2-12

May 27, 2007 by cubsnet

2-12 is the Cubs' record in 1-run games, after today's loss to the Dodgers in 11 innings. Today's culprit was a poor offense -- 7 hits and 1 run in those 11 innings, though it would not have looked so bad if Aramis Ramirez's 8th inning, bases loaded, pinch hit flyout had traveled just 10 more feet -- and a hanging 0-2 breaking ball from Scott Eyre. Fittingly, the final play was a bounced Carlos Marmol pitch that struck Juan Pierre in the leg with the bases loaded.

You can't blame Lou Piniella for bringing in the struggling Eyre for Michael Wuertz when the Dodgers used Andre Ethier to pinch-hit to lead off the bottom of the 8th inning. Ethier has a moderate platoon split (821 OPS against righties and 765 OPS against lefties in 606 total plate appearances over his career). And, for some reason, Wuertz has been walk happy against lefthanded hitters this season: 7 in 25 plate appearances, to go along with 5 hits allowed. Eyre looked good on the first two pitches to Ethier. Unfortunately, he then hung a breaking ball down the middle. It was just Ethier's 2nd home run against a lefthander in 114 career plate appearances. (Al Yellon thinks Eyre is hurt, comparing him to Joe Borowski in 2004.)

Thankfully, the NL Central remains baseball's worst division. Its leader -- the Milwaukee Brewers -- have lost five straight. And so the Cubs remain just 5 back. Had the Cubs played their one-run games better, they'd be at least tied with Milwaukee.

At least Rich Hill got back on track today, throwing 6 innings of shutout ball, allowing just 3 hits and 2 walks. He performed his excellent work in an economical 66 pitches. Hill had allowed 14 runs in his last 17 innings, over 3 starts.

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