| time in MLB history a team has
hit two slams in an inning
*The last time a team had two grand slams in one inning in the
majors occurred April 23, 1999, when Fernando Tatis hit both for the
Cardinals in the third inning in Los Angeles against the Dodgers.
*It was the fifth time in Cubs history the team has allowed two
grand slams in a game, but never before in one inning.
The 40,157 fans, who had cheered the first five innings when
Marshall (5-8) dominated on the mound and helped the offense with his
first career home run, changed to a jeering throng. Some in the
bleachers tossed debris onto the field after the Mets' David Wright
hit the third home run of the sixth inning, a two-run drive off Novoa.
Grounds-crew members swept up the debris as Novoa exited having
retired only one batter and giving up six runs. Left-hander Will Ohman
finally ended the inning after walking two.
The damage might not have been of mammoth proportions but for a
pair of errors by Walker, who bobbled a ground ball off Beltran's bat
with one out. Walker later dropped a throw from third baseman Aramis
Ramirez on what could have been an inning-ending double play ball by
Ramon Castro, which would have stopped the damage at four runs.
Instead, nine more Mets batted.
''When a teammate struggles, it hurts all of us [to see],'' catcher
Michael Barrett said of Walker, who blamed himself for the
sixth-inning debacle. ''We do everything we can to pick each other up.
The Mets have a good team, and they hurt us.''
Until the sixth, Marshall was in control, striking out four and
walking none, with only solo homers by Floyd and Chris Woodward on the
board against him.
''Sean did a great job and was throwing the ball well,'' Baker
said. ''The grand slam Floyd hit [on a 1-2 pitch] ... he comes into
the came hitting .170 against lefties, and then he hits two home runs
off Sean.''
Buried in the avalanche of Mets runs was a night of 15 hits by the
Cubs, including homers from Marshall and pinch hitter Phil Nevin,
whose two-run shot in the seventh was the sixth pinch-hit homer of his
career. Juan Pierre went 4-for-5 with two stolen bases, Barrett was
3-for-5 with two doubles and Marshall also had a single.
''It was a frustrating game and frustrating loss,'' Barrett said.
''A quality start for Marshall [two runs on four hits before the
sixth], then it just got away from us. That's the first time I've ever
seen two grand slams in one inning. That's eight runs right there.
''I've said all year, and again, you have to put this behind you.''
tginnetti@suntimes.com
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