NEWSLETTER
(For those of you new to the site since last season, the Enhanced Box Score is a sometimes serious, frequently sarcastic, snap-shot of the day’s game. I offer it to you through the magic of technology, which allows me to “enhance” that day’s box score in a really technical, precise, and high-minded way. For previous examples, see here.)
So, yeah, that sucked.
It started out well enough. Marlon Byrd had a two-out, RBI single, something I’m not sure he did last year before August. Ryan Dempster got into, and out of, jams early, but was absolutely brilliant after the first two innings. Dale Sveum even took him out at the right time (Dempster was at 108 pitches and looked like he was laboring a bit). And then the bullpen happened.
Kerry Wood got squeezed a bit, but mostly just couldn’t throw strikes, which allowed the tying run to score. And then Carlos Marmol allowed a (not cheap) double and a (cheap) single to give up the game.
The offense looked like crap, too, complete with an Alfonso Soriano attempted steal of third, which potentially cost the Cubs a run. Ian Stewart came within an inch of tying the game in the 9th (on a windless day, he might have hit Sheffield). Still, I can’t stop thinking about the pen.
