The 8-5 Cubs took on the 8-6 Padres Monday night at Central Babe Ruth.
The Cubs pitching staff was up for a depth test going into the game due to playing their 4th game in the last 7 days. With Jon Martin out due to a hip/leg injury and Phil Gadomski, Ron Massaroni, and Tom Sheperdson all having pitched very recently, it was up to first baseman, Mike Girard, to take the ball and get as many productive innings as possible.
Facing a potent Padres line-up, Girard escaped a first inning bases-loaded jam unscathed, in which he gave up a single and hit two batters.
The Cubs offense would make things easier by plating 3 runs, in the top of the 2nd inning. Andy Hoyle, Dave Mitchell, and Steve Lounello opened up the inning with consecutive singles and Shawn Maney followed with a double. Jon Martin would plate the 3rd run of the inning with a RBI groundout.
The Cubs would add 3 more runs to their lead, in the top of the 3rd. Bryce Cutler and Randy Craft would start the inning off with consecutive singles. Girard would hit a hard grounder to third that would turn into a 5U-3 double play, leaving Craft on second with two outs. Hoyle, Mitchell (double), and Lounello would follow with two out RBI hits.
It was with this 6-0 cushion, that Girard would run into some trouble. In the bottom of the 3rd inning, The Padres would touch-up Girard for 3 runs on 5 singles and a walk. Pete Maralja, Mike Bisner, and Rob Corollo would collect the RBI's.
With a 6-3 lead, and having a rough 3rd inning, Girard would help his own cause with a two-RBI single high off of the left field wall with two outs, in the top of the 4th inning, pushing the lead back up to 5 runs.
Staked to a 8-3 lead, Girard would go the rest off the way without allowing a run. He scattered 4 hits and a walk, while striking out 1 over the last 4 innings.
The Cubs would fill out the score sheet with 4 in the top of the 6th and 4 more in the top of the 7th. Andy Hoyle would add a 2 RBI double to his two singles and Dave Mitchell would cap off his 5 for 5 night with a 2 RBI double and a 2 RBI single. Bryce Cutler would end up with a double and 2 singles, and Craft, Girard, Lounello, Shawn Maney, and Jim McQuade would all have 2-hit nights.
Maralja would end up with a 3 for 3 night, with a double and 2 singles for the Padres, while Erik Miller and Bisner would have 2 singles each.
The Cubs move to 9-5, with the win, and set their rotation back up for the all important stretch run. The Padres fall to 8-7 and are in for a fight for the 5th seed the rest of the way.

-- Edited by mgirard11 on Tuesday 19th of July 2011 09:05:41 AM