ESPN decided to broadcast the Braves and Cubs game last night moving the start time of the game to 6:05 pm. I always prefer a 6 pm start to a Cubs game because I can plan to eat dinner after the game.
The GameThe Cubs took an early 4-0 lead and Randy Wells pitched 6 strong innings to lead the Cubs to a 4-2 victory over the visiting Atlanta Braves. Randy Wells is the first Cubs rookie since Kerry Wood to win four straight starts. Aramis Ramirez made his first start …

After the Cubs game, I drove to Toyota Park to watch the friendly match between Cracovia Krakow (of Poland’s Ekstraklasa) and CF Rayados de Monterrey (of Mexico’s Primera División de México).
Obtaining TicketsTickets for the match ranged between $25 and $45 at the box office which I considered expensive. I ended up paying $15 for a “comp” ticket with a face value of $0. But I still saved $10 than buying the ticket at the box office.
The GameMonterrey defeated Krakow 2-0 after scoring goals in the 47th and 71st …

On the final day of the holiday weekend, I planned a doubleheader. First up was the final game of the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs series. Second, was a friendly soccer match at Toyota Park.
Pre Game DiningBefore the game, the Ultimate Sports Wife and I ate breakfast at Salt & Pepper Diner – one of our usual pre-game brunch sports.
After brunch, we went to the outdoor patio at Vines on Clark (located at 3554 N. Clark St) since the weather was surprisingly nice. Vines on Clark …

Last year on July Fourth, the Ultimate Sports Wife and I were in San Francisco and attended the Dodgers at Giants game. The crowd that day was fairly subdued. The crowd at Wrigley Field today was subdued as well and for good reason.
The GameThe Brewers crushed the Cubs 11-2. They started out the game scoring at least one run in the first four innings taking a 9-2 lead. Cubs’ starter Rich Harden had the shortest outing of his career after pitching only 2 innings and facing 2 batters in the …

One of the benefits of living so close to any stadium is that while other people are traveling to the game, you can be productive around the house if needed. For example, today I decided to paint one of our bathrooms. I started at 9 am, taped and painted until 1 pm, walked to Wrigley Field for the 1:20 pm first pitch, was back in the house at 4:30 pm and finished painting at 6:30 pm.
The GameJake Fox drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the …

For the second time (three times if you count the postponed game) this season, I went to see the Kane County Cougars play. Today they hosted the Peoria Chiefs.
One great thing about Minor League Baseball is being able to see Major League players in a small ballpark when they are rehabilitating an injury. For example, three years ago, the Ultimate Sports Wife and I were attending a Lancaster JetHawks (of the California League) game and saw Craig Counsell in a rehab assignment. Today, I was hoping …