Reed Johnson hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning Sunday -- the first of back-to-back shots -- as the Cubs survived a late rally by the Pirates to win 8-5. The Cubs have now won seven of their last 10.
Maybe we should get something out of the way now. It was hot. And I mean hot; muggy too. So, I've no complaints with Lou Piniella, who chose to take a cramp-prone, de-hydrating Carlos Zambrano -- who's averaged more than a 110 pitches over his last few starts -- out after five innings. Especially given the fact that his next start is against the Cardinals Friday. A series win, and you might put that team down for good this season. It was a decent plan, as Pittsburgh starter Ian Snell was yanked after four innings. The Pirates bullpen hasn't scared anyone this year, and the offense was clicking, so why not? Well, you know what they say about best laid plans.
Jeff Samardzija was really good in two-plus innings of work. He probably was not at his best, especially in the the seventh. However, he kept the ball down and the Cubs up, which is all you can really ask of a reliever. But he gave way to Neal Cotts, and with that the Pirates started playing knock-around guys. Taking advantage of Neal's wildness they quickly scored a run to shorten the lead, and then tied it with a Andy LaRoche two-run shot of Chad Gaudin into the left-field bleachers. Ugly. Fortunately, hot summer days at Wrigley are the stuff that makes legends. After a Geovany Soto walk, pinch-hitter Reed Johnson comes up, and delivers a homer for a lead that this time the Cubs wouldn't relinquish. I can only describe the moment -- and the standing ovation that followed -- as one of the best moments of the season. Who knew that a Pirates game could be so entertaining? Then Alfonso Soriano comes up, and deposits a solo shot promptly into the bleachers. It almost made up for his first-run brain cramp on a Ryan Doumit single that allowed the first Pirates run. Almost.
Man, these are the days. If you haven't made it to Wrigley yet this season, you need to get there. There's something weird and wonderful amiss; I just hope that it lasts into October.