2003 Chicago Cubs season
Encyclopedia
The Chicago Cubs
' 2003 season
was the 131st season for the Cubs. The Cubs went 88-74 during the season and won the National League Central Division for the first time since the division's formation in 1994, and the team's first division title since their 1989
NL East title. In the playoffs the Cubs defeated the Atlanta Braves
3 games to 2 in the NLDS
for their first playoff series win since 1908
. The Cubs lost to the Florida Marlins 4 games to 3 in the NLCS
.
The Cubs were coming off of a poor year in 2002
, and their playoff run which led them nearly to the World Series exceeded the expectations most observers had before the season. The team's success can be attributed first and foremost to its starting rotation, which featured Mark Prior
, Kerry Wood
, Carlos Zambrano
, and Matt Clement
, all of whom won at least 13 games. The pitching staff as a whole led the National League in Strikeouts with 1,404, over 100 more than any other team. While not nearly as dominant in hitting, the Cubs' lineup was bolstered by acquisitions at what was a very active trade deadline which included Aramis Ramirez
, Randall Simon
, and Kenny Lofton
.
The 2003 season brought a great deal of national attention to the Cubs franchise, both positive and negative. On one hand, their surprising regular season run to 1st place in the NL Central, and the excellent performances of their top three pitchers, all of which were age 26 or younger, seemed to suggest that the Cubs would be a contender in the NL for the foreseeable future. At the same time, however, the Cubs' squandering of the 3-1 series lead in the NLCS, and the manner in which it occurred, seemed to reaffirm the perceptions of the Cubs as "lovable losers" and a cursed franchise.
vs. Chicago Cubs
faced Russ Ortiz
. Both pitchers were on their game and in the bottom of the 3rd the Braves struck first when Marcus Giles
homered to make it 1-0 Braves. The score remained 1-0 until the top of the 6th. The Cubs would load the bases with three consecutive hits to lead off the inning. But Ortiz got the next two outs, with the last of the two being an RBI groundout by Paul Bako
. But Wood would add insult to injury by doubling in two runs and then scoring on Kenny Lofton
's single. That made it 4-1 Cubs. A forceout gave the Braves a run in the 8th, but Joe Borowski closed the door in the 9th. Combined, the Cubs bullpen allowed only three hits.
faced Mike Hampton
. Hampton immediately ran into trouble in the 1st when two leadoff walks put two men on for Sammy Sosa
. Sosa would double in the first run of the game, then Moisés Alou
would bring in a run on a fielder's choice. After Aramis Ramirez
singled to load the bases, Hampton managed to save the inning and the game by striking out three consecutive batters to end the inning. The Braves would cut the lead in half when Chipper Jones
forced Mark DeRosa
, allowing Rafael Furcal
to score in the bottom half of the 1st. Then Andruw Jones
's RBI single tied the game in the 4th. In the bottom of the 6th, Marcus Giles
would give the Braves the lead with an RBI hit to left field. A sacrifice fly by Tom Goodwin
tied the game in the 8th. But Mark DeRosa
's two run double put the Braves ahead 5-3 and John Smoltz
would close the door in the 9th.
faced Mark Prior
. In the bottom of the 1st, the Cubs put two runs on the board thanks to Randall Simon
's two run single. But no one would be able to score off Maddux or Prior again until the 8th inning. A sacrifice fly by Marcus Giles
cut the lead in half after Mark DeRosa
doubled and moved to third on a ground out. But Aramis Ramirez
would give Prior insurance with an RBI double in the bottom of the 8th. Prior would go on to pitch a complete game two hit masterpiece. Game 3 would Maddux's last postseason start with the Braves.
faced Matt Clement
, hoping to end the series. Both pitchers held off the opposition until the Cubs broke through in the bottom of the 3rd. Moisés Alou
would double in Sammy Sosa
to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead. But Darren Bragg
's forceout allowed Julio Franco
to score to tie the game in the top of the 4th. Then Chipper Jones
's two run homer gave the Braves a 3-1 lead in the 5th. Then Vinny Castilla
would add another run later in the inning with an RBI single to make it 4-1. The Cubs would scratch out a run in the 6th, but Chipper Jones
's second two run home run made it 6-2 Braves in the 8th. Eric Karros would give the Cubs a run in the bottom half with a solo homer and then in the 9th the Cubs would score again but John Smoltz
would get the save and send the series back to Atlanta.
this time faced Mike Hampton
. Hampton would once again give up early runs when the Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the 1st with a Moisés Alou
RBI single. Then Alex Gonzalez's leadoff homer gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead. Then Aramis Ramirez
's two run homer silenced the crowd in the 6th. That made it 4-0 Chicago. An RBI forceout by Gary Sheffield
gave the Braves their only run of the night in the 6th. But the Cubs would add a run in the 9th thanks to an error by Vinny Castilla
to take a commanding 5-1 lead. The Braves would be sent down 1-2-3 in the 9th and the Cubs' win in Game 5 gave the Cubs their first postseason series win since the 1908 World Series
.
