Piniella loses cool as Cubs win
By Paul Sullivan
Chicago Tribune
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| Pittsburgh Pirates' Jack Wilson (2) is tagged out by Chicago Cubs catcher Geovany in the fifth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, July 1, 2009. Wilson was trying to score from second on a single to left by Freddy Sanchez. ((AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) ) |
PITTSBURGH – Lou Piniella finally blew his top Wednesday night at PNC Park, putting an end to the long-running story line about his alleged lack of fire.
Piniella proved he still can emote with the best of them during a sixth-inning ejection in the Cubs’ 4-1 victory over Pittsburgh.
Was it the obscenities that caused him to get the heave-ho from first-base umpire Chad Fairfield after arguing a close call at first base on a would-be hit by starter Randy Wells?
“I think the cap did it,” Piniella said, referring to his traditional cap toss. “I didn’t have to say much after the cap. I think the cap said it all. The umpire missed the call. What can I say? I saw it very plain from where I was.”
It was Piniella’s first ejection since July 26, 2008, when umpire Rob Drake gave him the thumb. So is everyone happy now?
“I think everyone is happy now,” Piniella replied.
And we can finally change the subject?
“Yes,” he said with a laugh. “I think so.”
Wells, who improved to 3-3 with seven innings of one-run ball, was glad to see Piniella get his groove back.
“It was nice Lou had my back,” he said. “Kind of fired me up to go back out there, get through seven and end up getting a win.”
Derrek Lee and Kosuke Fukudome homered, but Wells and fellow rookie Sam Fuld were the men of the hour as the Cubs salvaged the final game of a draining four-city trip that ended 3-7.
Wells reduced his team-leading ERA to 2.43, while Fuld had a pair of hits and some stellar defense subbing for Alfonso Soriano in left.
“Fuld made some nice plays, a heck of a throw, cut off a couple of balls in the gap that kept the double play in order – baseball,” Piniella said
Fuld began the game with a double to right for his first career hit and scored on Lee’s two-run homer. He then made a diving catch to rob Ramon Vazquez in the fourth and threw out Jack Wilson at the plate on Freddy Sanchez’s two-out single in the fifth.
“He has been doing that ever since I’ve been playing with him – just getting to balls quickly and throwing guys out and not conceding runs,” Wells said. “That’s huge, when the defense picks you up. The I-Cubs! It’s nice to see guys come up and contribute.”
Hitless in six at-bats during a September call-up in 2007, Fuld wasn’t sure if he ever would get another shot.
“You think about that, but I was confident at the same time,” he said. “But in the back of my mind, yeah, you never know when you’re going to get another chance.”
The Cubs had one of their best defensive games and need to keep it up.
“People scrutinize and analyze us so much because we were picked to win the division when the season started,” Piniella said. “If we hadn’t been picked, I don’t think the scrutiny would be nearly as much. We’re all doing the best we can, and that’s all we can do.”
