A Real Singular Sensation for Cubs

May 7, 2014 @ admin → No Comments

Midweek musings: A reminder to the Chicago Cubs (as if they need one): Chances are you won’t win a game when you have only four hits and all of them are singles. That’s what happened Tuesday when the White Sox scored a 5-1 victory at Wrigley Field and swept the two-game series.

Dani Mathers always is welcome around here.

Speaking of four hits, Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham went 4-for-5, including his first home run of the season to break a 1-1 tie in the eighth inning. His RBI doubled his season total in 12 games. He raised his batting average to .234 from .167.

* Still speaking of four hits, that’s the number that Sox outfielder Moises Sierra had. He is 4-for-5 overall with the Sox. Teammate Jordan Danks went 1-for-1 with a two-run double in the ninth inning. He also has four hits for the season — in 41 at-bats for a .098 batting average.

* White Sox starter Hector Noesi allowed one run in five innings. He allowed four hits, walked one and struck out six. Pretty much what you would expect from a guy whose performance lowered his earned-run average to 8.27.

* Cubs starter Edwin Jackson lowered his ERA from 5.24 to 4.57. His seven innings of six-hit, one-run ball also included zero walks and nine strikeouts but wasn’t good enough to be involved in a decision. Maybe his effort was enough to interest another team looking for a starting pitcher. Cubs management can only hope.

* Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah finished fourth in voting for the NBA’s Most Valuable Player. Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant won the MVP. Miami’s LeBron James was second and Blake Griffin of the Los Angeles Clippers third. Only Durant and James received first-place votes. You read it here first: Noah will not win an MVP until he makes a three-point field goal. He won’t finish higher than fourth until he takes a three-point field goal.

Center Sylvia Fowles (left) and guard-forward Elena Delle Donne at Chicago Sky media day.

* Speaking of basketball, the WNBA Chicago Sky held its media day Tuesday. Center Sylvia Fowles, the 2013 defensive player of the year, said she likely be out three-six months because of surgery on her hip. Which means 2013 rookie of the year Elena Delle Donne likely will have to be more of a presence offensively and defensively. And 2014 first-round pick Markeisha Gatling and newcomer Sasha Goodlett could fill in for Fowles, and second-round pick Gennifer Brandon could supply some rebounding and scoring at forward.

* If it’s Wednesday (which the calendar says it is — provided that today is May 7, 2014, or a subsequent Wednesday), then it is almost time for another edition of “Sports & Torts” co-hosted by David Spada and Elliott Harris at noon Central time on Talkzone.com. The May 8 guests are baseball Hall of Fame players Billy Williams and Jim Rice and bikini competitor Lisa Eveleth, founder of Livefitwithlupus.org. She will talk about an upcoming event in Iowa. You can check out her web site at livefitwithlupus.org. The program also will be available later Thursday on podcast at the Talkzone.com web site.

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