, Chicago, Illinois
, Chicago
, Illinois
, Miami, Florida
, Miami, Florida
, Miami, Florida
With the Marlins facing elimination, Josh Beckett kept them alive by dominating the Cubs, holding them to just two hits and one walk as part of his standout 2003 postseason. The game was scoreless until the sixth inning when Mike Lowell hit a two-run homer. Iván Rodríguez and Jeff Conine homered in the seventh and eighth innings respectively. Even with the loss, the Cubs looked good going back home with their two aces, Mark Prior and Kerry Wood ready to start Games 6 and 7.
, Chicago
, Illinois
The Cubs held a 3-0 lead going into the top of the eighth inning in Game 6 and, after Mike Mordecai
hit a high pop fly
to left field
for the first out of the inning, had only two outs left in the inning—leaving the team a mere 5 outs away from their first World Series berth since 1945.
Prior had retired the last eight hitters and had allowed only three hits up to that point. Center fielder
Juan Pierre
(who was later traded to the Cubs) then hit a double
off Prior.
On the eighth pitch of his at bat
, Luis Castillo
hit a high foul ball toward the left field wall. Cubs left fielder Moisés Alou
headed toward the stands to catch the ball for the potential second out. As Alou reached for the ball, Cubs fan Steve Bartman, along with others near the area, did the same. The ball bounced off Bartman's hand and into the stands. Though the Cubs pleaded for a call of fan interference
, the umpire
ruled that the ball had left the field of play and was therefore up for grabs. Alou initially acknowledged that he would not have made the catch though he later denied making such a statement and said if he had, it was only to make him feel better.
As a result, Castillo remained an active batter at home plate. On the next pitch, Prior walked
Castillo on a wild pitch
that got away from catcher
Paul Bako
, also allowing Pierre to advance to third base.
Next, Iván Rodríguez
hit an 0-2 pitch hard into left field, singling
and scoring Pierre. Miguel Cabrera
then hit a ground ball
toward Cubs shortstop
Alex Gonzalez that could have ended the inning on a double play
. Gonzalez, who led all NL shortstops in fielding percentage
, closed his glove a little too early and the ball landed in the dirt, allowing Cabrera to get on base, loading the bases. On the next pitch, Derrek Lee
(a future Cubs' All-Star) drilled a double
into left field, scoring Castillo and Rodríguez to tie the game at 3-3.
Prior was then taken out of the game and replaced by Kyle Farnsworth
, who intentionally walked
Mike Lowell
to load the bases. Jeff Conine
then hit a sacrifice fly
to right field for the second out of the inning, allowing Cabrera to score from third and the other runners to each advance one base. This gave the Marlins their first lead of the night. Farnsworth intentionally walked Todd Hollandsworth
(another future Cub) to once again load the bases.
The Marlins now having batted around the order, Farnsworth faced Mike Mordecai
, who was looking to make up for his earlier out. This time, Mordecai prevailed, hitting a bases-clearing double to left-center field, allowing Lee, Lowell and Hollandsworth to score and making it a 7-3 Marlins lead.
Farnsworth was then taken out of the game and replaced by Mike Remlinger
, who gave up a single to Pierre to score Mordecai from second base. Finally, Luis Castillo hit a high pop fly ball to shallow right field for the third out.
The Marlins' lead held, forcing a final Game 7.
, Chicago
, Illinois
The Marlins got off to a quick 3–0 lead in the first inning against Cubs pitching ace Kerry Wood, who hadn't lost at Wrigley Field in nearly six weeks. The Cubs responded by tying the ball game 3–3 in the second inning, which featured a two-run home run by Wood. Moisés Alou's two-run home run the following inning put Chicago up 5–3, but the lead wouldn't last. In the fifth inning, Florida capitalized on a pair of walks and scored three runs to go on top 6–5, a lead they would not relinquish. The Marlins added a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh to expand their lead to 9–5. Cubs pinch-hitter Troy O'Leary hit a home run the bottom of the seventh, making the score 9–6. After the Cubs were retired in order in the eighth inning, Florida closer Ugueth Urbina hit Aramis Ramirez with a pitch to lead off the ninth inning and proceeded to retire the following three batters, giving the Marlins their second National League Pennant in their eleven-year existence.
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
' 2003 season
2003 Major League Baseball season
*World Series MVP: Josh Beckett**American League Championship Series MVP: Mariano Rivera**National League Championship Series MVP: Iván Rodríguez*All-Star Game, July 15 at U.S...
was the 131st season for the Cubs. The Cubs went 88-74 during the season and won the National League Central Division for the first time since the division's formation in 1994, and the team's first division title since their 1989
1989 Chicago Cubs season
The Chicago Cubs season marked the last time the Cubs would win their division prior to the realignment to six divisions in which moved the Cubs to the National League Central, in which they would not win until 2003. Winning the division put the Cubs in the playoffs, which they would not return...
