... you can start a new diary any time. Thanks! And bring us a win!

Chris did a great summary. Being at the game, way up in the upper deck, I was certainly surrounded by fellow Cub fans. Somebody would start the chant "Let's go Cubs! Let's go Cubs!" The Nationals fans would stop and think for a second, and then start booing. I have to tell you, for all the Red I saw, there was a lot more blue. And, these fans are much easier to deal with than the Cardinal fans I grew up with. I spent the eighth inning high-fiving the very vocal guy behind us and the old lady Cub fan who had the look in her eye that a heart attack was just around the corner.

The error-fest in the 8th inning certainly was the ticket, but I have to say I was disappointed in three main things about tonight:

1. Corey Patterson needs to wake the heck up. His defense is fine, but if you're going to be in the leadoff spot don't swing at horrible pitches. He would have been 0 for 5 if that last single and three base error was fielded correctly.
2. If Hollandsworth is to pinch hit, at least take him out of the game after he strikes out so that he won't have to bat again. I don't need to be treated to that more than once.
3. Yes Dusty, Hawkins has the best stuff on the team, or at least it's the opposing offense saying things like that after they sit on his first-pitch fastballs. After which he'll start walking people. Way to throw gasoline on the fire.

They won, but this bullpen has got to get its act together.

On the bright side, the games tomorrow and Sunday should be a great deal of fun! All these DC-area resident Cub fans that never had a chance to go to an NL game closer than Flushing NY or Atlanta can now take over RFK and turn it into Wrigley East. With Z and Maddux in the wings, this certainly looks good.

Jason

Thanks for the good words.  I got the impression that Cubs fans had completely taken over the place last night.  When Mets fans came down for their series, the occasional attempts to start "Lets Go Mets" were quickly and loudly booed down.  Last night, the fan defense was completely feeble, and even the seventh inning stretch was clearly "root, root, root for the Cubbies."

The reason I raise this is that Thomas Boswell wrote in the Washington Post this morning about how great the DC fans were because they were able to smack down the evil Cub fans in the park.  What game was he at?  I've enjoyed his unabashed homerism, but this makes me wonder about the command of the facts.