The Curse of Wrigley Field

April 30, 1907 at the Palace of the Fans
Cubs 4, Reds 3  (13-2)

The Cubs won their sixth straight game today as they drew 12 walks in what should have been a more lopsided affair.  The game was still only decided by a single run though with Jimmy Sheckard and Newt Randall leading the way with the bats.  Sheckard scored twice while Randall singled, doubled and scored a run.

Orval Overall threw a decent game and he picked up his fifth win of the season.  He gave up three runs on three hits but he walked six and struck out seven.

April 29, 1907 at the Palace of the Fans
Cubs 1, Reds 0  (12-2)

For the second straight game, the Cubs got some great pitching and walked away with a 1-0 win.   This time, it was Mordecai Brown who threw the gem.  He gave up just four hits and a walk.

The Cubs didn’t score their run until the ninth inning so this quite the pitchers duel.  Jimmy Slagle tripled and then scored on a throwing error on the relay throw into the infield.

April 28, 1907 at Robison Field
Cubs 3, Cardinals 2  (10-2)

The Cubs won their tenth game of the season and their third straight in the front end of a doubleheader with the Cardinals.  Jack Taylor held on for a nice start to pick up the win.  He gave up two runs on nine hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

The Cubs managed only four hits but they also drew five walks, making their base runners count.  Johnny Evers accounted for a lot of the damage. He scored two runs despite not getting a single hit.

April 28, 1907 at Robison Field
Cubs 1, Cardinals 0  (11-2)

Chick Fraser threw a gem today as he held the Cardinals to just a single hit in his shutout to finish a four game sweep.  He walked one and struck out three.

Newt Randall drove in the only run of the game with a big triple in the third inning.  Fraser helped out his own cause and he was the one who scored on the play.

April 27, 1907 at Robison Field
Cubs 4, Cardinals 3  (9-2)

Jack Pfiester had a phenomonal start today against the Cardinals and he held on to win through 12 innings for the Cubs.  He did give up ten hits but only three runs and two walks with six strikeouts.

The Cubs won it in the twelth with Solly Hofman coming up with the big hit.  He led off with a double, then he moved to third on a bunt by Johnny Evers before Johnny Kling singled home the winning run.  Hofman finished the game with two runs and Randall had two hits, including a double, and one run.

April 26, 1907 at Robison Field
Cubs 5, Cardinals 3  (8-2)

The Cubs continued their hot start with a close win over the Cardinals.  Jimmy Slagle led the way with the bat and he had three singles and a run.  Most of the Cardinals offense came in the fifth inning when they scored four runs.

Orval Overall threw a solid game and he picked up his third win of the season.  He gave up three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts.

Another day, another series lost.  Well, it’s not quite that bad but you get the gist.  The Cubs hosted the Brewers and they needed a win in the finale to avoid the sweep.  And that deficit (currently five games) isn’t getting any better, nor are the number of teams we need to pass to get there.

On Monday, the Cubs jumped out to an early 4-0 lead by the third inning but had given it all back by the eighth.  Then in the twelth, Rocky Cherry made his major league debut and served up a solo homerun to Prince Fielder to lose it.  Carlos Zambrano had a decent start and gave up just two runs but Scott Eyre blew the save and gave up the two runs in the eighth.  Derek Lee was the hitting star.  He went three for six with two RBIs.  Aramis Ramirez hit the only Cubs homerun and he drove in two in the 5-4 loss.

Yesterday, the Cubs were just shut down.  Mark DeRosa drove in the Cubs run and even that didn’t come until the ninth.  Derek Lee picked up another two hits and he continued to rake and Rich Hill had his first mediocre start of the season.  He gave up four runs on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. 

The Cubs finally got it done this afternoon.  After a rain delay and an early exit by Ben Sheets, the Cubs jumped all over the Brewers pen.  Derek Lee hit his first homerun of the season and he went four for five with two runs and two RBIs.  Cliff Floyd also had four hits and he drove in two runs while Ryan Theriot went two for five with two runs and two RBIs.  Ted Lilly evened his record at 2-2 with seven solid innings.  He gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits with three strikeouts.

Next up is three against the Cardinals in St. Louis.  It’d be nice to return the favor from last weekend and take this series.  Heck, with a sweep, we could bury the Cards in the cellar.  Jason Marquis gets the start in the opener and he’ll face Anthony Reyes.

April 24, 1907 at West Side Park
Reds 12, Cubs 2  (7-2)

This came out of nowhere.  The Reds hammered the Cubs to the tune of 12 runs on fourteen hits.  The two pitchers responsible for all of these runs were Jack Taylor, who threw 5 2/3 innings and Kid Durbin who threw the final 3 1/3.