NL East title. In the playoffs the Cubs defeated the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
3 games to 2 in the NLDS
2003 National League Division Series
-San Francisco Giants vs. Florida Marlins:-Game 1, September 30:Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaIn Game 1, Kerry Wood faced Russ Ortiz. Both pitchers were on their game and in the bottom of the third the Braves struck first when Marcus Giles homered to make it 1–0 Braves. The score remained 1–0...
for their first playoff series win since 1908
1908 World Series
The 1908 World Series matched the defending champion Chicago Cubs against the Detroit Tigers in a rematch of the 1907 Series. In this first-ever rematch of this young event, the Cubs won in five games for their second consecutive title....
. The Cubs lost to the Florida Marlins 4 games to 3 in the NLCS
2003 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 7, 2003 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisThe Marlins took Game 1 of the series, coming back from an early 4–0 deficit. They scored five runs in the third on three home runs from Juan Encarnacion, rookie Miguel Cabrera, and Ivan "Pudge" Rodríguez. In the sixth inning,...
.
The Cubs were coming off of a poor year in 2002
2002 Major League Baseball season
The Major League Baseball season finished with the Anaheim Angels defeating the San Francisco Giants in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series.-Major league baseball final standings:...
, and their playoff run which led them nearly to the World Series exceeded the expectations most observers had before the season. The team's success can be attributed first and foremost to its starting rotation, which featured Mark Prior
Mark Prior
Mark William Prior is an American professional baseball pitcher in the New York Yankees organization. He pitched for the Chicago Cubs from 2002-2006. His repertoire of pitches includes a low to mid 90s fastball, a curveball, a slurve, and a changeup.-Amateur career:Prior graduated from the...
, Kerry Wood
Kerry Wood
Kerry Lee Wood is a National Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Wood recorded over 200 strikeouts in four out of his first five seasons, with a high of 266 in 2003....
, Carlos Zambrano
Carlos Zambrano
Carlos Alberto Zambrano is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball. Zambrano, who stands 6' 5" and weighs 260 pounds, was signed by the Cubs as a free agent in 1997 and made his debut in 2001...
, and Matt Clement
Matt Clement
Matthew Paul Clement is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher. Clement played for the San Diego Padres , Florida Marlins , Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox . While on the Red Sox active roster, he was injured all of the 2007 season...
, all of whom won at least 13 games. The pitching staff as a whole led the National League in Strikeouts with 1,404, over 100 more than any other team. While not nearly as dominant in hitting, the Cubs' lineup was bolstered by acquisitions at what was a very active trade deadline which included Aramis Ramirez
Aramis Ramírez
Aramis Nin Ramírez is an All-Star Major League Baseball third baseman for the Chicago Cubs.He started his professional career with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1998, before being traded to the Cubs in 2003. On November 12, 2006, Ramírez signed a five-year deal with the Cubs...
, Randall Simon
Randall Simon
Randall Carlito Simon is a professional baseball first baseman. He has played all or part of eight seasons in Major League Baseball and one in Nippon Professional Baseball between 1997 and 2006. Simon's debut season came with the Atlanta Braves in 1997, for whom he played until 1999...
, and Kenny Lofton
Kenny Lofton
Kenneth Lofton is a former Major League Baseball outfielder known for his great speed on the base paths as well as in the field, award-winning defensive play , timely hitting, and playful spirit. He batted and threw left-handed...
.
The 2003 season brought a great deal of national attention to the Cubs franchise, both positive and negative. On one hand, their surprising regular season run to 1st place in the NL Central, and the excellent performances of their top three pitchers, all of which were age 26 or younger, seemed to suggest that the Cubs would be a contender in the NL for the foreseeable future. At the same time, however, the Cubs' squandering of the 3-1 series lead in the NLCS, and the manner in which it occurred, seemed to reaffirm the perceptions of the Cubs as "lovable losers" and a cursed franchise.
Offseason
- December 4, 2002: Todd HundleyTodd HundleyTodd Randolph Hundley is a former Major League Baseball catcher and outfielder. He is the son of former Chicago Cubs catcher Randy Hundley...
was traded by the Chicago Cubs with Chad Hermansen to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Mark Grudzielanek and Eric Karros. - January 13, 2003: Midre Cummings was signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago Cubs.
- January 13, 2003: Aaron Small was signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago Cubs.
- March 4, 2003: Trenidad Hubbard was signed as a Free Agent with the Chicago Cubs.
- March 29, 2003: Aaron Small was released by the Chicago Cubs.
Transactions
- April 21, 2003: Trenidad Hubbard was purchased by the Chicago Cubs from Oaxaca (Mexican League).
- May 9, 2003: Alan Benes was sent to the Texas Rangers by the Chicago Cubs as part of a conditional deal.
