Results tagged ‘ Pirates ’
9/8 A little history …
The Cubs now have collected eight straight hits to start a game twice against the Pirates. Besides Tuesday’s game at PNC Park, the Cubs also did so on April 21, 1973, at Wrigley Field. Rick Monday homered to lead off the first against Nelson Briles. Glenn Beckert singled, Billy Williams singled, Joe Pepitone hit a RBI single, and Ron Santo hit a RBI double.
The Pirates then brought in Robert Johnson to replace Briles, and Jose Cardenal greeted him with a two-run double. Randy Hundley singled, Don Kessinger hit a RBI single and Fergie Jenkins struck out to end the streak. Rick Monday then picked it up again with a single and Beckert, in his second at-bat, grounded into a double play. The Cubs led 6-2 at that point, and the game was delayed 85 minutes because of rain.
The weather didn’t cooperate and the game was suspended at the end of the sixth with the Cubs leading, 10-8. It was completed July 26, 1973, with the Cubs winning, 10-9.
– Carrie Muskat
9/8 Behind the eight ball
The Cubs tied a Major League record Tuesday when they rattled off eight straight hits in the first inning, and it’s the second time in history that the Cubs have done so against the Pirates. According to Elias Sports Bureau, this has been done five other times (team with * is team that collected the eight hits):
Sept. 25, 1990: *New York Yankees vs. Baltimore
Sept. 27, 1981: *Oakland Athletics vs. White Sox
Aug. 26, 1975: *Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Atlanta
Aug. 5, 1975: *Philadelphia Phillies vs. Cubs
April 21, 1973: *Cubs vs. Pirates
Note: The last time the Cubs scored seven runs in the first inning was Sept. 17, 2006, when they did so against the Reds.
– Carrie Muskat
9/2 Grabbing an opportunity
Lefty John Grabow has made 16 consecutive scoreless appearances to begin his Cubs career. That’s a franchise record, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Before Grabow, the longest consecutive scoreless streak was 11 games, set by Neal Cotts April 2-May 6, 2007. Grabow is not alone. The Cubs bullpen entered Wednesday’s game with a 19 1/3 scoreless streak since Aug. 27.
“Everyone’s throwing the ball well,” Grabow said Wednesday. “We’re taking advantage of our starting pitching doing well.”
Grabow, acquired from the Pirates along with Tom Gorzelanny on July 30, will be a free agent at season’s end. Would he consider staying?
“So far, so good,” he said. “We’ll have to see.”
There’s no comparison between Chicago and Pittsburgh.
“The biggest difference is when you come to the field here, you expect to win and there [in Pittsburgh] you’re just hoping to win,” he said.
– Carrie Muskat
8/20 Makeup date set for Aug. 16 game vs. Pirates
The Cubs will makeup the Aug. 16 game vs. the Pirates that was postponed by rain in a day-night, separate admission doubleheader on Sept. 30 at Wrigley Field. The regularly scheduled game will follow at 7:05 p.m. CT.
All tickets for the postponed game from Aug. 16 will be honored at the gates on Sept. 30 at 1:05 p.m. CT. There is no need for fans to exchange tickets. Fans unable to attend the Sept. 30 make-up game may request a refund by sending their tickets to the Wrigley Field Ticket Office at 1060 W. Addison St., Chicago, IL, 60613, or by visiting the Wrigley Field ticket windows during business hours. All refunds must be requested before Sept. 4.
Stub Hub tickets for Aug. 16 will be honored at the gates for the 1:05 p.m. CT game on Sept. 30. Anyone who purchased tickets through Stub Hub should contact Stub Hub if they are unable to attend on Sept. 30.
– Carrie Muskat
8/13 Injury roundup – add
One more update — Tom Gorzelanny tested his bruised right foot in a bullpen session Thursday, and is ready to go Sunday against his former team, the Pirates.
“I landed hard a couple times and it was normal,” said the lefty, who was injured in his last start Monday in Colorado. “There was a little bit of soreness there. I should be ready to go.”
– Carrie Muskat
7/28 Score runs, you win
Lou Piniella has stressed that the Cubs need to score runs to win — simple concept but true. Looking at team batting averages and runs scored since the All-Star break, he’s right.
TEAM: Batting aver. since ASG, Runs, Record
CUBS: .280, 61, 9-2
Reds: .225, 42, 3-8
Astros: .267, 46, 6-5
Brewers: .288, 47, 4-7
Pirates: .236, 39, 5-6
Cardinals: .281, 47, 5-6
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