Agony & Ivy

Len and Bob on the Royal Wedding

It was one of those nights.

The Cubs trailed 7-0 in the first inning.Thank goodness for the Cubs broadcast crews, who helped ease the pain with their banter.

Cubs 1, Padres 0 (10 innings)

Hero: Carlos Zambrano remained undefeated since his meltdown at Comiskey Park on June 25 with eight innings of three-hit ball. Zambrano struck out 10 - the first time he achieved double-digits in strikeouts since his no-hitter on Sept. 14, 2008 - and walked just one.

For whatever it's worth, it was the Cubs' first "quality start" since Randy Wells turned one in against Arizona on April 4. The "quality start" statistic is as nonsensical as the "game-winning RBI." A pitcher who lasts just six innings and allows three runs is credited with a "quality start." The benchmark for what is deemed "quality" should be a bit higher.

April 1, 2011: Aisle 233, Row 8, Seat 110

I turned 41 on April 1 and I can't think of a better birthday present than the one my wife, Denise, gave me this year - three tickets to this year's Opening Day game between the Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field.

Booth Review

We're just five games into the new season, but Cubs TV broadcasters Len Kasper and Bob Brenly, now in their seventh season together, are already in midseason form.

Flock of Seagulls

There was nothing routine about the high fly ball that center fielder Marlon Byrd hauled in to end Monday's 4-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field.

Greatest Moments, No. 4: The Sandberg Game

The Cubs' season was at a crossroads when the St. Louis Cardinals visited Wrigley Field for a three-game series, June 22-24, 1984.

Greatest Moments: No. 9, Scratching a 39-Year Itch

(Editor's Note: Twenty-second in a series recalling the 30 greatest moments in Cubs history.)

When a Jody Davis sacrifice fly in the ninth inning finished off a 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field on Aug. 1, 1984, the Cubs moved into first place to stay. But even by the time the North Siders had fattened their NL East lead to seven games over the second-place New York Mets in early September, I still was waiting for bad things to happen.

13 Moments to Forget

You don't put together a 103-year championship drought without a few infamous and embarrassing moments. Cubs history is full of head-scratching and gut-wrenching moments. I believe these are the 13 worst:

1984: Trout Pushes Padres to Brink

While I was sitting in my freshman year world history class on the morning of Oct. 3, 1984 - while my teacher, Mr. Kelly, discussed the Hammurabi Code - my mind far too easily wandered from the subject matter ("an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth") to how I would be spending my afternoon.

1984: A Memorable Night in Pittsburgh

When a Jody Davis sacrifice fly in the ninth inning finished off a 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field on Aug. 1, 1984, the Cubs moved into first place to stay. But even by the time the North Siders had fattened their NL East lead to seven games over the second-place New York Mets in early September, I still was waiting for bad things to happen.

Milner Rains on Rainey's Parade

"C'mon Chris, give it up!" has been the constant refrain of family members and friends in recent weeks.

Dallas Green's Snafu

This week's snafu in which the Cubs mistakenly recalled an ineligible Micah Hoffpauir from Triple-A Iowa brings to mind a front office mistake that could have cost the North Siders their National League East championship in 1984.

A Herculean Relief Effort

It was great to see Scott Sanderson at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night as the guest conductor for "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."