In the process of extending their winning streak to 10 games for the first time since 1976, the White Sox may have played a part in ending Carlos Zambrano's Cubs career on Friday afternoon.
But as entertaining as it was to see Zambrano making an incredibly ridiculous "GRRRRRRRRR ANGRY" face in the dugout, I feel a little bit sad that it's going to overshadow the other time he melted down against the White Sox.
It was only 362 days ago when Zambrano threw wide on a pitchout that would've busted a suicide squeeze. Instead, Zambrano threw it way too wide and Chris Getz stole home.
Zambrano then threw a different kind of tantrum, hitting Dewayne Wise intentionally ("IT'S YOUR FAULT I DID THIS NNNNNGH!"), and then throwing over to first waaaay too often ("BE. OUT. ALREADY. AUUUUUGH!"), only to see Wise steal second on him anyway.
The cherry on top -- he walked Scott Podsednik, and after Lou Piniella pulled him from the game, he gave a point to God on the way to the dugout. I'm sure God appreciated being dragged into that display.
Don't get me wrong, I laughed at Friday's tantrum. I liked that face so much I just made it my Twitter avatar. I just thought his one from last year had a few more layers, a little more nuance, to his destructive lunacy. Your mileage may vary.
Fittingly enough, that was also a 6-0 shutout.
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Minor league roundup:
- Charlotte 5, Buffalo 2
- Daniel Hudson, solid: 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR.
- Brent Morel went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
- Jordan Danks went 1-for-3 with a sac bunt and an RBI, striking out once.
- Tyler Flowers went 0-for-3 with a sac fly and two strikeouts.
- Birmingham 3, Chattanooga 2
- Brandon Hynick struck out nine over seven innings, allowing a solo homer and five other hits with zero walks.
- Christian Marrero went 0-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored.
- C.J. Retherford struck out twice in three at-bats with a sac bunt.
- Frederick 11, Winston-Salem 2
- Jon Gilmore hit his fourth homer, a two-run shot. He also added a single.
- Eduardo Escobar also had a two-hit night.
- Brandon Short went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- Charles Leesman allowed six runs on six hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out three.
- Kyle Bellamy struck out two over 1 2/3 innings of scoreless ball. He allowed two hits and one of two inherited runners to score.
- Augusta 9, Kannapolis 3
- Justin Collop allowed five runs (three earned) on nine hits and a walk over five innings, striking out three.
- Miguel Gonzalez went 0-for-4 with a strikeout.
- Brady Shoemaker singled and struck out over four at-bats.
- Bristol 5, Princeton 2
- Jose Martinez, still a .500 hitter: 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
- Josh Phegley singled, walked and was hit by a pitch.
- Tyler Saladino walked, bunted and struck out twice; Rangel Ravelo went 0-for-4.
- Darwin Matos struck out six over six quality innings; he allowed two runs on six hits and a walk.
