Cubs lose 5-3 after having bases-loaded with 1 out

 So far the Cubs have been losing most of them.  To begin the night, the Cubs were facing the Reds tough rookie Jhonny Cueto, who baffled the Cubs all night.  Geovany Soto seemed like the only player to figure Cueto out when he hit a solo home run, his sixth of the year, to put the Cubs on board when it was 5-1.  But it was the costly errors that squandered Cubs chances.

  Ryan Demptser was trying to go 5-0, first time in his career.  Dempster gave up five runs, which none were earned, on four hits in six innings.  Dempster struck out a season-high seven, but the Reds took advantage of the miscues and snapped a five game losing streak with the win. Cincinnati loaded the bases with one out in the first without getting a ball out of the infield. Ken Griffey Jr. was safe on an infield hit that Theriot knocked down, Brandon Phillips reached on a single that stayed on the grass toward third, and Joey Votto took advantage of a fielding error by Fontenot. Dempster then walked Edwin Encarnacion to force in a run. One out later, Jeff Keppinger blooped a two-run single to go ahead, 3-0.   Adam Dunn made it 5-1 when he hit a two run home run.  Prior to Dunn's at bat, DeRosa had a fielding error which allowed Encarnacion to reach base.  If DeRosa fields the ball cleanly, Encarnacion would have been the third out.  Ken Griffey Jr. later robed Soriano of a potential home run making a remarkable catch crashing in the left field wall.The biggest chance for the Cubs to tie it was in the ninth when Reds closer Francisco Cordero got himself into a jam when he loaded the bases up with one out with Theriot and Lee coming up to bat.  But, as Lou said earlier, the Cubs handed the Reds this game.  Cordero threw a wild pitch, that got a couple of feet away from, and Fontenot scampered home.  Reds catcher Paul Bako made a quick play to the ball, and tossed it to Cordero.  Fontenot was called out.  Two outs.  Not only did Fontenot have a bad break towards home, but he even admitted he did not see where the ball went.  What disturbs me most is you almost take the bat out of Lee's hands.  Luckily Theriot walked, which would have brought in a run, and Lee was up to bat.  Lee grounded weakly to the second baseman making the final out of the game.The Cubs had their chances to score and did not come through in clutch.  This was the story from last year as well and it seems it is something we are going to hear all season. 

With Big Z pitching today, the Cubs need to rebound from their recent slide before St. Louis pulls away.  I look at the way St. Louis has been ball games and the way Cubs have been losing ball games.  The difference is simple: St. Louis is actually making the plays for them to win.  The Cubs are making the plays so the other team will win.

Prediction for Final Week:  Cubs take 2 out of three from Reds.  Cubs get swept at home by the Diamondbacks