The Cubs improved their record to 13-3 behind yet another strong outing by Duke Guthrie. Guthrie gave up a scant 3 hits and fanned 17 on his way to victory number 7. Oddly, as stated in Guthrie's contract under incentive clause number 2, "...with the seventh win of the season "the Cubs" dba Cambridge Cubs baseball organization, shall purchase one silent buttler for exclusive use by the signer of this contract". Cubs management currently is seeking out silent buttler salesmen. Sources indicate that Guthrie could not be more pleased.

The game was much closer than the score would indicate. That is until the 8 run 8th by the Cubs. Scoring began in the second inning, when Bruce Anderson and Joe Doucette executed a perfect hit and run. With two outs, Anderson (who was on second base after smashing a monster double to right field) took off for third on the pitch. Meanwhile at the plate Doucette slapped a single into the vacated hole at second base, plating Anderson and giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead. The lead would be short lived, as the Bombers plated their only run in the top of the third, aided by an error by Doucette who thought it would be easier to catch a ground ball with his shoulder as opposed to his glove.

The Doucette/Anderson combo clicked again in the fifth. With Anderson on third, a sac fly to right by Doucette plated Anderson with what would turn out to be the winning run. Then in the sixth a clutch two out single by Damon Smith knocked in two more runs to stake Guthrie and the Cubs to a three run lead.

In the eighth inning, the Cubs left little doubt as to the game's outcome. Prompted by Damon Smith's "show no mercy, take no prisoners" creed of demoralization, the Cubs batted around and piled on 8 runs. The inning was highlighted by a bases loaded two run single by Greg Elbaum and Mike Colombo's two hits in the inning. Smith added another two run single as if to emphasize his above motto.

The Cubs moved to 13-3 with the victory. Two wins shy of breaking a franchise record for wins.

Next up is a road game against the defending champion Revere Lugnuts on Sunday, July 24th at 10:00 AM.

(Game Summary by Joe Doucette)

A nail biter at Trum. A weary but tough Yankee line-up, playing in its second game of the day, gave the Cubs all they could handle on an overcast Sunday afternoon at Trum. Tony Preteroti got the start for the Cubs and provided 5 innings, striking out 4 while surrendering 4 hits and 3 free passes.

At one point, he was set up to notch the win, since the Cubs led 5-4 after 5.

Over the next two innings, however, the Yankees would add 3 more, and entered the bottom of the 7th and final inning with a 7-5 lead. That deficit could have been a lot larger, if not for an unlikely defensive development.

Already trailing by 2 runs in the top of the 7th, with two Yankees on and nobody out, the Cubs turned a triple play to snuff the Yankee rally . The play began with a 6-4-3 DP. Jeff Meyer finished it off with a 1st to 3rd throw to notch the 3rd out of the play by nailing the Yankee runner, who had over turned the corner from third to home.

After two quick outs to start the bottom of the 7th, the Cubs were down to their final out. Johnny Aceto got things started with a clutch single down the 3rd base line. Ish and Jaime Waters reached to load the bases. Ish Laboy tied the game on a gutsy play, scoring from 3rd on a close play at the plate brought on by a passed ball that didn't get far enough away. Damon Smith delivered a full count exploding hop single to knock in the game-winner for the Cubs.

Billy Burton picked up his 2nd Win of the year, moving to 2-0 via a 2 IP, 3 Runs (1 Earned), 1K, 1BB, 3H line.

Carlos Quinones started for the Yanks and pitched 3 solid innings and added an RBI double to help his own cause, but had to leave the game after his 4th HB.

A VERY tight game whose outcome could easily gone the other way. The Cubs were fortunate to move to 9-2. But, good teams make their own good fortune and have a knack for winning games when they aren't playing their best.

Next up for the Cubs is an 8:00 game at Trum against the Orioles on Thursday, June 23rd.

(Game Summary by Michael Colombo & Joe Doucette)

They say pitching and defense win ballgames. If this is the case, then Sunday's tilt against the crosstown rival Cambridge Warriors proved this point to indeed be true. The steamy Sunday saw KMac dominate the Warrior offense, giving up only 4 hits and 2 runs (one earned) and adding 10k's through 7 1/3 innings. KMac also added some clutch K's, notably whiffing a particular Warrior shortly after having his life threatened, suitably embarrassing him on a nasty curve, adding insult to injury. Jamie Waters picked up the save with 1 2/3 scoreless and hitless innings, preserving the win for the Cubs and Kmac.

The other story of the day was the defense. Damon Smith was the star of the day, dishing out detention to would be warrior hits and runs. First, he provided a spectacular diving catch of a certain RBI single to stifle a warrior rally late in the game, then added an outfield assist to gun down another at the plate. Johnny Ace finished the play at the plate with a bare-handed catch of the throw from Smith and provided a diving tag to cut down the runner at the plate. Suitably, the game ended on a 6-4-3 double play. Tony Preteroti to Ish Laboy to Robert Belinky, who finished the play with by digging out Ish's throw with a scoop that would make George "Boomer" Scott proud (or perhaps Don Mattingly if viewed form the Kmac, Ish, Damon, Belinky perspective)

At the plate the Cubs were clutch. With one out in the 9th, Mike Colombo began the inning with a solid single. Then, after a phantom catch for an out was overturned on an Ish groundball, Jaime Waters provided the finishing touch in the 9th with a 2RBI single to plate Colombo and Ish.