Harry Steinfeldt seemed to be the only Cub who could hit the ball well today.  He went three for four with two doubles.

April 23, 1907 at West Side Park
Cubs 4, Reds 3  (7-1)

The Cubs continued their red hot start with their fourth win in a row and their seventh win in the first eight games of the season.  The Cubs jumped out to a 4-2 lead with three runs in the third and while the Reds scored a single run in the third to make it a one run game, the 4-3 lead held as neither team scored the rest of the way.

Chick Fraser got the start but after giving up single runs in each of the first three innings, Frank Chance went to the pen and put in Carl Lundgren, who shut down the Reds and didn’t give up a hit in six innings of work.

At the plate, Jimmy Slagle had a big game.  He doubled twice, scored and drove in a run.

The Cubs are back in last place and it happened with two losses against their arch-rivals, the Cardinals.  Things appeared to get off to a good start on Friday as Ted Lilly threw a nice game he just couldn’t give up a run because the Cubs lost 2-1.  Lilly gave up the two runs on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts and he lasted seven innings.  The lone Cub run came on an RBI single by Aramis Ramirez.

On Saturday, Jason Marquis got it done to pick up the lone win the series.  He gave up seven hits with five strikeouts in seven shutout innings and he improved to 2-1 on the season.  Micheal Barrett and Ronny Cedeno both went yard and Barrett’s shot was of the three run variety.  Felix Pie continued his struggles with an 0 for 4 game and Matt Murton finished with two hits and two runs in the 6-0 win.

Yesterday, the wind was blowing out at Wrigley. Enough said, huh.  The Cardinals went yard four times and the Cubs hit two in the 12-9 ten inning loss.  Ramirez homered and drove in three runs while Barrett had another nice game with his fourth homer and he drove in two and scored two.  Wade Miller was hammered but the pen did their damage as well.  Bob Howry gave up two runs and Ryan Dempster gave up the three in the tenth as he took the loss.

The Brewers roll into town today.  Carlos Zambrano has had his troubles this season and tonight would be as good of a time as any for the Cubs to get going.  Oh yeah, they’re in last place and they sit four games back of the first place Brewers.  How better to pick up some games then to beat the leader?

April 22, 1907 at West Side Park
Cubs 3, Reds 2  (6-1)

The Cubs continued their hot start with a close win over the Reds as they returned home to Chicago.  With the score tied 2-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth, the first two Cubs went down.  Then Jimmy Slagle kept the inning alive with a single and he stole second.  Then Jimmy Sheckard got a fluke single when he hit one off of Reds starter Charley Hall’s shin.  Frank Schulte then singled home Slagle to win it.

Frank Steinfeldt also had a solid game at the plate.  He went two for four with a double and a run. 

Ed Reulbach threw a decent enough game.  He gave up two runs on just two hits but he walked seven.

April 21, 1907 at the Palace of the Fans
Cubs 5, Reds 3  (5-1)

The Cubs won for the fifth time in their first six games behind a solid game at the plate by Frank Schulte.  He went two for three with a triple, two walks and two runs.  Jimmy Slagle singled twice and scored a run while Frank Chance walked three times and scored a run.

Orval Overall gave up a few runs but held on for the win.  He gave up three runs on seven hits and three walks with three strikeouts.

April 20, 1907 at Exposition Park
Cubs 5, Pirates 1  (4-1)

Carl Lundgren held the Pirates in check as the Cubs won their second series of the season.  He gave up just a single run on five hits and four walks with four strikeouts.

Solly Hofman had a big day at the plate.  He was three for four with a double and three runs while Frank Chance walked and scored twice.

Rich Hill looked awesome last night.  He improved to 3-0 and in the process, he gave up just four hits in eight shutout innings.   He struck out seven and he’s now given up just one earned run in twenty innings.  At the plate, Michael Barrett and Aramis Ramirez went yard in the 3-0 win.  Derek Lee walked twice and Barrett finished with two hits.

Wednesday’s game didn’t go quite as well.  After coming back from a 5-2 deficit to take a 6-5 lead, Scott Eyre gave up three runs in the seventh to lose it.  Carlos Zambrano’s start wasn’t all that great either as he gave up five runs on eight hits and five walks with six strikeouts in six innings.  Mark DeRosa hit a homerun and drove in two while Derek Lee went two for four with two runs and an RBI in the 8-6 loss.

So the Cubs are tied with the Cardinals and both sit in the cellar.  The good news is, the Cubs trail the first place Brewers by just three games so a little winning streak could heal a ton of wounds.  And it’s a battle for last place as the Cubs host their arch-rivals, the Cardinals, in a three game series this weekend.  Ted Lilly gets the start tonight.

