Halfway Gone

Things were going really well for me yesterday afternoon, courtesy of the defending world-champion Cubs.  It’s not often starter Jon Lester gives up 10 runs (4 earned) in 2/3 of an inning.  In fact, it was the first time in Lester’s 12-year MLB career that the lefty didn’t make it through the fourth inning, and it was the first time since 1947 that the Cubs had given up at least 10 runs in the first at Wrigley Field.  Final score, Pirates 14 Cubs 3.

Because I am a great lover of culture (and a keeper of marital peace), I accompanied my wife on a walk of suburban Riverside to learn about the work landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted did there.  Not to worry, though.  The baseball fan in me was satisfied to TiVo the White Sox-Rockies game in Denver.  I didn’t want to miss out on my team taking a series to go into the All-Star break on a high note, no sir.

To get through a recorded game, I fast-forward through the outs to watch the Sox get their hits (and/or do dumb stuff).  So, I fast-forwarded through the first inning, then the second and the third and the fourth all the way into the ninth inning.  That’s right, Colorado rookie Kyle Freeland took a no-hitter into the ninth inning.  With one out, the 24-year old lefty lost the battle while winning the war.

As I watched Sox hitters strike out, pop up, ground out and fly out, I couldn’t get over how Freeland pounded the ball inside to right-handed batters.  Not only inside, but hard, and oftentimes high, as in chin music.  (Carlos Rodon, please take notes.)  Freeland did it to Melky Cabrera in the top of the ninth with one out, spinning him around.  The look on Cabrera’s face after that was pure Ed Bukowski; you did not want to be around my father when he looked like that.  Cabrera channeled his inner Ed to single sharply to left on Freeland’s next offering.  Final score, Rockies 10 the one-hitted Sox 0. 

Both Chicago team websites are pure milquetoast.  The Cubs’ headline read, “Forgettable finale for Lester, Cubs.”  With the Sox, it was “Sox avoid no-no on Melky’s late 1B.”  Guys, one of you risks laying a huge egg a year after breaking your 108-year championship drought while the other one could disappear from sight without anyone knowing or caring.  Something along the lines of “The sky is falling!  The sky is falling!” would be more appropriate.