- June 3, 2003: Sam Fuld was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 24th round of the 2003 amateur draft, but did not sign.
- June 3, 2003: Tim LincecumTim LincecumTimothy Leroy Lincecum is an American professional baseball starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. He was nicknamed "The Freak" and "Big Time Timmy Jim" and "The Franchise." He throws right-handed and bats left-handed....
was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 48th round of the 2003 amateur draft, but did not sign. - June 20, 2003: Mark Bellhorn was traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Colorado Rockies for Jose Hernandez.
- July 23, 2003: Kenny LoftonKenny LoftonKenneth Lofton is a former Major League Baseball outfielder known for his great speed on the base paths as well as in the field, award-winning defensive play , timely hitting, and playful spirit. He batted and threw left-handed...
was traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates with Aramis Ramirez and cash to the Chicago Cubs for a player to be named later, Jose Hernandez, and Matt Bruback (minors). The Chicago Cubs sent Bobby Hill (August 15, 2003) to the Pittsburgh Pirates to complete the trade. - August 17, 2003: Randall Simon was traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Chicago Cubs for Ray Sadler.
Roster
| 2003 Chicago Cubs | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers |
Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders |
Manager Coaches (first base) (special asst) (third base) (bullpen) (hitting) (bench) (pitching) |
||||||
Game log
| 2003 Game Log | |
|---|---|
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | Mark Grudzielanek Mark Grudzielanek Mark James Grudzielanek is a retired Major League Baseball second baseman and shortstop. Grudzielanek played six different teams during his 15-season career. He batted and threw right-handed.-Early years:... |
121 | 481 | 151 | .314 | 3 | 38 |
| 3B | Aramis Ramirez Aramis Ramírez Aramis Nin Ramírez is an All-Star Major League Baseball third baseman for the Chicago Cubs.He started his professional career with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1998, before being traded to the Cubs in 2003. On November 12, 2006, Ramírez signed a five-year deal with the Cubs... |
159 | 607 | 165 | .272 | 27 | 106 |
| SS | 152 | 536 | 122 | .228 | 20 | 59 | |
| LF | Moisés Alou Moisés Alou Moisés Rojas Alou |Spanish:]] ; born July 3, 1966 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 17 seasons in the National League. In 1,942 career games, Alou had a batting average of .303 with 2,134 hits, 421 doubles, 332 home runs, and 1,287 runs... |
151 | 565 | 158 | .280 | 22 | 91 |
| RF | Sammy Sosa Sammy Sosa Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007.... |
137 | 517 | 144 | .279 | 40 | 103 |
Other batters
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenny Lofton Kenny Lofton Kenneth Lofton is a former Major League Baseball outfielder known for his great speed on the base paths as well as in the field, award-winning defensive play , timely hitting, and playful spirit. He batted and threw left-handed... |
56 | 208 | 68 | .327 | 3 | 20 |
Starting pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|
Other pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|
Relief pitchers
| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Félix Sánchez Félix Sánchez (baseball) Félix Antonio Sánchez is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played in the major leagues briefly with the Chicago Cubs as a September callup in .... |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.80 | 2 |
2003 NLDS
Atlanta Braves2003 Atlanta Braves season
-Offseason:*November 20, 2002: Donzell McDonald was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.*December 18, 2002: Paul Byrd was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.*December 19, 2002: Greg Maddux was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves....
vs. Chicago Cubs
Game 1 - Chicago 4, Atlanta 2
In Game 1, Kerry WoodKerry Wood
Kerry Lee Wood is a National Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Wood recorded over 200 strikeouts in four out of his first five seasons, with a high of 266 in 2003....
faced Russ Ortiz
Russ Ortiz
Russell Reid Ortiz is a retired Major League baseball pitcher. Ortiz played for the Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers...
. Both pitchers were on their game and in the bottom of the 3rd the Braves struck first when Marcus Giles
Marcus Giles
Marcus William Giles is a former Major League Baseball player. He played second base and batted right-handed. His older brother, Brian Giles, was an outfielder who also played in the Major Leagues.-Career:...
homered to make it 1-0 Braves. The score remained 1-0 until the top of the 6th. The Cubs would load the bases with three consecutive hits to lead off the inning. But Ortiz got the next two outs, with the last of the two being an RBI groundout by Paul Bako
Paul Bako
Gabor Paul Bako II is a catcher in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. Bako is an example of a baseball "journeyman", having played for 11 different major league teams during his 12-year career...
. But Wood would add insult to injury by doubling in two runs and then scoring on Kenny Lofton
Kenny Lofton
Kenneth Lofton is a former Major League Baseball outfielder known for his great speed on the base paths as well as in the field, award-winning defensive play , timely hitting, and playful spirit. He batted and threw left-handed...
