SAN DIEGO - GAME RECAP

July 31st - Chicago Cubs 7, San Diego 3 - Attendance 25,853

Sterling Hitchcock was the scheduled starter for the Padres, but he had been traded the previous day, so Brian Lawrence took over again Jon Lieber of the Cubs, who was second in the league with 13 wins.

The Padres started very poorly, or at least Lawrence did. A lead-off single by Eric Young was followed by another single by Delino DeShields. After Sammy Sosa struck out, Lawrence threw wild to first and both runners advanced. Fred McGriff, one of the new Cubs, reached on an infield single scoring Young, and as Lawrence threw wild to first, DeShields also scored. 

Sammy grounds out

In the 2nd, a double and two singles gave the Cubs another run, but the Padres replied with 3 of their own in the 3rd, keyed by two sacrifice flies. 

The game remained tied until the 6th, when Michael Tucker, another new Cubbie, hit a solo shot. The Padres tried to get back in it, but the Chicago bullpen was good as usual, with Jeff Fassero, trade deadline acquisiton David Weathers, Kyle Farnsworth and Todd Van Poppel shutting them down. The Cubs added two more in the 8th and another in the ninth on a Joe Girardi homer, as the Cubs won easily 7-3. 

Tucker swings

This was an OK game that was close after 7, but the Friars' bullpen was weak in the late innings while the Cubs' relievers were unbeatable. This game gets a 7/10.