(Game Summary by Joe Doucette)

Returning to their old stomping grounds of Rindge Field for the first time in the 2005 season, the Cubs walked away unblemished following a tight affair against a quality Viper squad. Rain that was predicted the entire weekend held off, allowing the contest to be played to completion. Cooperation by the weather to allow the game to be played in its entirety was fortuitous, since the 9^th inning ended up holding high drama.

The Cubs led throughout the early going, sprinkling in runs in the 2^nd and the 5^th off the bats of Tony Preteroti and Billy Burton. Despite not having his best fastball to rely on, Duke “Diggler” Guthrie kept the Vipers off the board through eight, striking out ten, walking seven and yielding five hits en route to the complete game victory, moving his record to 3-0 on the year.

A wildly inconsistent strike zone "shockingly" plagued both squads, leading to a disproportionate number of called third strikes, swings at balls that batters knew to be out of the strike zone, and frustrating walks yielded by pitchers. At least the home plate umpiring was consistently inconsistent. Equally bad for both teams, it did not effect the outcome, but was noteworthy.

The Cubs carried a 2-0 lead into the 9^th that the Vipers eradicated via walks, bleeders and opportunistic base running leading to two runs, one earned. After the final out of the top of the inning was recorded with the game squared at two, teams were informed that due to time considerations, the next half inning would be the last played and, if the Cubs did not score, the game would end in a tie.

The do or tie situation quickly awakened the Cub offense. Joe Doucette drew a one out walk, and was pinch run for by a recently testicularly tested Greg Elbaum. Greg advanced to 2^nd when Damon Smith singled on a 3-2 pitch. (To be strictly accurate, Greg advanced about 10 feet past 2^nd base, then crawled back to the bag after slipping, but he ended up safely on 2^nd, and that is all that matters…) After being granted new life courtesy of a dropped foul pop on the third base line, Jeff Meyer drove Elbaum home with the game winning single.

As has been the case all season, the Cubs never quit, and found a way to win when the game was on the line. Strassmann threw a solid 8⅓ for the Vipers, but was barely bested by a gutsy Cubs squad. Guthrie tightened up when he had to throughout the game, keeping North Reading off the board, despite a good number of runners reaching scoring position.

Next up for the Cubs is another Sunday morning contest against the Boston Braves of Franklin at Locke Field in Billerica.

(Game Summary by Michael Colombo)

The ineradicable Cubs strike again...!

The Mets overcame an early Cub 2-0 lead with 6 runs in the third inning. However, as is the case with the Cubs v.2005, no opponent's lead is safe. This adage was once again followed by the resolute adopted sons of Cambridge. Tony Preteroti started for the Cubs, throwing 5 solid innings and was better than his pitching line would otherwise indicate. A puzzling strikezone by the the homeplate umpire added up to several walks and long counts. This, along with several less than solid hits helped the Mets put up 6 runs in the third. Oddly, even with the amorphous strikezone Tony struck out the side in the third.

The Cubs offensive output remained dormant until the sixth inning when, sparked by Mike Colombo's hustle on a ball booted by first base, the Cubs put up two runs. After two outs in the inning, and a walk by Damon Smith, Jeff Meyer missed going yard (at Trum) by 5 feet with a blast down the left field line. He settled for a double and 2 RBI.

In the seventh, with one out recorded, the Cubs once again sprung to life with four consecutive singles by Guthrie, Elbaum, KMac and Colombo. KMac's and Colombo's singles each drove in a run with Colombo bringing in the go ahead run. A double by Damon Smith plated two more to round out the scoring and comeback.

Billy Burton notched his first win of the season, throwing an impressive 6th and 7th. Solid in relief, Burton fanned four and added a pickoff of a runner at second. In the bottom of the seventh, Burton whiffed the side. Unflappable, he struck out the final batter looking with the bases loaded to secure the victory and bring the Cubs to 4-0 to start the season.

Next up for the Cubs is a 9:00 contest versus the Vipers, Sunday, May 15 at Rindge Field.

(Game Summary by Joe Doucette)

Cubs win 9-8 with 4 runs in the bottom of the ninth!

Duke and Kmac combined for 9 K's. Duke drove in the tying runs with 2 outs in the ninth with single up the middle. Johnny Ace delivered the winning run on a ground ball to short that was dropped by the second baseman on the force to second. Steve Ceppi (running for Duke) scored as second base held the ball.

The Cubs rookies proved to be the difference as Duke picked up the win and the games tying RBI in his Cubs debut. Greg Elbaum and Bruce Anderson each scored twice and Damon Smith scored once.

Steve Ceppi seemed to be on base all night, serving as courtesy runner for just about everyone on the team.

Ok...really just Duke and sometimes Kevin but on his own linescore he stole two bases.

On the downside Cubs defense began the game and the season on shaky ground by posting 6 errors in the first two innings.

The D improved in the last seven by only posting one error, a 1-6-3 DP and some nice plays by Billy Burton at third.

An exciting start to the season!

(Game Summary by Joe Doucette)