Cubs Chug a Huge Mug of That Miracle Tonic Known as Playing the Pirates

There’s no known physical or mental baseball ailment that playing the Pirates can’t cure.  Even a team as lethargic and out-of-sorts as the Cubs can experiencing the healing effects.

The Cubs may almost have overdosed on the stuff Friday.  They scored 14 runs in the first two innings, including 10 in the third.  This after managing to scrounge together only 9 runs the previous three games against the Phillies.

It’s really not much of a surpise, given the poundings the Cubs have placed on the Pirates in recent years, and the way they’ve generally beaten up on lesser teams the second half of the season, starting with their four-game sweep of the Natinals.

The numbers on Friday were gaudy.  Ryan Theriot: 3-6 with 2 runs.  Sam Fuld: 2-3, 2 BB, 3 runs.  Derrek Lee:  3-3, 7 RBI.  Starting pitcher Randy Wells had a walk and a hit…in the same inning.

The numbers were big for the Pirates too, and not in a good way.  Starter Charlie Morton:  1 IP, 7 hits, 10 ER.  And the guy who came in to relieve him, some fellow by the name of Chris Bootcheck:  2 1/3 IP, 7 hits, 7 ER.

Yes, I realize it’s only one game; and, yes, I realize it was only against the Pirates.  But god dang, that felt good.  And I’m sure it felt ten times better to the players.  If ever a team needed a game like that, it was the Cubs.

Now they just need to put together a streak.  17 runs a game is a little much to ask.  We’ll settle for 5-per-game.  Assuming our pitchers can get back on track.