April 18, 1907 at Exposition Park
Pirates 1, Cubs 0  (3-1)

The Cubs lost their first game of the season today despite an outstanding pitching performance by Mordecai Brown.  The only run came of the game came on a questionable call on a Ed Phelps fly ball.  Jimmy Slagle appeared to catch it then drop it when he went to throw it back in but the umpire called it a drop and Phelps ended up at second.  He’d then move to third on a bunt then score on another bunt in a successful squeeze play.

Brown finished the game with the two hitter and he walked two and struck out two.  Five different Cubs scattered five singles and that was the extent of the Cubs offense.

The Cubs finally managed their fifth win of the season as they split a two game series with the Padres.  In the first game, the Cubs did it all.  Cliff Floyd homered and drove in four runs and Michael Barrett also went yard and he drove in three in the 12-4.  Jason Marquis threw a good game and he picked up his first win of the season. He gave up one run on three hits and four walks with five strikeouts in six innings.  The only downer of the game was that Alfonso Soriano hurt his hamstring and he’s expected to be out a week or so.

Today’s game didn’t go quite as well.  The Cubs got some great pitching but the hitters managed only three runs in fourteen innings.  Wade Miller was okay and the pen did very well until the Will Ohman gave up the game winner in the fourteenth.  He was the seventh pitcher that Lou Pinella used.  Aramis Ramirez tripled and drove in a run while Ryan Theriot went two for six with a run scored.

Next up are the Braves and it’s another two game series.  Carlos Zambrano gets the start tomorrow and he’ll take on Kyle Davies.

April 17, 1907 at Exposition Park
Cubs 6, Pirates 2  (3-0)

Frank Schulte hit an inside the park homeruns  and he went two for five in the Cubs latest win in what was the Pirates’ home opener.  Solly Hofman also had a solid game at the plate.  He went two for five with a double and two runs.

Jack Taylor gave up his share of hits but most of them were singles and he picked up the win.  He gave up two runs on ten hits and two walks with one strikout.

In sort of an odd promotion, Schulte won an upholstered chair for hitting his homerun, the first one in Pittsburgh that year.  A local furniture store ran the promotion and it looks like it was open to the road team as well.

Alright, this is getting crazy.  I know a quick winning streak will pop the Cubs right back where they need to be but with all of the money the Cubs spent on this team, you’d think they’d be at least .500.  Anyway, the Cubs lost their third series of the season (versus one win) and once again, it was at the hands of the Reds.

Friday’s game might have been the worst of the bunch.  With a 5-0 lead, Carlos Zambrano gave up six runs in the fifth inning to give the Reds a 6-5 win.  Will Ohman walked in two of those runs that Zambrano got credit for and most importantly, they were the tying and go ahead runs.  Carlos Zambrano was actually the hitting star in the loss.  He went two for two with a homerun and two runs.  Ryan Theriot had three hits and he drove in two.

On Saturday, Rich Hill got it done and is showing he could be the potential ace if the Cubs don’t resign Zambrano.  He gave up three hits and four walks with five strikeouts in seven shutout innings and he’s now 2-0.  Derek Lee doubled and drove in three runs in the 7-0 win.

Then yesterday, Ted Lilly threw a gem.  He gave up just a single run on two hits and a walk with ten strikeouts in six innings.  Oh yeah, he took the loss as well because the Cubs bats were shut down by Kyle Lohse of all people.  Theriot was the only Cub who really did anything with the stick.  He had three of the Cubs four hits in the 1-0 loss.

Next up is a two game series at home against the Padres.  There’s a rare night game tonight with Jason Marquis throwing for the Cubs.  It’d be nice to win both of these but I’m not holding my breath because the Padres are a solid team.

April 14, 1907 at West Side Grounds

Cubs 2, Cardinals 0  (2-0)

The Cubs finished their two game sweep over the Cardinals with a four hit shutout by Carl Lundgren.  With eight strikeouts and three walks and only those four hits, the Cards didn’t stand a chance.

Frank Schulte led the way for the Cubs with the bat.  He doubled and singled in four at bats.  Frank Chance and Harry Steinfeldt scored the two runs despite not getting a hit.

This isn’t the home coming Cubs fans were looking for.  The Astros rolled into town with just one win and they not only ruined the Cubs opening day, but they also took a secong game as well.  The end result is a three game losing streak for the Cubs.

