starter Tom McCabe
found his groove and set down 18 of the next 20 batters. The only Cubs to reach were Andy Luckhardt
with a leadoff single in the 4th and Tim Shaver with a deep double to center to lead off the 5th.
Neither player scored. In the 7th, it was still 2-0. Paul reached on a walk and stole second with one
out. After the second out did not advance Paul, a key play occurred. Tom Barnes followed with a
grounder to third that the third baseman threw to first in the dirt. The first baseman stopped the ball
but did not pick it cleanly and Sonnett, hustling all the way, managed to score from second to pick
up the crucial third run of the game. Later in the inning, Tim Shaver followed with his second hit
of the game, but the rally stopped there. In the 8th, the Cubs were holding on to a slim 3-0 lead.
With one out Rich Wenning singled. He was pinch run for, but the runner was thrown out trying to
steal second. This prompted Rich to ask why he was pinch run for saying he could have accomplished
that on his own... Brad Adams followed with a two out walk and stole second. Rich Schwarz then hit
an RBI single which seemed to open the floodgates at last for the Cubs. Alex Scott followed with a
grounder to third that was thrown into the dirt setting up runners at first and third. Andy followed
with a double to left center scoring 2 runs. After a Paul Sonnett walk, Ken Hamm hit an RBI single
to center to end the scoring for the day.