Zambrano Knows Best

Cubs 4 Astros 2

2 outta 3 ain't bad! There is still hope! Zambrano pitched another great game. 2 runs on 3 hits, only 1 earned and 10 k's over 8 1/3 innings. The Big Z became the second Cubs pitcher to win 10 this year. When the Cubs needed the win, Zambrano got it. Z also hit a home run off of Roy O, not bad, not bad at all. It looked like for a minute there, he might get his 6th complete game of his career, but he fell short in the 9th. With one out, he ran the count to 3-2 and just missed on the outside corner of the plate, Dusty pulled a double switch and brought in Dempster. And the adventure began, Dempster threw a ground ball out, perfect setup for a double play. Walker did not charge, Perez missed the bag. Runners safe. Dempster then throws another ground ball out, DLee to Perez for one, and Dempster dropped the ball at first. He then walks the bases loaded and I started to wait for the glass to spill (wonder what Santo was going through). He got Ausmus to ground out to Perez, game over...Mission Accomplished!!

This team has played its best ball of the season over the past week. 5 out of the last 7 against the Cards and Astros. This is what we were all hoping for at the beginning of the year. It just never happened. I think this is what Dusty is capable of doing with a healthy team. And speaking of health, Nomar left the game in the 4th with stiffness in his back, he is listed as day to day. Just when you thought he was back...this happens. Nomar hit his 2nd homer of the season tonight and made a great play at short early in the game. He is my favorite shortstop(and not because he is a Cub), but he cannot stay healthy anymore.

According to the awful Astros announcers (just another reason to not like the Houston Astros, these guys are HORRIBLE), Nomar just made a bad throw, they said nothing about his injury. One thing I can say about Pat Hughes and Ron Santo is they are baseball fans first, Cubs fans second and they do a very good job of painting a picture for you, I do not think Milo Hamilton and Alan Ashby even knows what a canvas looks like.

The Cubs are still alive. They are 5 1/2 games back in the Wild Card Race. With 5 teams infront of them. 59-62 over all, 3 games under .500. Time to head to Colorado.

Thursday - A Day of Rest

Thursday the guys will get a much needed day off. This is their first day off since August 1st....off to the Rockies.

Friday - The Colorado Rockies

Mark Prior(8-4/3.70) vs. Byung-Hyun Kim(3-9/5.33)

As with every game left this season, this is a huge series. A sweep of the Rockies and the Cubs will head home at .500 to meet the Braves, anything less could be trouble. There is not much time left to keep digging holes. Hopefully the thin air of Denver will wake up Burnie's bat. He did well there last year and hopefully this will act as a homecoming. Prior can beat this team and should have a lot to show them after their last meeting. Give Nomar sometime to heal, the Cubs need his bat and they should be able to beat the Rockies without him. Dusty put Jerome Williams in the pen for the next week, a big reason for that is Colorado's launching pad, and Harriston is supposed to be activated on Friday. Note to Mr. Hendry: 'Do not option Matt Murton to AAA Iowa'. But I think that is what will happen. The last time the Cubs played the Rockies they got on a roll and won 11 out of 12...Can this happen again..wouldn't it be nice?....just win!!