's single. That made it 4-1 Cubs. A forceout gave the Braves a run in the 8th, but Joe Borowski closed the door in the 9th. Combined, the Cubs bullpen allowed only three hits.
Game 2 - Atlanta 5, Chicago 3
In Game 2, Carlos ZambranoCarlos Zambrano
Carlos Alberto Zambrano is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher with the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball. Zambrano, who stands 6' 5" and weighs 260 pounds, was signed by the Cubs as a free agent in 1997 and made his debut in 2001...
faced Mike Hampton
Mike Hampton
Michael William Hampton is a left-handed former Major League Baseball pitcher. During his career, Hampton was well known for being one of the best hitting pitchers of his time, as well as for his large contract and frequent injuries.-Early career:Mike Hampton was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in...
. Hampton immediately ran into trouble in the 1st when two leadoff walks put two men on for Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa
Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....
. Sosa would double in the first run of the game, then Moisés Alou
Moisés Alou
Moisés Rojas Alou |Spanish:]] ; born July 3, 1966 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 17 seasons in the National League. In 1,942 career games, Alou had a batting average of .303 with 2,134 hits, 421 doubles, 332 home runs, and 1,287 runs...
would bring in a run on a fielder's choice. After Aramis Ramirez
Aramis Ramírez
Aramis Nin Ramírez is an All-Star Major League Baseball third baseman for the Chicago Cubs.He started his professional career with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1998, before being traded to the Cubs in 2003. On November 12, 2006, Ramírez signed a five-year deal with the Cubs...
singled to load the bases, Hampton managed to save the inning and the game by striking out three consecutive batters to end the inning. The Braves would cut the lead in half when Chipper Jones
Chipper Jones
Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones, Jr. is a Major League baseball player for the National League's Atlanta Braves. Although initially a shortstop, he has spent most of his career as the starting third baseman for the Braves...
forced Mark DeRosa
Mark DeRosa
Mark Thomas DeRosa is a Major League Baseball player. DeRosa is a utility player who has been primarily a second baseman, but can play other positions, including the outfield; he played six positions for the Chicago Cubs. He bats right-handed.DeRosa was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 7th...
, allowing Rafael Furcal
Rafael Furcal
Rafael Antonio Furcal , is a Major League Baseball shortstop who is currently a free agent.-Early career:...
to score in the bottom half of the 1st. Then Andruw Jones
Andruw Jones
Andruw Rudolf Jones is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is a free agent.Jones made his debut during the 1996 season. In the 1996 World Series, Jones became the youngest player to ever homered in the postseason...
's RBI single tied the game in the 4th. In the bottom of the 6th, Marcus Giles
Marcus Giles
Marcus William Giles is a former Major League Baseball player. He played second base and batted right-handed. His older brother, Brian Giles, was an outfielder who also played in the Major Leagues.-Career:...
would give the Braves the lead with an RBI hit to left field. A sacrifice fly by Tom Goodwin
Tom Goodwin
Thomas Jones Goodwin is a former Major League Baseball player. He attended Central High School in Fresno, and then went on to play for Fresno State University...
tied the game in the 8th. But Mark DeRosa
Mark DeRosa
Mark Thomas DeRosa is a Major League Baseball player. DeRosa is a utility player who has been primarily a second baseman, but can play other positions, including the outfield; he played six positions for the Chicago Cubs. He bats right-handed.DeRosa was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 7th...
's two run double put the Braves ahead 5-3 and John Smoltz
John Smoltz
John Andrew Smoltz is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and active sportscaster. He is best known for his prolific career of more than two decades with the Atlanta Braves, in which he garnered eight All-Star selections and received the Cy Young Award in 1996...
would close the door in the 9th.
Game 3 - Chicago 3, Atlanta 1
In Game 3, Greg MadduxGreg Maddux
Gregory Alan Maddux , nicknamed "Mad Dog" and "The Professor", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award for four consecutive years , a feat matched only by Randy Johnson...
faced Mark Prior
Mark Prior
Mark William Prior is an American professional baseball pitcher in the New York Yankees organization. He pitched for the Chicago Cubs from 2002-2006. His repertoire of pitches includes a low to mid 90s fastball, a curveball, a slurve, and a changeup.-Amateur career:Prior graduated from the...
. In the bottom of the 1st, the Cubs put two runs on the board thanks to Randall Simon
Randall Simon
Randall Carlito Simon is a professional baseball first baseman. He has played all or part of eight seasons in Major League Baseball and one in Nippon Professional Baseball between 1997 and 2006. Simon's debut season came with the Atlanta Braves in 1997, for whom he played until 1999...
