The Gist: Game #12

Cubs 7
Communism 2

The Cubs opened a series against Dusty Baker's Reds with a rousing stampede akin to the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, minus the arrests and bloodshed. Unlike said revolution, however, your boys in blue wrangled victory from the firm grip of their oppressors. Stalin would not have been pleased.

Rich Harden improved greatly on his last outing (not exactly a difficult task) by throwing six innings, allowing two earned and chalking up eight strikeouts. At one point in the game, the feral cat pictured above ran onto the field. As it was being corralled by one of the ball boys, it appeared to bite the poor lad. I'm no feline expert, but I'm pretty sure this cat needs to be found and euthanized for precautionary reasons.

Major League Baseball recorded it's first ever Micah on Micah action, as Hoffpauir blasted a solo shot off of Owings in the second inning. Lee just missed a three-run homer at one point, and Soto made great opposite field contact on three occasions. A-Ram also had two clutch base hits to right field, and Little Mikey Horse 'n' Phone made a fine leaping grab on a liner early in the game.

As usual, Lou played the numbers and brought in Neal Cotts in the eighth to face Votto and Bruce. Naturally, Cotts proceeded to give up a walk and a hit, and was promptly removed. It's pretty sad when Lou has a five-run lead and still needs to bring in Marmol. Luis Vizcaino finished things up without incident in the ninth, and the Iron Curtain was held at bay, if for only one night...