Cubs go to 7-3 under Quade, top Mets 7-6
September 3, 2010
CHICAGO (AP)—There aren’t many positives the Chicago Cubs will take away oncethis awful season reaches its conclusion, so they’ll cling to this one.
They’re 7-3 under interim manager Mike Quade. It’s small consolation, butit’ll do for now.
New York Mets starting pitcher… AP – Sep 3, 3:23 pm EDT NYM-ChC Gallery function prev_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index > 0) { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index – 1); } else { goto_photo(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index); }}function next_photo() { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index 0) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_prev, prev_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_prev, prev); } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_last_index) { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.addClass(article_carousel_next, next_disabled); YAHOO.util.Dom.removeClass(article_carousel_next, next); }*/}function goto_photo(p) { if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { for(i = 0; i < YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos.length; i++) { if (i == p) { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, ); } else { YAHOO.util.Dom.setStyle(YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos[i], display, none); } } if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page) { YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page.innerHTML =(p + 1); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = p; } } update_buttons();}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init = function () { YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_prev, click, prev_photo); YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(article_carousel_next, click, next_photo); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_index = 0; YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_current_page = YAHOO.util.Dom.get(carousel_page); YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName(item, div, leadphoto); if (YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_photos) { goto_photo(0); }}YAHOO.Sports.article_carousel_init(); Series at a Glance NY Mets 6 Chi Cubs 7 Fri, Sep 3 – Final NY Mets at Chi Cubs Sat, Sep 4 – 1:05 pm ET NY Mets at Chi Cubs Sun, Sep 5 – 2:20 pm ET
Alfonso Soriano(notes) and Blake DeWitt(notes) each hit three-run homers, and the Cubsbeat the New York Mets 7-6 on Friday.
It was a wild start to a weekend series between two disappointing teams, butthe Cubs ultimately did just enough to come away with another win.
“It’s unfortunate that Lou (Piniella) had to leave the way he did,”pitcher Randy Wells(notes) said. “He’s a great manager, but when a guy like Quadesteps in, it’s a little more youthful, a little more energetic.”
And the Cubs played with just enough pizzazz to pull out this game.
David Wright(notes) delivered a two-run double and scored in the first as the Metsgrabbed a 3-0 lead against Wells. Then, with the Cubs ahead 7-4, Wright homeredoff Andrew Cashner(notes) leading off the seventh, giving him three hits.
Things really got interesting when Luis Hernandez(notes) started the eighth againstSean Marshall(notes) with his second career homer and first since Sept. 27, 2007. Thatmade it 7-6, but the Mets came up short for the fourth time in five games.
The Cubs are showing some spark since Quade took over for the retiredPiniella.
“Everybody was happy when Lou was here, but now, we’re playing better,”Soriano said. “We have to finish strong.”
Former Mets outfielder Xavier Nady(notes) had three hits. Starlin Castro(notes) had a pairof singles for his fifth straight multihit game, but the biggest blows came fromSoriano and DeWitt. And both came with two outs against knuckleballer R.A.Dickey(notes) (9-6).
“I kind of have to step up and own that and be accountable there becauseanytime we score six runs, we need to win the ball game,” Dickey said.
Soriano capped a four-run fourth with his 22nd homer, briefly putting theCubs ahead 4-3. The Mets tied it in the sixth when Angel Pagan(notes) singled with twoout and came around on a double to the right-field corner by Lucas Duda(notes), thefirst hit and RBI of his career.
That chased Wells, who gave up eight hits and was shaky again after going1-4 in six starts last month. James Russell(notes) (1-1) came on and retired apinch-hitting Carlos Beltran(notes) to end the Mets’ rally, and the Cubs answered in abig way in the bottom half, giving him his first major league win.
Aramis Ramirez(notes) led off with a walk, Nady followed with a single and, withtwo out, DeWitt drove a 1-0 pitch over the right-field wall for his fifth homer,making it 7-4.
But the Cubs couldn’t relax thanks to the homers by Wright and Hernandez,who had come on in the seventh as part of a double switch. The Mets had thetying run on in the ninth after Carlos Marmol(notes) walked Joaquin Arias(notes), but heretired Josh Thole(notes) on a fly for his 26th save in 31 chances.
It was a rough afternoon for Dickey, who saw his ERA rise from 2.57 to 2.91.The seven runs allowed over six innings were the most for him since Aug. 20,2008, when he allowed eight for Seattle in a loss to the Chicago White Sox.
“The one to Soriano I can stomach a little bit more because it broke downinto his bat path and that’s going to happen. The one to DeWitt was just poorexecution, poor mechanics,” Dickey said. “When I released it I thought it wasgoing to be high. I was hoping he’d either swing under it or take it for a ball.He swung at it, he covered it, it was a mistake and it cost us.”
Wells, meanwhile, continues to struggle after a promising rookie season.
“You put yourself in the mindset in spring training that the sophomore jinxor whatever you guys call it isn’t real, you can work through it,” he said.“The truth of the matter is I think the sophomore jinx is mental. … I’ve gota lot of things to work on, it’s no secret.”
Notes: Mets ace Johan Santana(notes) remains day to day with a strained leftpectoral muscle after leaving Thursday’s win over Atlanta. … The Cubs willunveil a statue of Hall of Famer Billy Williams outside Wrigley Field beforeTuesday’s game against Atlanta. The sculpture at the corner of Addison Streetand Sheffield Avenue takes the place of Harry Caray’s, which is now by thebleachers entrance. … GM Jim Hendry said he had lunch with but did notformally interview Triple-A Iowa manager Ryne Sandberg for the Cubs’ job duringa visit to Albuquerque.
