CHICAGO SPORTS BLOG – CHICAGO CROSS-TOWN CLASSIC EXCITES FANS WITH FIRST GAME

CHICAGO SPORTS BLOG – CHICAGO CROSS-TOWN CLASSIC EXCITES FANS WITH FIRST GAME

If you didn’t know better you would think that yesterday’s Cubs/Sox Game was a playoff game. What an atmosphere at beautiful Wrigley Field. Both teams came in as playoff contenders and the buzz around the park was so evident that even if you watched the game from a bar or home you could feel the energy.

The Cubs emerged victorious with third baseman Aramis Ramirez hitting two home runs the last of which was the game-ending blast to dead center.

The game was a tale of two halves. The Sox clearly dominated the first half of the game and took a 3-1 lead into the seventh inning behind very good pitching from left-hander John Danks and some nice defensive plays by Joe Crede and Carlos Quentin.

However in the bottom of the seventh Sox manager Ozzie Guillen inserted right-hander Octavio Dotel to pitch against Derrek Lee Aramis Ramirez and Geovany Soto all right-handed hitters. Dotel came into the game with an ERA under three but promptly gave up two back-to-back homers to Lee and Ramirez.

With the game tied the Sox would threaten in both the eighth and ninth innings but couldn’t get the lead run across. Guillen then put right-hander Scott Linebrink in to face Ramirez who was leading off the bottom of the ninth. After starting the sequence off with a ball Linebrink promptly threw Ramirez a low-strike fastball that Ramirez hit about 410 feet to center for a walk-off home run. The entire Cub team greeted Ramirez at home plate while Cub fans celebrated their 12^th straight home victory. All fans are anticipating another great game today and it’s a good bet they will be treated to just that.

JEFF ARDITO & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO