GAME 6
Marlins 8
Cubs 3
CHICAGO – Only a Cubs fan could interfere with his team’s chances of a World Series appearance.
With a 3-0 lead last night and five outs remaining from their first appearance in the Fall Classic since 1945, the Cubs and their long-suffering fans were involved in a disastrous collision that set into motion a bizarre and unlikely sequence of events.
The result was an eight-run, eighth-inning go-ahead rally by the relentless Marlins, the exit of staff ace Mark Prior and an eventual 8-3 Cubs loss before a suicidal 39,577 at venerable Wrigley Field.
Make that 39,576. An idiot wearing a Cubs cap and headphones sitting in box seats down the left-field line interfered with left fielder Moises Alou on a foul ball that Luis Castillo hit with one out in the eighth.
Alou slammed his glove on his thigh, glared and then screamed at the fan, who seemed impervious to the disastrous and potentially cataclysmic effect his greediness for a foul ball would have. Apparently a souvenir was more valuable to him than a National League pennant.
In New York, fans like Jeffrey Maier help the cause. Here, where being a lovable loser is a source of pride, the locals hinder the home nine.
Prior was cruising along until the eighth, when he tired and allowed Juan Pierre’s one-out double. But it appeared like he might get a break when the foul ball by Castillo drifted back towards the field from the stands. Unfortunately, the catch was not made, and Castillo then walked on a wild pitch to begin the carnage.
Pudge Rodriguez followed with an RBI single to left to break the ice for the Marlins. With runners at first and second, normally sure-handed shortstop Alex Gonzalez made a backhanded fielding error on an in-between hop on Miguel Cabrera’s grounder, loading the bases.
Derrek Lee tied the game on a two-run line double just beyond the leap of third baseman Aramis Ramirez, and by then it was clear all the bad mojo of fate, hexes and curses had come into play.
A sacrifice fly to right by Jeff Conine after Mike Lowell’s intentional walk not only scored Cabrera as the go-ahead run, but it allowed the other runners into scoring position. Todd Hollandsworth was intentionally walked to reload the bases, and Mike Mordecai came through with the clinching hit.
Mordecai, a double-switch insertion in the seventh, stroked a three-run double to left-center to put Florida up 7-3.
Before the ninth inning began, the interfering fan was escorted out by a phalanx of security guards, who were probably hoping to mute a celebration a few minutes earlier.
The Cubs staked the normally dominant Prior to a run in the first before adding single runs in the sixth and seventh innings. It looked like the Cubs were heading to their first World Series since 1945, which will now be delayed until tonight when Kerry Wood takes the hill for the Cubs.
Kenny Lofton, who has reinvigorated his career in Chicago, reached base in the first inning once again and soon staked Prior to a lead. Lofton singled to right, moved to second on Mark Grudzielanek’s sacrifice and scored on an opposite-field double by Sammy Sosa.
It was the eighth run Lofton had scored in the series, tying an NLCS record. In seven of the Cubs’ 11 postseason games, the Cub outfielder had scored a first-inning run.
Florida starter Carl Pavano left a 1-and-2 slider over the plate on Sosa, who was able to reach out and plunk it down the right-field line for the first run. Although Alou followed with an infield single to short, the rally was snuffed out when Aramis Ramirez lined to left and Randall Simon flied out to right. And for a while, that run looked like it was it.
Obviously, it was nowhere near enough.
EIGHT IN THE EIGHTH
Mike Mordecai flied out to left.Juan Pierre doubled to left.
Luis Castillo walked after fan interferes with Moises Alou on a foul pop to left, Pierre to third on wild pitch.
Ivan Rodriguez singled to left, Pierre scored, Castillo to second.
Miguel Cabrera safe at first on shortstop Alex Gonzalez’s fielding error, Castillo to third, Rodriguez to second.
Derek Lee doubled to left, Castillo and Rodriguez scored, Cabrera to third.
Kyle Farnsworth relieved Mark Prior.
Mike Lowell intentionally walked.
Jeff Conine hit sacrifice fly to right, Cabrera scored, Lee to third, Lowell to second.
Todd Hollandsworth hit for Chad Fox.
Todd Hollandsworth intentionally walked.
Mordecai doubled to deep left center, Lee, Lowell and Hollandsworth scored.
Mike Remlinger relieved Kyle Farnsworth.
Pierre singled to right, Mordecai scored.
Castillo popped out to second.
8 runs, 5 hits, 3 walks, 1 error, 1 runner left on base
Marlins 8, Cubs 3