... and some days, it isn't even worth coming to work.

Henry Blanco was the last batter both yesterday and today -- with very different results and impact. Yesterday he won the game. Today, he hit a comebacker to Cardinals reliever Brad Thompson in front of about half of the crowd, to end the Cubs' 12-3 blowout loss to the Cardinals, a game which matched the worst margin of loss of the season (nine runs, to the Reds on May 9), and the most runs allowed (also to the Reds, on July 10).

Sometimes these things are going to happen, even to good teams, and it was just "one of those days". How else can you explain Troy Glaus, who was 0-for-29 against Cub pitching so far this year, hitting two home runs off Carlos Zambrano, who allowed four HR today after allowing only ten in his previous 22 starts this year?

You could tell it was going to be one of "those days" when Skip Schumaker hit Z's first pitch off the RF wall for a double; he later scored. Mark DeRosa tied the game with a HR to the CF shrubbery in the 2nd, and after Albert Pujols homered to give St. Louis a 3-1 lead in the 3rd, Z hit his third homer of the year to the opposite field to make it 3-2. It was his 15th career homer, extending his club record, and tying him with Mike Hampton for the most among active pitchers. FWIW, the most HR for any pitcher who played his entire career after World War II is 33, held by Earl Wilson (that link says 35, but two of those were as a PH).

The HR was the only thing Z did right today. To us, it appeared that Z may be back to the old mechanical problems that he suffered last year, that dreaded "low arm slot". We can only hope that there's nothing wrong with the shoulder that put him on the DL for a while earlier this year. Maybe it's not a bad idea to have Z skip a start with the upcoming off days.

Had Lou yanked Z one batter earlier, when it was only 6-2, maybe the game would have turned out differently. Sean Marshall did a nice job of keeping the Cardinals down and so did Chad Gaudin -- at least for one inning; in Gaudin's second inning of work five Cardinals singled, making a 9-3 blowout into the ridiculous final score. In Lou's postgame remarks he said they briefly considered giving Kerry Wood the 9th, just to get him some work, but decided against it. Good idea, I think -- they may need him tomorrow, and that gives Wood an extra day to rest his back, which he said was good to go today if needed.

It was one of those strange days. When the bleacher season ticket holders were let in, as normal, a few minutes before the main gate opening, there were several hundred people already in the LF bleachers -- apparently part of some fundraising event. This was strange and threw off a lot of the regulars. And by the end of the game, alcohol fueled a fight just next to our LF corner -- between two Cardinals fans.

When you lose a game like this, especially when you know you're a good team, you just shrug your shoulders and move on to the next day. Win tomorrow and the Cubs will have accomplished a 6-3 homestand, winning all three series. The Brewers beat the Nats 6-0 tonight -- they haven't given Washington even one run in two games and thrown two CG shutouts -- so the Cubs' division lead is down to four games (man, do the Nats suck or what? Don't forget, the Cubs get to play them at Wrigley in two weeks). We'll get 'em tomorrow.

It was really considerate of the city of St. Louis to shoot off fireworks for the Cubs' 2-1 win over the Cardinals, wasn't it?

Just as Kerry Wood was finishing off the victory, the grand finale of the downtown St. Louis 4th of July fireworks show splashed across the sky -- you could hear the "booms" loudly on TV, so I can only imagine how loud they must have been at Busch Stadium. For more firsthand information from St. Louis, see 08Cubs' FanPost, containing a short recap and photos from an excellent lower box seat (how'd you score that one, anyway?).

Everything went right last night... yes, everything. Carlos Zambrano threw six solid innings, going 87 pitches (Lou had said he'd be limited to 85-90, and despite batting in the top of the 7th and having a rather animated discussion with Lou in the dugout, Z was lifted to start the 7th) and allowing two walks and four singles, two of which were infield dribblers. Z was apparently "livid" (a quote from an article whose online link I cannot find right now) when they told him he was going on the DL, because he felt he didn't need the two weeks off. The team treaded water (losing one game off its division lead) during that time, but clearly, Z is fine, and he has pitched some of his best games in St. Louis. Last night was no exception, and his ninth win of the season keeps him in the running for an All-Star spot. He seemed focused and not too over-the-top; he threw strikes and wasn't trying to make up for the two weeks off all in one night.