's two run single. But no one would be able to score off Maddux or Prior again until the 8th inning. A sacrifice fly by Marcus Giles
Marcus Giles
Marcus William Giles is a former Major League Baseball player. He played second base and batted right-handed. His older brother, Brian Giles, was an outfielder who also played in the Major Leagues.-Career:...
cut the lead in half after Mark DeRosa
Mark DeRosa
Mark Thomas DeRosa is a Major League Baseball player. DeRosa is a utility player who has been primarily a second baseman, but can play other positions, including the outfield; he played six positions for the Chicago Cubs. He bats right-handed.DeRosa was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the 7th...
doubled and moved to third on a ground out. But Aramis Ramirez
Aramis Ramírez
Aramis Nin Ramírez is an All-Star Major League Baseball third baseman for the Chicago Cubs.He started his professional career with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1998, before being traded to the Cubs in 2003. On November 12, 2006, Ramírez signed a five-year deal with the Cubs...
would give Prior insurance with an RBI double in the bottom of the 8th. Prior would go on to pitch a complete game two hit masterpiece. Game 3 would Maddux's last postseason start with the Braves.
Game 4 - Atlanta 6, Chicago 4
In Game 4, Russ OrtizRuss Ortiz
Russell Reid Ortiz is a retired Major League baseball pitcher. Ortiz played for the Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers...
faced Matt Clement
Matt Clement
Matthew Paul Clement is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher. Clement played for the San Diego Padres , Florida Marlins , Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox . While on the Red Sox active roster, he was injured all of the 2007 season...
, hoping to end the series. Both pitchers held off the opposition until the Cubs broke through in the bottom of the 3rd. Moisés Alou
Moisés Alou
Moisés Rojas Alou |Spanish:]] ; born July 3, 1966 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 17 seasons in the National League. In 1,942 career games, Alou had a batting average of .303 with 2,134 hits, 421 doubles, 332 home runs, and 1,287 runs...
would double in Sammy Sosa
Sammy Sosa
Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007....
to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead. But Darren Bragg
Darren Bragg
Darren William Bragg is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball. He played for the Seattle Mariners , Boston Red Sox , St...
's forceout allowed Julio Franco
Julio Franco
Julio César Robles Franco is a former Major League Baseball infielder and designated hitter. In , Franco was the oldest active player in the major leagues at the age of 49....
to score to tie the game in the top of the 4th. Then Chipper Jones
Chipper Jones
Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones, Jr. is a Major League baseball player for the National League's Atlanta Braves. Although initially a shortstop, he has spent most of his career as the starting third baseman for the Braves...
's two run homer gave the Braves a 3-1 lead in the 5th. Then Vinny Castilla
Vinny Castilla
Vinicio "Vinny" Castilla Soria is a former Major League Baseball third baseman who played his best years with the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves...
would add another run later in the inning with an RBI single to make it 4-1. The Cubs would scratch out a run in the 6th, but Chipper Jones
Chipper Jones
Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones, Jr. is a Major League baseball player for the National League's Atlanta Braves. Although initially a shortstop, he has spent most of his career as the starting third baseman for the Braves...
's second two run home run made it 6-2 Braves in the 8th. Eric Karros would give the Cubs a run in the bottom half with a solo homer and then in the 9th the Cubs would score again but John Smoltz
John Smoltz
John Andrew Smoltz is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and active sportscaster. He is best known for his prolific career of more than two decades with the Atlanta Braves, in which he garnered eight All-Star selections and received the Cy Young Award in 1996...
would get the save and send the series back to Atlanta.
Game 5 - Chicago 5, Atlanta 1
In Game 5, Kerry WoodKerry Wood
Kerry Lee Wood is a National Major League Baseball relief pitcher. Wood recorded over 200 strikeouts in four out of his first five seasons, with a high of 266 in 2003....
this time faced Mike Hampton
Mike Hampton
Michael William Hampton is a left-handed former Major League Baseball pitcher. During his career, Hampton was well known for being one of the best hitting pitchers of his time, as well as for his large contract and frequent injuries.-Early career:Mike Hampton was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in...
. Hampton would once again give up early runs when the Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the 1st with a Moisés Alou
Moisés Alou
Moisés Rojas Alou |Spanish:]] ; born July 3, 1966 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 17 seasons in the National League. In 1,942 career games, Alou had a batting average of .303 with 2,134 hits, 421 doubles, 332 home runs, and 1,287 runs...
RBI single. Then Alex Gonzalez's leadoff homer gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead. Then Aramis Ramirez
Aramis Ramírez
Aramis Nin Ramírez is an All-Star Major League Baseball third baseman for the Chicago Cubs.He started his professional career with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1998, before being traded to the Cubs in 2003. On November 12, 2006, Ramírez signed a five-year deal with the Cubs...
