A guy with the last name Lee returned to Wrigley Field after an extended hiatus, and the perennial all-star candidate had a great day at the plate. Unfortunately for Cubs fans, it was Brewers outfielder Carlos Lee, and not Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee.
Carlos Lee hit a home run off Greg Maddux, who dropped one game below .500 on the season after winning his first five starts. Derrek Lee also had two hits, but stranded three runners and failed to collect a single RBI as the North Siders were once again shut out by lefty Chris Capuano and the Milwaukee Brewers.
Astute fans noticed that Derrek Lee was still wearing his Cubs “Believe” bracelet.
“Sure it’s been hard to keep the faith during all this,” he said, “But Kerry Wood is on the DL. Once we get him back we’ll be good to go in the second half [of the season].”
Cubs’ pitchers gave up four home runs with the wind blowing in, and the offense wasn’t exactly clicking, either. Lee and Ramirez started off the bottom of the ninth with base hits, and Capuano was forced to leave after a liner glanced off his arm. Closer Derrick Turnbow took over for Milwaukee and retired the side with three quick outs, two on strikes.
After the loss, Derrek Lee was asked again if he still believed, but responded quickly.
“The Astros did it last year, didn’t they?” Lee asked rhetorically, making him the 25th and final member of the Cubs roster to reach delusional status about this mistake of a season.
Number of the day: 1
Times TV man Bob Brenly was overcome by desperation when he suggested the Cubs were tipping their pitches. Brenly was partially right. The real tip is that the Cubs pitchers suck.
