Pirates 4 Cubs 3 (Two wins in a row!)

I'm not going to lie, there was a lot of negative in today's win, namely the mind-numbingly stupid base running and the insane choice to pinch hit Freddy Sanchez for Bobby Hill (which somehow worked out), but today was a good win for a number of reasons.

#1- Mark Redman pitched well again today. It's looking like there is at least some return on Jason Kendall.

#2- Despite being presented with numerous opportunities, they didn't give up today. Maddux was cruising through the line up through 6 2/3 innings today, only giving up Bay's triple in the fourth to that point, when we scrapped together a bloop single by Craig Wilson who advanced on a wild pitch, scored on a nice piece of hitting by Mackowiak (reach out and slapped a single the other way on a down and away pitch) who then scored on a double by the always clutch Bobby Hill. In the ninth (after Torres served up his third homer in 10 innings worked this year), Jason Bay reached out and crushed an opposite field homer to tie things up (something he was TRYING to do, very impressive), then Craig Wilson walked and STOLE A BASE. That's not a typo, I swear. Craig Wilson actually stole a base. Lloyd then made the baffling move of pinch hitting Freddy Sanchez for Bobby Hill (aka Mr. Clutch in the last week, or at least when he gets the chance). Sanchez responds with a triple in the gap (just because it worked out doesn't make it smart, Lloyd). Bottom line is, they were down twice in this game and refused to give in, something that the lineups featuring Daryle Ward and Ty Wigginton have done repeatedly this year.

#3- I honestly can't believe I'm saying this and someone may want to check my health but John Grabow and Jose Mesa have both impressed me this year. Mesa is still hitting 95 on the gun (even in 30 degree weather today) and Grabow hasn't been completely awful!

#4- In the words of Lou Brown

Well, we won tonight, that's one. If we win tomorrow that'll be two in a row. One more after that and we'll have ourselves a winning streak. It has happened in the past.

Can the Pirates assemble a winning streak? Josh Fogg vs. Kerry Wood tomorrow, and Wood hasn't pitched well this year so anything's possible I guess.

Summary