Bottom 7
9:49 - Derrick Lee draws a walk leading off. Floyd has walked three and Koyie Hill reached on an error in the fifth. On the other side, Lilly has one walk and has hit a batter.
* Note: The last time the cubs were no-hit was September 9, 1965 when some loser named Sandy Koufax threw a perfect game.
9:53 - Lee isn't fast. Floyd bounced a 59 1/2-footer but A.J. Pierzynski nips Lee at second for the first out.
9:54 - Alfonso Soriano rips a double into left field. First hit of the game for either team and Soriano is the first base-runner to get to second base. Lee was technically the first, but right after he got there, he was asked to please leave.
9:55 - Just like that, Cubs give Lilly a lead. Chad Tracy, who I could've sworn I saw selling roses by my apartment yesterday, singles up the middle to score Soriano. 1-0 Cubs.
9:59 - Floyd fans Hill to end the seventh. Lilly coming out for the eighth, six outs away.
Top 8
10:02 - Pierzynski with a 17-bouncer to second for the first out. Lilly is five outs away.
10:03 - Gordon Beckham tries to drag bunt and fouls it off. The Cubs fans boo, but Cubs fans are idiots: the Whitesox are down 1-0. The ESPN announcers correctly say it's not a bad play and it's not an "unwritten rule" when you're down by a run in the late innings. It should be a written rule that beer sales are cut off at Wrigley in the bottom of the second inning.
10:04 - Beckham pops out to first. This is the longest Lilly has ever gone into a game without giving up a hit.
10:06 - Jayson Nix pops out to third base, Chad Tracy almost falls over, but makes the catch. I think Jim Joyce was really hoping Tracy fell down and the ball fell harmlessly next to him for an infield single. Lilly is three outs away.
Bottom 8
10:10 - Lilly can't get a sacrifice down and strikes out on a foul bunt attempt. Joe Morgan just said if the rain, which has gotten heavier, forces the game to be stopped, it'd be a bad thing for Lilly.
10:12 - Starlin Castro, who led off the inning with a single, is throw out trying to steal second. It looks like Lilly's going to have zero margin for error in the top of the ninth, facing the pitcher's spot, Andrew Jones and Alexei Ramirez.
10:14 - To the ninth. Cubs hold a 1-0 lead; rain coming down harder. Hopefully some will get in Joe Morgan's eyes and he'll miss the final out.
Top 9
10:15 - Pinch-hitter Juan Pierre is just the kind of player that breaks up no-hitters in the ninth inning.
10:16 - I guess that's partly my fault. Pierre rips a single to center to end the no-no. It's the longest Lilly had ever gone without allowing a hit.
10:17 - Lou Piniella pulls Lilly, which I think was the wrong decision. We'll see. Jones coming up with the speedy Pierre at first as the tying run. Carlos Marmol coming in.
10:20 - Jon Miller just said the field is starting to get wet. It's been raining for 25 minutes.
10:22 - Jones walks, 1st and 2nd, 0 outs. Morgan: "I think Ozzie (Guillen) will bunt. Ozzie plays smart ball, he doesn't play small ball, he plays smart ball." Moving on.
10:24 - Marmol stumbles on the mound and balks the runners to second and third.
10:25 - I'm not commenting on anything else the ESPN announcers say because it's too easy and I can't type that fast. Ramirez looks awful and strikes out. One out, runners at 2nd/3rd. The Cubs decide the best strategy right now is to put MORE runners on base. INT walk to Rios, loaded for Paul Konerko.
10:27 - Konerko hits into fielder's choice and Pierre is thrown out at the plate. Still loaded, two outs.
10:29 - Marmol gets out of it as Carlos Quentin flies out to center to end the game. Cubs win 1-0 and Lilly throws eight, one-hit innings. This hastily thrown-together live documetation of some guy's thoughts has been brought to you by The People for the Capture and Wheelbarrow Pushing to the Middle of Nowhere of John Kruk.
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