Yesterday’s opening day game of the Cubs against the Reds in Cincinnati was won by the Cubs with a score 16 to 7. The Cubs hit for the cycle in the first inning, Pierre’s first regular season at bat in a Cubs uniform produced a triple and Matt Murton in his first opening day start produced a home run Making the score 5-0. The Reds came back in the bottom of the first with one RBI.
Scott Hatteberg of the Reds struck back with a three-run homer during the third inning to bring the score to 5-4. During the sixth the Cubs brought the score up to twelve with seven RBI’s by going through the whole batting order and letting two bat twice. The Reds trickled their other three runs over the 5th, 6th, and 7th innings and during the ninth the cubs scored four more to bring the total up to 16.
With the youngest team since 1977 Cubs hope to break the curse a Chicago bar-keeper gave them in game four of the nineteen forty-five world series when they wouldn’t let him bring his goat into Wrigley Field. Over the years the Cubs have tried bringing goats to games to break the curse; on opening day in 1984, during a slump in 1994 (the year that ended early due to the strike), and 1998. This year they tried to change things up by bring a jackass to the game and giving him the ceremonial first pitch.
Before the game Manager Dusty Baker and reliever Bob Howry had to relinquish their trusty pocket knifes to the Secret Service so they wouldn’t try to cut an apple for Bush. (Frequently you'll see Dusty in the Dugout slicing up an apple for himself)