's two run homer silenced the crowd in the 6th. That made it 4-0 Chicago. An RBI forceout by Gary Sheffield
Gary Sheffield
Gary Antonian Sheffield , nicknamed "Sheff", is an American retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for eight major league ball clubs from 1988 to 2009, primarily as an outfielder.-Biography:...
gave the Braves their only run of the night in the 6th. But the Cubs would add a run in the 9th thanks to an error by Vinny Castilla
Vinny Castilla
Vinicio "Vinny" Castilla Soria is a former Major League Baseball third baseman who played his best years with the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves...
to take a commanding 5-1 lead. The Braves would be sent down 1-2-3 in the 9th and the Cubs' win in Game 5 gave the Cubs their first postseason series win since the 1908 World Series
1908 World Series
The 1908 World Series matched the defending champion Chicago Cubs against the Detroit Tigers in a rematch of the 1907 Series. In this first-ever rematch of this young event, the Cubs won in five games for their second consecutive title....
.
Game 1
October 7: Wrigley FieldWrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
, Chicago, Illinois
Game 2
October 8: Wrigley FieldWrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
Game 3
October 10: Pro Player StadiumDolphin Stadium
Sun Life Stadium is an American football stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, a suburb of Miami. It is the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins National Football League team, and the University of Miami Hurricanes football team. It also hosts the Orange Bowl, an annual college football bowl game. It...
, Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
Game 4
October 11: Pro Player StadiumDolphin Stadium
Sun Life Stadium is an American football stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, a suburb of Miami. It is the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins National Football League team, and the University of Miami Hurricanes football team. It also hosts the Orange Bowl, an annual college football bowl game. It...
, Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
Game 5
October 12: Pro Player StadiumDolphin Stadium
Sun Life Stadium is an American football stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, a suburb of Miami. It is the home stadium of the Miami Dolphins National Football League team, and the University of Miami Hurricanes football team. It also hosts the Orange Bowl, an annual college football bowl game. It...
, Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
With the Marlins facing elimination, Josh Beckett kept them alive by dominating the Cubs, holding them to just two hits and one walk as part of his standout 2003 postseason. The game was scoreless until the sixth inning when Mike Lowell hit a two-run homer. Iván Rodríguez and Jeff Conine homered in the seventh and eighth innings respectively. Even with the loss, the Cubs looked good going back home with their two aces, Mark Prior and Kerry Wood ready to start Games 6 and 7.
Game 6
October 14: Wrigley FieldWrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
The Cubs held a 3-0 lead going into the top of the eighth inning in Game 6 and, after Mike Mordecai
Mike Mordecai
Michael Howard Mordecai is a right-handed hitting/throwing infielder in Major League Baseball who most recently played for the Florida Marlins.-School and minor leagues:...
hit a high pop fly
Types of batted balls in baseball
In baseball, a batted ball is any ball that, after a pitch, is contacted by the batter's bat. One or more of several terms are used to describe a batted ball, depending on how it comes off the bat and where in the field it lands....
to left field
Baseball field
A baseball field, also called a ball field or a baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The terms "baseball field" and "ball field" are also often used as synonyms for ballpark.-Specifications:...
for the first out of the inning, had only two outs left in the inning—leaving the team a mere 5 outs away from their first World Series berth since 1945.
Prior had retired the last eight hitters and had allowed only three hits up to that point. Center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
Juan Pierre
Juan Pierre
Juan D'Vaughn Pierre is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws left-handed....
(who was later traded to the Cubs) then hit a double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
off Prior.
On the eighth pitch of his at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
, Luis Castillo
Luis Castillo (baseball player)
Luis Antonio Castillo is a Major League Baseball second baseman who is currently a free agent. Castillo is a three-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glove winner, and won the World Series with the Florida Marlins in 2003....
hit a high foul ball toward the left field wall. Cubs left fielder Moisés Alou
Moisés Alou
Moisés Rojas Alou |Spanish:]] ; born July 3, 1966 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 17 seasons in the National League. In 1,942 career games, Alou had a batting average of .303 with 2,134 hits, 421 doubles, 332 home runs, and 1,287 runs...
headed toward the stands to catch the ball for the potential second out. As Alou reached for the ball, Cubs fan Steve Bartman, along with others near the area, did the same. The ball bounced off Bartman's hand and into the stands. Though the Cubs pleaded for a call of fan interference
Interference (baseball)
In baseball, interference is an infraction where a person illegally changes the course of play from what is expected. Interference might be committed by players on the offense, players not currently in the game, catchers, umpires, or spectators; each type of interference is covered differently by...
, the umpire
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
ruled that the ball had left the field of play and was therefore up for grabs. Alou initially acknowledged that he would not have made the catch though he later denied making such a statement and said if he had, it was only to make him feel better.
As a result, Castillo remained an active batter at home plate. On the next pitch, Prior walked
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
Castillo on a wild pitch
Wild pitch
In baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually...
that got away from catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Paul Bako
Paul Bako
Gabor Paul Bako II is a catcher in Major League Baseball who is currently a free agent. Bako is an example of a baseball "journeyman", having played for 11 different major league teams during his 12-year career...
, also allowing Pierre to advance to third base.
