Rich Harden did everything that you could hope for from a pitcher and more, but he couldn't escape the light-hitting Alex Romero, whose home run in the 6th inning proved enough to beat the Cubs last night in Arizona.

Poor Rich is probably wondering what he has gotten himself into. After much ado about his health, the need to potentially rest him, and all the other naysays and doubts, he's performed like Cy Young - or at least a Cy Young candidate - over his last two starts. 12 1/3 innings. Six hits. 20 strikeouts. One run. No wins. Honestly, I haven't seen bad luck like this since Mike Morgan in 1993. I mean, he was great last night, striking out ten for his second straight start, and giving up one hit over seven. Unfortunately, that hit was an Alex Romero home run to right field. It was the first of only two Arizona hits for the night. However, as a suddenly revitalized Randy Johnson was also able to hold the Cubs to two hits, the result was a loss, and more precisely their 4th in five games. It was a bad night, and the only good news was that with Micah Owings - the scheduled starter for tonight - making a relief appearance, Well, that and Alfonso Soriano being back as soon as tomorrow. Yusmeiro Petit gets the ball tonight for the Diamondbacks. Here's to a big night against him.

Finally, it's time to say goodbye to long-time columnist and baseball historian Jerome Holtzman. There are a number of fond baseball moments that I have from my childhood. One of them is the first few times that I read Jerome's articles in the Tribune. As far as I was concerned he was Chicago baseball.  He gave a kid who couldn't get to many games a vivid take on the sport that lives on to this day, and personally I'll never forget him for it. Tim Russert. Tony Snow. Jerome Holtzman. It's been a bad year. Jerome, you'll be missed.