The Cubs played the Reelin' Reds as if it was their World Series, and despite hitting the ball all over (and out of) the park it took every ounce of effort for Cincy just to muster a split. The Reds had solid advantages in total bases throughout these 4 games, but the 2 offenses (CHN helped ably by Cincy's chokers on the mound) provided a stark contrast in efficiency after the opener....
Game 1: Randy Myers' control was slightly off in the first inning (walk, walk, walk, walk) and the Cubs pounced on him for a pair of runs, and then 3 more shortly thereafter. Sammy Sosa's gopher leading off the CHN 3rd finally resulted in Myers' long-overdue exit. The teams then traded solo homers, and the CIN offense arrived at last in the 5th when Ricky Jordan's pinch-single delivered 2 runs and O'Neill & Jackson would each plate a pair of runners moments later to give the Reds a surprising 8-6 comeback lead.
The bullpens (particularly, of course, the Reds) provided some excitement but the scoring was limited and Cincy eked out a 9-7 win. For a rare change, the Reds capitalized on our scoring chances and only LOBbed 2 runners.
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Game 2: Game one in reverse, as it was the Reds building an early 4-0 lead -- then the scoring stopped and the surgery began. HAL dismembered formerly overachieving pitcher Scott Scudder for 7 runs (SIX of them scoring after 2 outs) in the 5th and there was no surprising comeback on this day. Final score: 9-4. Cincy pitchers stopped walking everyone (temporarily) and the Reds' offense still amassed more total bases than the home team, but the surgery proved fatal.
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Game 3: Back to normal, at least at the plate: the Reds outhit Chicago by a mere 13-5 and led 19-9 in total bases. So naturally we lost. Cincy pitchers were wild as hell again, and CHN pitchers made it 2 games out of 3 in the series without issuing even one free pass (they were too busy allowing easy hits). Final score: 5-4.
Cincy tied the game in the 8th when we turned 2 singles, a double and a triple into just 2 runs, then handed the game away once and for all (walk, walk, error) in the bottom of the frame.
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Game 4: Total bases today: CIN - 26, CHN - 13. Therefore it was a close game that we nearly managed to blow; *4* very timely GIDPs helped kill a whole bunch of Cincy rallies. Final score: 9-4 in 11 innings. The teams combined for 6 runs in the first 10 innings, then 7 runs in the 11th.
Jose Rijo reported for minor, but nearly fatal, surgery in the 2nd inning (single, single, triple, single) and the Cubs held the lead through 8. But with lefty Paul Assenmacher taking the mound to begin the CIN 9th, pinch-hitter Ricky Jordan came through again in a big way: his 8th home run of the season leading off the inning tied the game (Miracle #1).
The Reds hit into timely DP #4 in the top of the 10th. Then Kevin Gross replaced Randy Myers for the Reds and immediately got into a 2nd-and-3rd, no outs situation and a 99% probability of completing the choke and taking his second relief loss of the series.
Miracle #2: Though the Reds are masters at choking games away when the odds are only about 5%, this 99% choke somehow didn't happen!
Rich Wilkins failed to advance the runners on a grounder to Doran; Gross nailed Luis Quinones at the plate on Hubie Brooks' gb(B) tap back to the mound. Gross then fanned Sosa to avert the near-certain defeat, and in so doing inspired the Cincy offense to score 6 times in the 11th and he gave only one back in the bottom of the inning. The miracle (#3) rally was keyed by a 2-run double from Joe Oliver and a 3-run homer from Mariano Duncan, all off of reliever Darrel Akerfelds.
Leadoff hitter Hal Morris was in the middle of a lot of offense (and probably a few GIDPs), as he went 5 for 5 with a walk and scored 3 times.
Alan
