Game #11: Astros 4, Cubs 3
Cubs starter Tom Gorzelanny was knocked out of Saturday’s game not by the production of the Astros offense, but by a line drive off the bat of first baseman Pedro Feliz in the third inning. Luckily for the Cubs, the shot hit Gorzelanny in a meaty part of his throwing arm and the injury is nothing more than a contusion.
Still, as a precaution, Gorzelanny was lifted after retiring the Astros in the third with the Cubs down 2-0, and a quartet of Cub relievers then shouldered the pitching load for the rest of the afternoon. In all, they allowed the Houstons just two runs on three hits over the final six innings.
Astros ace Roy Oswalt had Cub hitters shackled for seven innings, however, and the three-run rally the Cubs were able to muster against the Astro bullpen following Oswalt’s exit came up just short.
As for the four Cub relievers who pitched Saturday, young James Russell is still unscored upon through five appearances and 4 1/3 walk-free innings. And Sean Marshall, who struck out the side in the visitors’ half of the 9th, continues to pitch superbly and raise doubts about why Lou Piniella would ever prefer John Grabow—currently 0-2, 7.71—over Marshall in a clutch situation.
