4/11/08 @ Phillies; L 3-5; (6-4)

By the time I got the game on TV in my basement, the Cubs were up 2-0 courtesy of first inning back to back home runs by Lee and Ramirez. With Zambrano on the mound I settled in for what I thought would be another win. Then Pat Burrell happened.

On Monday when I was in Cincinnati, he had two home runs against the Reds. I still recall before Ryan Howard came along, Pat Burrell was praised as the key prospect for the Phillies. He is certainly playing up to that billing this week.

In the fourth he tied the game with a two run homer. In the sixth he double in Ryan Howard to break a 3-3 tie. When I was young, they kept track of Game Winning RBI as an official stat. That would have bee one for Burrell. I don't think they keep that stat anymore.

The Phillies had originally taken the lead on a quirky play in the fifth inning. Kosuke ran down a fly ball in left center and appeared to make the catch. However, after taking two steps he brushed against Soriano and the ball came loose. The ruling was no catch and a run scored.

Lou came out to discuss the play, but this isn't the NFL. Two steps doesn't make a catch. The rule says the ball must be presented to the umpire to validate a catch. I remember watching a college world series game where an outfielder caught the ball on a dead run, hit the wall, and was knocked unconscious. He didn't drop the ball. While medical personnel were tending to him, the announcers were discussing whether or not it would be ruled a catch. With that as precedent, I would agree that Kosuke didn't officially make the catch.

Lou continues to shuffle the lineup around. Thursday night, with Fontenot in the lineup instead of DeRosa, Geovany Soto hit sixth. After a four for five performance, he stayed there Friday night. DeRosa hit seventh. Daryle Ward got his first start of the season but didn't make much of it going hitless on the night.