The Cubs went on to San Diego to take three of four from the Padres, then returned home to Wrigley only to lose two out of three from the Cincinnati Reds. They then went up to Milwaukee for two games. In game one Kevin Tapani won his nineteenth game of the year. The next game had a promising start with the Cubs getting a 7-0 lead. Disaster struck in the bottom of the ninth. Cubs closer Rod Beck, the Shooter allowed five runs to score before loading the bases, with the winning run on first, and two outs. Beck was able to get Jeremy Bernitz to hit a routine fly ball to left field. Cubs left fielder Brant Brown was about to catch the final out of the game to keep the Cubs a game up on the Mets. Instead, Brown dropped the ball, allowing the bases to clear and the Brewers to win. Sammy Sosa said it best of this traumatic loss. If he (Harry Caray) wasn t already dead, he d die again.
It still wasn t the end for the Cubs. With three games left, the Cubs were still tied with the Mets and a game ahead of the Giants for the Wild Card. In the final series the Cubs were in Houston. On Friday, the Cubs lost to Houston, and a bizarre event happened. Somehow, a black bird got into the Astrodome and began to circle Brown s head in left field. Then it perched itself and starred at him. From first base, Mark Grace said, I would say Brant is having a tough couple of days (Rushin, 4). The Mets lost to the Braves and the Giants beat the Rockies on that night, which created a three-way tie for the Wild Card. On Saturday the Cubs and Giants won while the Mets lost. On, Sunday, the last day of the season, the Mets lost and were eliminated from the postseason while the Cubs lost in the tenth inning. While the team was trudging back to their locker room, the players learned that Neve Perez had hit a home run in the ninth inning to beat the Giants (Rushin, 6). Since the Cubs and Giants were still tied, there would be a one game playoff to be played the next night at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs sent right hander, Steve Trachsel to the mound. Trachsel if you remember, gave up number 62 to Big Mac. Fate seemed to be on the Cubs side that night. The ceremonial first pitch was thrown out by basketball great, and Cub fan, Michael Jordan. By the second inning there was a 40-foot helium filled head of Harry Caray floating over Waveland Avenue. Both pitchers were flawless through four innings. But in the fifth with a man on, Gary Gaetti hit a high fastball into the left field bleachers. The crowd went wild, even to the extent of throwing trash onto the field. By the seventh inning, the Cubs had build a 5-0 lead that they hoped would stand. During the seventh inning stretch, native Chicagoan and actor, Bill Murray, sang Take Me Out to the Ballgame , in honor of Harry Caray. The Cubs went into the top of the ninth still leading 5-0, and Rod Beck in to close it. He was able to get two outs, but allowed three runs to score, and the tying run on first. Then Joe Carter, hit a pop foul on the first base side. It was fittingly caught by Mark Grace. Grace, being the only remaining player from the 89 Cub team that won the National League East. After catching the final out, Grace fell to his knees and wept (Rushin, 6). That night belonged to the city of Chicago and the fans stayed out all night celebrating.
The Cubs luck would run out in the playoffs against the Atlanta Braves. In game one the Braves offense pounded Mark Clark in an 8-2 loss. In game two Kevin Tapani was two outs away from winning before Javier Lopez got the Braves on the scoreboard with a solo home run. Atlanta was able to win it in the tenth. In game three Kerry Wood made his first start since August. His strong performance was not enough to keep the Cubs alive. The Braves won the game and the series 3-0, ending the great season for the Cubs.
CONCLUSION
It is easy to see why 98 was such a special year. The home run chase alone made the season memorable, but there was so much more. Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa made the average person care about baseball again, the way it was back in the 50 s (Verducci, 3). Throw in a handful of other great accomplishments and what do you get? The greatest season ever, and probably the greatest there ever will be. The memories of 98 will bring the fans back in 99 and beyond, hoping to see a glimpse of greatness 98 offered. Even though there will never be a season as special as 98, everyone will still have the great memories of the greatest summer that Major League Baseball will ever see.
32c