Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Cubs 365, September 26

On this day in 1989 the Cubs clinched a division title. The Little Engine That Could ("The Boys of Zimmer") did it in the least glamorous location in the big leagues--Montreal's Olympic Stadium. Only 11,000 fans were in the stands, and in that huge ballpark, it looked like half as many.

Greg Maddux was sharp on the mound for the Cubs. He gave up only one extra base hit all game (a double to Tim Raines), but he ran out of gas in the bottom of the ninth. Mitch "the Wild Thing" Williams was brought in to close it out. He got pinch hitter Wallace Johnson to pop out to second for the second out.

That left it up to another Expos pinch hitter, Mike Fitzgerald. With the tying run on third base, Williams reared back and fired. He ended the game the way every clinching game should be ended; STRIKE THREE!