Bob Howry gave up a two run homerun to Adam Everett on opening day that broke a 3-3 tie as the Cubs lost on opening day.  The Cubs came back from three down to tie it up but Howry couldn’t hang onto the game.  Ted Lilly was mediocre and he gave up three runs on six hits and a walk with five strikeouts in six innings of work.  At the plate, Michael Barrett went two for three with a walk and an RBI in the 5-3 loss.

Yesterday, the Cubs could never get it going.  Derek Lee and Mark DeRosa had RBI singles in the ninth inning but that was the Cubs got in the 4-2 loss.  Jason Marquis wasn’t really spectacular and he took the loss.  He gave up four runs (three earned) on four hits and four walks with three strikeouts in five innings.  Derek Lee went two for four, scored a run and then had an RBI in that ninth inning.

Then the snow hit so there’s no game today.  There’s a day off tomorrow and then the Reds will roll into town for a three game series beginning Friday.  I like the openers pitching matchup with Carlos Zambrano going against Aaron Harang in a battle of two of the NL’s best.

April 11, 1907 at West Side Grounds

Cubs 6, Cardinals 1  (1-0)

Orval Overall held the St. Louis Cardinals in check and it wasn’t until the ninth inning when the opposition finally tagged him for a run.  Through eight innings, Overall had a two hit shut out   Cardinals left fielder Tom O’Hara reached on an error by Cub’s shortstop Solly Hofman.  Then back to back singles by Pug Bennett and Jake Beckley scored O’Hara.  Overall struck out two and walked one.

Hofman made up for the miscue with his bat.  He triple, walked and, stole two bases and scored four of the Cubs six runs.  Frank Chance singled three times in the win.

Six games are in the bag and the Cubs sit at an even 3-3 record.  They needed a series win over the Brewers just to get there but hopefully from now on, they’ll put this losing record stuff behind them and continue to roll.

The Cubs really turned on the offense in the series opener.  With six runs in the first inning, the Cubs coasted to a 9-3 win.  Cliff Floyd, Michael Barrett and Mark DeRosa all drove in two while all nine runs were scored by different Cubs.  Rich Hill was very impressive in his start. He gave up just a single solo homerun in seven innings with just one walk.  He struck out six.

On Saturday, it was a battle of the titans between Carlos Zambrano and Ben Sheets with the Cubs coming out on top.  Derek Lee had three hits and Aramis Ramirez hit a two run homerun in the 6-3 win.  Zambrano gave up three runs on five hits and two walks with six strikeouts in seven innings of work.

Then yesterday, the winning streak came to an end.  Wade Miller was knocked around for six runs on nine hits in the 9-4 loss.  Derek Lee drove in two runs and had two hits while Mark DeRosa had a tough game with four strikeouts.

The Cubs open up Wrigley Field this afternoon with the Astros in town. It’s on WGN so I’ll be watching.

Well, the good news is, Jason Marquis threw a nice game.  The Reds have some mashers and it’s a homerun park but he held the Reds to a run on four hits and two walks with a strikeouts in six innings of work.  The downer was the pen.  Bob Howry gave up two runs in the seventh and then Scott Eyre gave up two in the eighth and the end result was a 5-2 loss.

Aramis Ramirez had another great game.  He went three for four with a double.  Mark DeRosa had two hits including a solo homerun and Cesar Izturis doubled twice.

Rich Hill takes the mound tomorrow at Milwaukee against a solid Brewers team.  Tomorrow is a night game and then both weekend games are in the afternoon.  Saturday’s matchup should be a good one with Carlos Zambrano throwing against Ben Sheets.

Maybe the Cubs have somebody here in Ted Lilly. He held a high powered Reds offense in their home park to a single run on three hits and a walk with nine strikeouts.  I’d call that a solid debut.  Bob Howry and Ryan Dempster then threw a scoreless inning a piece and just like that, the Cubs had their first win of the season.

Aramis Ramirez accounted for the bulk of the Cubs offense.  He had three hits and two runs while Mark DeRosa had two hits and two RBIs in the 4-1 win.

The rubber game is tomorrow afternoon.  Jason Marquis makes his Cubs debut and hopefully it’s as successful as Lilly’s.

The Cubs never got on track in this one and Carlos Zambrano was roughed up as the Cubs lost their season opener.  The only run of the game came in the fifth inning when Matt Murton scored on Ryan Freel’s throwing error which was originally a single by Derek Lee.  The firstbaseman finished the game with two hits in the 5-1 loss.

Zambrano was tagged for five runs on six hits and five walks with two strikeouts in five innings of work.  Give some props to the pen though because they did a decent job and held the Reds scoreless in three innings.

Ted Lilly gets the start tomorrow in his Cub debut.  He’ll go toe to toe with Bronson Arroyo.