Cubs send The Marlins reeling
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suntimes.com
<<...Prior narrowed down the Cubs' need to win to a five-game series like they had in Atlanta.
''The way I'm looking at it is that Woody is starting out a five-game series like he did last time,'' Prior said.
Prior pitched into the eighth before manager Dusty Baker a halted his performance at 116 pitches. That was Prior's lowest output since Sept. 11 against Montreal in Puerto Rico when he lost 3-2 on 110 pitches. Otherwise, in six of his previous seven starts, he has thrown between 124 and 133 pitches.
''He wasn't as sharp as he has been,'' Baker said, ''but all the runs helped him and Mark's a competitor. You don't want anyone coming to your house and beat you 2-0. It was important to at least get one. We haven't had a real hot streak hitting-wise all season long or a period where we have had this many guys swinging well as a team."
Sammy Sosa gave Chicago fans reason to believe there is a World Series date awaiting them against either the Yankees or Red Sox. For the second night in a row, he clobbered a two-run homer that will keep fans warm all winter with the memory of its majesty.
Sosa lofted a homer in the second to a spot that rarely welcomes balls. It traveled just over the TV camera shack in center, an honored spot that Sosa hero Roberto Clemente once found with a homer.
''Sammy hasn't had an extreme hot streak all year,'' Baker said. ''I'm hoping it's on the way. It's coming right on time.''
The Cubs offense didn't waste time for a second straight game. But unlike Tuesday's four-run first inning, the Cubs were just getting started in Game 2 when Randall Simon's two-run single gave Prior a quick lift. Three-run bursts followed in the second, third and fifth innings and Marlins starter Brad Penny was mercifully relieved of duty with one out in the third after Aramis Ramirez's homer and Simon's single.
Alex Gonzalez damaged the Marlins bullpen after that. He homered in consecutive at-bats in the fifth and sixth innings to knock home three runs. That gave Gonzalez three homers, a double and six RBI in the NLCS.
''Maybe he's Gene Tenace or Al Weis in the playoffs,'' said Baker, referring to light-hitting players who starred in October.
Kenny Lofton had four hits, which tied an NLCS record, and stole a base. Lofton and Mark Grudzielanek continue to be a prolific pair at the top of this lineup as the Cubs pounded out 16 hits.
But no pair will mean more in the postseason than Prior and Wood. As they go, so go the Cubs...>> |
