SportsDystopia

Trailing 6-3 with 2 on and 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, and the chaotic Brewers just one batter away from somehow taking 2 of 3 off the team with the best record in the league, Geovany Soto drove the first pitch he saw over the left center field wall, tying a game that the Cubs would eventually win in the 12th inning.  In a single moment, Soto had preserved the momentum the Cubs had gained with Carlos Zambrano’s no-hitter, and stopped the Brewers from gaining any steam in the wild card race. 

The Brewers were one batter away from back-to-back wins over the Cubs, back-to-back wins that would’ve been more than welcome for new interim manager Dale Sveum, who faces the improbable task of fixing what’s wrong with the team with just 2 weeks left to play in the season.  The win would’ve tied the Brewers with the Mets in the Wild Card chase, at least temporarily, and served notice to the NL that, internal turmoil or not, the Brew-Crew is not to be taken lightly in the playoff chase.  Instead, they will limp to Cincinnati, still looking to find the answer to what ails them, an answer that at this late date, is not likely to come.

Soto’s homer was big for the Cubs, too, who have now won 4 of their last 5 against division rivals Houston and Milwaukee, after previously dropping 8 out of 9.  A series loss to the Brew Crew would’ve raised uncomfortable questions about the Cubs’ playoff readiness.  Instead, the man who has quietly been the team’s MVP all season long needed just a single pitch to remind everyone that the Cubs aren’t going down easy this year.

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