The Morning After: Cubs Fall, Fire Fizzle
By Marcus Gilmer in News on Jul 9, 2010 3:00PM
Dodgers Drop Cubs
The Cubs probably wish they could play more away games in Arizona. A day after completing a sweep of the Diamondbacks that featured one of the team's biggest offensive outputs this year, the Cubs mustered only two runs in a 3-2 loss to the Dodgers. It was more typical Cubs game with a blown lead late. Down 1-0 early, Alfonso Soriano's homer in the second tied the game at 1-1 and a Geovany Soto RBI in the fourth put the Cubs up 2-1. Starter Randy Wells had pitched well through the first six innings, allowing just the one run. But it came undone in the seventh when he gave up a two-run homer to Rafael Furcal, putting the Dodgers up for good. A frustrated Wells explained afterwards, "In that situation, you don't want to get beat with your fourth best pitch. That's the thing that stings. I could've gone sinker away, changeup away, something that was in my top two or three pitches. To go with your fourth best pitch there, especially after you've been doing it to him all night, is a tough thing as well." The team will try to get back in the win column tonight, sending Ted Lilly to the hill (9:10 p.m., CSN+)
Fire Fizzle Against Salt Lake
Featuring an inexperienced lineup due to injuries, the Fire hung tough with defending MLS champs Real Salt Lake, but couldn't get past the champs, falling 1-0. Robbie Findley, back from his stint in South Africa with the USMNT, scored the game's only goal on a penalty kick in the 40th minute. The Fire's next match will be in SuperLiga play on Wednesday night as they take on Monarcas de Morelia at Toyota Park (8:30 p.m.). Their next MLS match will be hosting the New England Revolution a week from tomorrow.