Opening Day Boxscore

Let's get in the "Wayback Machine" and head to April 4, 1989. We should have known following the ninth inning of that very day that the '89 club would be different.



The Cubs had finished 1988 in 4th place at 77-85(24.0 games behind the Mets). Following an offseason that included Jim Frey's controversial trade of Raffy Palmeiro to Texas, the Cubs had low expectations. They played horrible in Spring Training, finishing with a 9-23 mark in the Cactus League. That all changed when the Cubs came North. Here's Opening Day 1989!

_________________________
Chicago Cubs 5, Philadelphia Phillies 4
DayGame Played on Tuesday, April 4, 1989 (D)
at Wrigley Field

PHI N 0 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 0 - 4 10 0
CHI N 0 0 1 2 1 1 0 0 x - 5 12 2

BATTING
Philadelphia Phillies AB R H RBI BB SO PO A
Dernier cf 5 0 2 0 0 0 1 0
Herr 2b 5 0 1 0 0 0 4 4
V. Hayes 1b,rf 4 1 1 0 1 1 6 1
Schmidt 3b 5 1 1 1 0 1 2 3
James lf 5 0 1 0 0 1 2 0
Jones rf 3 1 2 0 0 0 1 0
Harris p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Parrett p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ford ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
McWilliams p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ryal 1b 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0
Thon ss 2 0 0 0 2 1 1 6
Daulton c 1 1 1 1 1 0 3 0
Jordan ph,1b 1 0 1 2 1 0 2 0
Bedrosian p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
Youmans p 2 0 0 0 0 2 1 0
Lake ph,c 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Totals 37 4 10 4 5 7 24 17

FIELDING -
DP: 3.

BATTING -
HR: Daulton (1,5th inning off Sutcliffe 0 on, 0 out); Schmidt (1,8th inning
off Schiraldi 0 on, 0 out).
IBB: Daulton (1,by Sutcliffe).
Team LOB: 11.

BASERUNNING -
CS: Dernier (1,2nd base by Sutcliffe/Girardi).

Chicago Cubs AB R H RBI BB SO PO A
Walton cf 4 0 2 1 0 0 2 0
Webster lf 4 0 1 0 0 0 8 0
Sandberg 2b 4 1 2 1 0 0 0 2
Dawson rf 3 1 1 2 1 1 0 0
Grace 1b 4 0 2 0 0 0 6 2
Law 3b 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 3
Dunston ss 3 1 0 0 1 2 2 2
Girardi c 3 1 2 0 1 0 7 1
Sutcliffe p 2 1 2 0 0 0 2 0
Wilson p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Schiraldi p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Williams p 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Totals 32 5 12 4 4 3 27 10

FIELDING -
E: Walton (1), Girardi (1).
BATTING -
2B: Sandberg (1,off Youmans); Grace (1,off McWilliams).
HR: Dawson (1,4th inning off Youmans 1 on, 0 out).
IBB: Dawson (1,by Youmans).
Team LOB: 7.
BASERUNNING -
CS: Dunston (1,2nd base by Bedrosian/Lake).

PITCHING
Philadelphia Phillies IP H R ER BB SO HR
Youmans L(0-1) 5 9 4 4 1 3 1
Harris 0.1 1 1 1 1 0 0
Parrett 1.2 1 0 0 0 0 0
McWilliams 0.1 1 0 0 0 0 0
Bedrosian 0.2 0 0 0 2 0 0
Totals 8 12 5 5 4 3 1

Chicago Cubs IP H R ER BB SO HR
Sutcliffe W(1-0) 5.2 5 3 3 3 4 1
Wilson 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
Schiraldi 1.2 1 1 1 0 0 1
Williams SV(1) 1.2 3 0 0 2 3 0
Totals 9 10 4 4 5 7 2

BK: Parrett (1), Williams (1).
IBB: Youmans (1,Dawson); Sutcliffe (1,Daulton).

Umpires: Bruce Froemming, Terry Tata, Dana DeMuth, Steve Rippley
Time of Game: 3:06 Attendance: 33,361
______________________

The above boxscore does not do the ninth inning justice. For that let's goto retrosheet.org for play-by-play of the top of nine:

PHILLIES 9TH: Dernier singled to center; Herr singled to left [Dernier to second]; V. Hayes singled to shortstop [Dernier to third, Herr to second]; Schmidt struck out; James struck out; Ryal struck out; 0 R, 3 H, 0 E, 3 LOB. Phillies 4, Cubs 5.

Add to that craziness that Mitch Williams had relieved Schiraldi in the 8th put the go ahead runs on via the walk and got former Cub Steve Lake to flyout. That day would begin the up and downs of Mitch Williams as Cub closer. Thankfully in 1989 there 36 ups (saves).

Following the Opening Day Magic the Cubs would lose two games, then win 7 in a row! En route to their second NL East title in 6 seasons, the '89 Cubs were refreshing. These Cubs were not classic underachievers like so many Cub teams. They played way over their ski's all season. Their 93 win season has not been matched since by this franchise, still you can make the argument that several clubs had more talent.

They would end up losing to the Giants 4-1 in the NLCS, still I feel this Cub team got more out of the talent they had than any other Cub club I have watched in my lifetime. This team was dramatic as well. The '89 Cubs had 33 comeback wins (20 of those coming after July 20).

The 1989 Cubs season is my favorite season. When I'm pissed off and need to go to my "happy place", I go to August 1989, no box seats for me, I'm in SRO down the left field line at Wrigley Field on a hot afternoon. That boys and girls is my "happy place". Ahh the smell of first place.