Friday, October 05, 2007

Cubs one loss from extinction


Chicago Cubs starter Ted Lilly got off to a bad start last night--he walked the first Arizona Diamondbacks batter--but left the first inning scarred only by a high pitch count.

That didn't matter, in the next inning Lilly gave up a three run home run to Chris Young followed by an Eric Byrnes triple--for a four run second inning.

The Diamonbacks kept the lead--the Cubs struck first blood with a two run dinger by ny Soto in the top half of the second--but with last night's 8-4 win, the D-Backs are poised to eliminate the Cubs from the playoffs tomorrow afternoon at Wrigley Field.

The enduring image from the Cubs last playoff appearance was fan Steve Bartman interfering with Moises Alou attempting to catch a foul ball. It the Cubs are eliminated, this year's image will probably be Ted Lilly throwing down his glove in anger after giving up that homer to Young.

Teams have come back from a two game deficit in a five game series. But for Cub fans, such a feat brings back bad memories. In 1984 it was the Cubs who had a two games to none lead over the San Diego Padres in the then-five game NLCS. But the Padres battled back, and became the first National League team to win a five game series after spotting their opponents a two game lead.

That series had its enduring image. A routine ground ball (this is going to sound familiar) rolling between the legs of Cub first basemen Leon Durham that prolonged a Padre rally in game five.

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