That win felt really, really amazing. And not just because it gave the Cubs a series win.
I’m embarrassed to admit how much my heart pounded in this 7th inning. It’s a regular season game, it’s still early in the year, and whatever. But there was something to the feeling of seeing Craig Kimbrel get another real chance to save and knowing, probably not hyperbolically, that it could make or break the rest of his season. So when he was there and threw 97/98/99, the Cardinals baffled with his curveball, and eventually struck out three to rule things out … I was freaking out about losing it. That was so amazing.
And that was not all. The Cubs of course won the game thanks to David Bote * Finally * because he was the man to get through with the bases being loaded (of course it was Bote), and rode in two with a single in the top of the 7th.
Meanwhile, Adbert Alzolay gave the Cubs five excellent innings of the work. He was clearly a bit amped up at first, so he misses his spots (badly) with his fastball. But the game is still excellent, and once he settled, took it over. Good fastball at 94/95, excellent wipeout curveball, and very useful change. He has the tool, man. More on him later.
For now I really want to celebrate this …
Full box score.
