About the only thing you can do after a loss like last night's, is try to laugh. Here's a fun fact that might help.
Before last night, the last time a Cubs pitcher had given up that many runs in the ninth inning, with the lead, turning a win into a loss, was June 5, 1911.
Yes, that's right -- almost exactly 100 years ago. The poor soul's name was Harry McIntyre and he went into the ninth inning in a game against the New York Giants with a 1-0 lead. Seven runs crossed the plate before the inning was over. Here's the florid prose the Tribune used at the time:
Just as Harry McIntyre and the Cubs seemed to have a brilliantly earned victory over Christy Mathewson and the Giants within their grasp yesterday the Cub pitcher blew out a cylinder head and the force of the explosion was so terrific that it hurled seven runs across the plate and Chicago back into third place. Score, 7 to 1.
Never was a game torn so ruthlessly out of the grasp of hard working athletes; never were the spirits of hard working citizens more heartlessly tortured; never was long deferred hope more completely blighted right on the point of realization; never was cradle robbed of baby's milk bottle by a more hardened crew than those New York Giants.
Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose, pardon my French.
The Cubs and Astros will play again at Wrigley Field this afternoon, largely because the game is already on the schedule. As far as I know, there are no further DL or roster moves from the Cubs today, which will break a six-day streak of having at least one transaction.
Cubs lineup:
Fukudome rf, Barney 2b, Castro ss, Pena 1b, Ramirez 3b, DeWitt lf, Soto c, Colvin cf, Davis p
Astros lineup:
Bourn cf, Barmes ss, Pence rf, Lee 1b, Keppinger 2b, Michaels lf, Johnson 3b, Towles c, Myers p
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This could wind up being Doug Davis' final start as a Cub; Matt Garza is due back this weekend and Davis may be odd man out. It remains to be seen whether he'd stay in the bullpen, or just be released. Of Davis' three starts, one was decent, one was mediocre, one was bad. He has not started vs. the Astros since 2007; Carlos Lee has pounded him in the past (7-for-16).
Brett Myers has been a solid pitcher in the past, but he is having a rough year. Guess who his only win is against? He has had only one start that's been as good as his April 12 win over the Cubs, since that date. Tyler Colvin has homered twice off him and also has two doubles. Overall, though, current Cubs are hitting .186 (27-for-145) against Myers. Clearly, we are doomed.
Today's game is on CSN Chicago and FSN Houston. Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation Astros site Crawfish Boxes.
Today's first pitch thread will be up at 1:15 p.m. CDT and the overflow threads will post at 2:15 pm, 3:15 pm and 4 pm CDT. If you need more overflows due to extra innings or rain delays, post them in the fanshot section.
Discuss amongst yourselves.