Not officially confirmed yet, but the report out of Minnesota is that the NHL will indeed hold the Winter Classic at Wrigley on New Years Day between the Hawks and the Red Wings.

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According to a knowledgeable source, it’s official. The NHL’s second outdoor Winter Classic will take place New Year’s Day at the storied Wrigley Field when the Blackhawks take on the Stanley Cup-champion Detroit Red Wings.

An announcement is expected next week in the days leading up to the three-day inaugural “Blackhawks Convention” at the Chicago Hilton.

I'm really looking forward to this.  My immediate question, of course, is whether Cubs season ticket holders will have an opportunity to buy tickets.

Well, Z certainly looks alright.

On the Fourth of July, the Cubs rode a strong return from  Carlos Zambrano and home runs by Kosuke Fukudome and Geovany Soto to declare independence from the Cardinals, opening up a 3 1/2 game lead in the division with a 2-1 victory.  It's a good thing America's a melting pot, because without Japanese and Venezuelan players not much would have happened tonight.

The game was pretty much about Carlos, who handcuffed the Cardinal offense for six innings.  For the most part, he either stayed well ahead of the hitters or induced them into quick outs.  (In reviewing my photos during the game, I noted "Pujols strikes out.  Check.  Pujols pops up.  Check.")   Actually, there were only a few moments of tension during the game, as Kosuke homered on the ninth pitch of his first at bat for the early lead. (And I say domo arigato to Kosuke, who hadn't previously done very much at any games I've attended this year.)  Geovany Soto also had a great game, with the aforementioned homer, a walk, and two singles.  Two runs might not have been enough for most of this week, but tonight it was just enough.  Jim Edmonds got a very nice and very loud standing ovation and doffed his helmet to the Cardinals fans, and then proceeded to strike out three times and meekly fly out.

The main threat from the Cardinals didn't come after Albert Pujols hit his 300th career home run in the eighth (meh) to bring them within a run.  It came in the second, when Yadier Molina reached on exactly the type of infield hit that occasionally sends Z mental.  With two runners on, however, genius Tony LaRussa had his pitcher in the 8th slot, ending the threat.

Although the end of the game was exciting after the Pujols home run (Howry - strong start, but meh), fortunately no one was on base ahead of him, and Neal Cotts and Kerry Wood held onto the lead for four more outs.  Actually, the bottom of the ninth was one of the stranger things I've seen in a ballpark, with the St. Louis fireworks display beginning as Kerry warmed up on the mound and continuing throughout the inning.  Didn't bother Woody, though.

A fine evening at the ballpark, and a fine way to spend the Fourth.

Z on the mound.

Dome with Pujols

In-game fireworks

Wood closes it out.

It poured almost all night at Nationals Park - but the rain didn't start coming down until after the game.

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A good, close, ballgame tonight unfortunately went the wrong way for the Cubs as backup catcher Wil Nieves hit his first career home run off Bob Howry - a walk-off, to boot .  If the win itself wasn't unexpected (the Sun Times story on the bullpen this morning is certainly looking well-timed), getting it via power certainly was. Other than Ryan Zimmerman's walk-off to open the park the place has been virtually a homer free zone for the Nats before Felipe Lopez's hit the first grand slam in the stadium last night.  This certainly should have been a winnable game (should have capitalized in the 8th), but those are the breaks.

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