Oct 01 2008
Dodgers vs. Cubs, NLDS Game One
Overcast skies. A chill in the air. October baseball in Chicago officially has begun.
Yikes! Cubs second baseman Mark DeRosa hit a two-run wind-assisted home run off Dodgers starter Derrick Lowe. Cubs 2, Dodgers 0.
After Cubs starter Ryan Dempster walked Lowe and shortstop Rafael Furcal, legendary Dodgers play-by-play announcer Vin Scully sensed the anxious buzz within the crowd, echoing their thoughts: “Oh, boy, here we go again.” And after Dodger leftfielder Andre Ethier hit a high drive to left that was caught on the warning track by Alfonso Soriano, Vin noted, “Another huge sigh goes up in Chicago.”
Gee, it’s nice to have seen the Dodgers win the World Series and not have to worry whether it would happen during my lifetime.
Dodgers-Cubs trivia: The teams have played each other 2,048 times. Each has won 1,024.
I guess those Cubs fans’ fears were justified. In the fifth, Dempster walked three to load the bases, then surrendered a grand slam to first baseman James Loney. Dodgers lead, 4-2.
Dodgers-Cubs trivia: Steve Sax’s first major league game was at Wrigley Field, August 18, 1981. The Dodgers won, 5-0. The winning pitcher was Burt Hooton, who began his career as a Cub.
Dodger sixth–Manny Ramirez golfs one high into the left-center bleachers. Dodgers rejoice, while a Cub fan throws it back. Dodgers 5, Cubs 2.
Cubs seventh–Mike Fontenot singles to center, but is left stranded when Soriano pops out to Dodger second baseman Blake DeWitt and rightfielder Kosuke Fukudome strikes out. Vin: “Down goes Fukudome and down go the spirits in Chicago.”
Dodgers eighth–DeWitt hits a double and takes third on centerfielder Jim Edmonds’ error. Third baseman Casey Blake singles up the middle to drive in the run. Vin: “That hissing sound (is) all the air going out of the balloon here.” Dodgers 6, Cubs 2.
Dodgers-Cubs trivia: Steve Sax hit his first and only grand slam home run at Wrigley Field off Cubs’ starter Jay Baller, on May 7, 1986. The Dodgers won, 8-4.
Dodgers ninth–Catcher Russell Martin hits a drive into the basket of the left field bleachers. Vin: “24 of the 28 teams who won the first game of the Division Series, have won the (series)….The crowd has been drowned in depression since the fifth.” Dodgers 7, Cubs 2.
Cubs ninth–Former Cubs star Greg Maddux pitches the ninth for the Dodgers. Brilliant move by Dodgers manager Joe Torre. Maddux is beloved in Chicago, which tempers an already subdued crowd. With apologies to Thomas Wolfe, Maddux proves you can go home again.
FINAL–Dodgers 7, Cubs 2.
Vin: “The town is grumbling; the natives are restless.”
Wait until they learn the Cubs are 0-10 in playoff series in which they lose the first game.
NEXT: Dodgers vs. Cubs, NLDS Game Two
One Response to “Dodgers vs. Cubs, NLDS Game One”
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Wow.. I did not realize we were 0-10… although I guess when I think about it, that probably makes a lot of sense as we don’t seem to have much success in the postseason.
Did you also know the Cubs have never won a postseason game played west of the city of Chicago? Lots of history working against the Cubs this postseason. Hopefully they can overcome it all.
Go Cubs!
Ps- you have a very nice blog!