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Game 133: Cubs Upend Bucs to Take Series

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It wasn’t one big play. It wasn’t one big inning. It was just one of those games. I’ve heard it said that in baseball every team is guaranteed to win 50 and lose 50. What happens in those other 62 are what counts. Well, count this as loss #89.

James McDonald didn’t pitch poorly. Tom Gorzelanny didnt’ pitch long. Koyie Hill’s two out double in the second gave the Wriglies a 1-0 lead. Gorzy left the game after getting hit on the wrist on a comebacker from Jose Tabata with one out in the third. Neil Walker greeted new pitcher Thomas Diamond with a game tying solo dinger. The Cubs came right back with two in the home half of the fourth. Starlin Castros singled in front of a Kosuke Fukudome double to break the tie. Fukudome would score on a two out double from Tyler Colvin.

It stayed that way until the fifth until Andrew McCutchen doubled in McDonald who had walked with one out. After hitting Tabata with a pitch, Diamond was pulled and Scott Maine was summoned to put out the flames. Walker hit in a fielder’s choice and Garrett Jones whiffed to end the threat. McDonald worked out of a runners on second and third with none out jam in the fifth and didn’t come back out for the sixth inning.

Fukudome’s double started a two run rally in the seventh to extend Chicago’s lead. They almost gave it back as an error and three walks in the top of the 8th gave Pittsburgh a run without the benefit of a hit. But Carlos Marmols struck out Tabata to end the inning and strand three runners. Marmol pitched a scoreless ninth to end it and get the save.

McDonald needed 100 pitches to get through five innings. He gave up three runs on eight hits and two walks. He struck out six. Diamond got the win – the first of his career – in relief of Gorzelanny. Marmol picked up his 25th save of the season.

The Good
Walker had three hits. Ronny Cedeno had two hits.

McCutchen drove in two with a double and a bases loaded BB.

The Bad
Bucco hitters whiffed twelve times.

The Rest
Gorzy remains 1-0 against his old club. McDonald lost in his first start against the Cubs.

Walker has a nine game hitting streak and collected eight hits in the three game series.

After striking out 40 times in August, Pedro Alvarez struck out two more times on September 1st.

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