5/28/08 vs Dodgers; W 2-1; (32-21)

It took an extra frame, but the Cubs defeated the Dodgers 2-1 for their first series sweep since the Diamondbacks were at Wrigley two weeks ago.

Mike Fontenot doubled off of Chan Ho Park with one out in the tenth. Alfonso Soriano then singled to score Fontenot and give the Cubs the win.

We never get to that point if the Cubs didn’t work Takashi Saito for the tying run in the ninth. He came in to pitch the ninth with the Dodgers leading 1-0. Jonathan Broxton pitched the eighth in dominant fashion, striking out the side. Joe Torre still decided to bring in Saito.

I know Broxton is typically a one inning guy. He hasn’t pitched more than one inning since August of last year. He was coming off a blown save against the Cubs on Tuesday night so maybe Joe didn’t want to press his luck, but this dude was untouchable in the eighth. Hindsight is 20/20 but I would have run him back out there again.

Saito walked the leadoff hitter, Theriot. Then Lee almost ended the game with a home run, but it pulled foul down the left field line. After Lee flew out, Saito walked Ramirez. He fell behind Fukudome and allowed an infield single when he failed to touch first base while covering on a ball hit to James Loney. Geovony Soto hit a sac fly to right to tie the game. After Kosuke advanced to second on defensive indifference, DeRosa flew out to end the inning.

The Dodgers only run against Zambrano was a lot his fault too. With two outs in the fourth, he gave up back to back base hits. Zambrano then hit Matt Kemp to load ‘em up, and proceeded to walk in the Dodgers only run. That inning was his only real rough spot as he kept his winning streak…thanks to the Soto sac fly…intact. He threw 130 pitches over eight innings, seemingly getting stronger as he picked up two of his three strikeouts in the eighth. He scattered six hits and four walks on a night when the Cubs offense just couldn’t get things going.

Cubs pitching was dominant this entire series keeping LA to a run per game three days in a row. The Dodgers aren’t one of the more dominant run scoring offenses in baseball…currently ranked 20th …but they are top ten in batting average and on base percentage. Let’s still give some credit to the Cubs hurlers for a nice series. Especially considering our potent offense only put up a total of eight runs in three games. Dempster, Gallagher, and Zambrano shouldn’t have to pay for dinner any time soon if they are dining with the hitters.

So that puts the Chicago Cubs at 32-21. Eleven games above .500 for the second time this season. That is good for the best overall record in the National League. The only competitors are in the American League where Tampa Bay has an identical record and the Red Sox and Angels have each notched 32 wins, albeit with more losses.

The Cubs will open up another home series today, as the Colorado Rockies come to town for four games. The Rockies aren’t playing good baseball, having lost three in row to Philadelphia, and are scoring at a clip lower than the Dodgers. Fourteen games above .500 is a good position to start that long June road trip.