Next, Iván Rodríguez
Iván Rodríguez
Iván Rodríguez Torres , nicknamed "Pudge" and "I-Rod", is a Major League Baseball catcher...
hit an 0-2 pitch hard into left field, singling
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
and scoring Pierre. Miguel Cabrera
Miguel Cabrera
José Miguel Cabrera Torres nicknamed "Miggy", is a Venezuelan professional baseball first baseman with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed....
then hit a ground ball
Types of batted balls in baseball
In baseball, a batted ball is any ball that, after a pitch, is contacted by the batter's bat. One or more of several terms are used to describe a batted ball, depending on how it comes off the bat and where in the field it lands....
toward Cubs shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
Alex Gonzalez that could have ended the inning on a double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
. Gonzalez, who led all NL shortstops in fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
, closed his glove a little too early and the ball landed in the dirt, allowing Cabrera to get on base, loading the bases. On the next pitch, Derrek Lee
Derrek Lee
Derrek Leon Lee , or "D-Lee", is a Major League Baseball first baseman. Lee has played with the San Diego Padres , the Florida Marlins , Chicago Cubs , Atlanta Braves , Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates . He bats and throws right-handed.Lee was a World Series Champion with Florida in 2003,...
(a future Cubs' All-Star) drilled a double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
into left field, scoring Castillo and Rodríguez to tie the game at 3-3.
Prior was then taken out of the game and replaced by Kyle Farnsworth
Kyle Farnsworth
Kyle Lynn Farnsworth is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently the closer for the Tampa Bay Rays.-High school and college:...
, who intentionally walked
Intentional base on balls
In baseball, an intentional base on balls, usually referred to as an intentional walk and denoted in baseball scorekeeping by IBB, is a walk issued to a batter by a pitcher with the intent of removing the batter's opportunity to swing at the pitched ball...
Mike Lowell
Mike Lowell
Michael Averett Lowell is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball third baseman. During a 13-year career, Lowell played for the New York Yankees , Florida Marlins , and the Boston Red Sox...
to load the bases. Jeff Conine
Jeff Conine
Jeffrey Guy Conine is a former Major League Baseball first baseman/outfielder who played several years with the Florida Marlins. Previously, Conine played with the Kansas City Royals , Florida Marlins , Baltimore Orioles , Philadelphia Phillies , Cincinnati Reds , and New York Mets . He batted and...
then hit a sacrifice fly
Sacrifice fly
In baseball, a sacrifice fly is a batted ball that satisfies four criteria:* There are fewer than two outs when the ball is hit.* The ball is hit to the outfield....
to right field for the second out of the inning, allowing Cabrera to score from third and the other runners to each advance one base. This gave the Marlins their first lead of the night. Farnsworth intentionally walked Todd Hollandsworth
Todd Hollandsworth
Todd Mathew Hollandsworth is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played with the Los Angeles Dodgers , Colorado Rockies , Texas Rangers , Florida Marlins , Chicago Cubs , Atlanta Braves , Cleveland Indians , and Cincinnati Reds...
(another future Cub) to once again load the bases.
The Marlins now having batted around the order, Farnsworth faced Mike Mordecai
Mike Mordecai
Michael Howard Mordecai is a right-handed hitting/throwing infielder in Major League Baseball who most recently played for the Florida Marlins.-School and minor leagues:...
, who was looking to make up for his earlier out. This time, Mordecai prevailed, hitting a bases-clearing double to left-center field, allowing Lee, Lowell and Hollandsworth to score and making it a 7-3 Marlins lead.
Farnsworth was then taken out of the game and replaced by Mike Remlinger
Mike Remlinger
Michael John Remlinger is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. Remlinger has played with the San Francisco Giants , New York Mets , Cincinnati Reds , Atlanta Braves , Chicago Cubs , and the Boston Red Sox...
, who gave up a single to Pierre to score Mordecai from second base. Finally, Luis Castillo hit a high pop fly ball to shallow right field for the third out.
The Marlins' lead held, forcing a final Game 7.
Game 7
October 15: Wrigley FieldWrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
The Marlins got off to a quick 3–0 lead in the first inning against Cubs pitching ace Kerry Wood, who hadn't lost at Wrigley Field in nearly six weeks. The Cubs responded by tying the ball game 3–3 in the second inning, which featured a two-run home run by Wood. Moisés Alou's two-run home run the following inning put Chicago up 5–3, but the lead wouldn't last. In the fifth inning, Florida capitalized on a pair of walks and scored three runs to go on top 6–5, a lead they would not relinquish. The Marlins added a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh to expand their lead to 9–5. Cubs pinch-hitter Troy O'Leary hit a home run the bottom of the seventh, making the score 9–6. After the Cubs were retired in order in the eighth inning, Florida closer Ugueth Urbina hit Aramis Ramirez with a pitch to lead off the ninth inning and proceeded to retire the following three batters, giving the Marlins their second National League Pennant in their eleven-year existence.