Bob Howry, Neal Cotts and Kerry Wood all did their jobs last night -- I was especially pleased with Howry, even though he gave up the solo HR to Albert Pujols, because he got five outs on sixteen pitches. If Howry can throw this way every time out, there will be less pressure on Carlos Marmol. Cotts did the job he was asked to do -- retire one lefthanded hitter, Rick Ankiel.

One of the reasons I really enjoy watching Wood pitch is that he works quickly. He'll get the ball back and be ready to throw right away, and that keeps fielders ready, keeps the pace of the game at HIS pace, and I think is one of the many reasons he's been so successful. The WGN speed meter had him at 96-97 MPH. Second in the NL in saves, Wood should also be an All-Star selection. We'll find out on Sunday. Incidentally, and maybe this sounds like a homer comment, but Troy Glaus' histrionics when he was called out on strikes by plate umpire Ted Barrett seemed a little over the top and I'm surprised he wasn't ejected. The pitches were close, but on TV at least, appeared to be strikes.

The Cub offense wasn't great yesterday, but the two solo HR by Kosuke Fukudome (who had a terrific at-bat before slicing the ball into the RF seats) and Geovany Soto (who had three hits and nearly hit two HR off Braden Looper) were enough. Say, do you do this? If the Cubs lose, I switch the TV off right after the last out. When they win, I'll leave it on for a while to savor it.

Finally, a tip o' the BCB cap to Cardinals fans, who gave Jim Edmonds a long, warm standing ovation on his first at-bat last night. This is, I think, what distinguishes the Cub/Cardinal rivalry from, say, the Yankee/Red Sox rivalry. For me, at least, it is a healthy respect for the other team and for the long rivalry between the two teams -- and there really is nothing better than a pennant race between the Cubs and Cardinals (especially when the Cubs come out on top). Did Red Sox fans welcome Johnny Damon back in Yankee pinstripes? I doubt it. Those people seem to really hate each other. I'd like to think Cubs and Cardinals fans are better than that.

That said, nice win. Go get 'em again today.

Stop me if you've heard this one before: the Cubs go out to an early lead, then cough it up because the other guys got ONE key hit, and then the Cubs have numerous chances to get back in the game, but can't get that one key hit themselves, stranding runners all over creation.

You didn't stop me, but that's pretty much the summary of last night's frustrating 5-3 Cub loss to the Cardinals. This photo from cubs.com pretty much sums it up:

via chicago.cubs.mlb.com

A look of determination on Jason Marquis' face, probably just before he gave up the critical two-out, two-run double to Albert Pujols that broke the 2-2 tie in the fourth inning. For the rest of the night, it was play-catchup time. And in the seventh inning, the score now 5-2 Cardinals, the Cubs could have and should have gotten back into it -- loading the bases with nobody out and having the middle of the batting order up. Even Alfonso Soriano contributed, singling after Ronny Cedeno reached on a HBP. Ryan Theriot worked the count full and then sliced a single through the infield.

But D-Lee flied out, too shallow to score a run. Kosuke Fukudome's fly ball was deep enough to score Cedeno, but that's all the Cubs could muster against Tony LaRussa's two pitching changes -- got to give the Cardinals credit, so far rookie RHP Kyle McClellan has been lights-out. It's too early to know whether McClellan can keep this up all year, but he is one of the biggest reasons the Cardinals find themselves in first place. I'm still not convinced Todd Wellemeyer is going to be an effective starting pitcher for a full season, but last night, he did the job they needed him to do, and unlike Friday night, St. Louis' bullpen did its job.

And that's all the Cubs got, despite drawing six more walks and having runners all over the place. They really missed having Aramis Ramirez in the middle of the order last night.

Sometimes you have to tip your cap to the other guys. Jason Marquis was shaky again, and perhaps the key play of the game was the walk he issued to Adam Kennedy just before Pujols' two-out double. Kennedy is not an easy player to walk -- his lifetime OBA coming into last night's game was only .329 -- and those two runs were the difference. The Cardinals came through in a critical situation and the Cubs didn't. Those things are going to happen in a long season.

Positive sign: Sean Gallagher threw the last two innings, worked fast, threw strikes (and only 19 pitches total), and kept the game close. He looked far more confident than the scared-looking 22-year-old kid who put up an 8.59 ERA in eight appearances in 2007. If he keeps that up he may wind up in the rotation, if guys like Marquis continue to struggle.

That's enough. Let's move on to Cincinnati to face a team that's really having trouble and beat up on them, starting tonight.