The Chicago Cubs have swept a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves, and done it on the road. The Cubs, who are 45-17 at home but only 29-30 away, have had problems winning on the road. But they did it against the Braves, outscoring Atlanta 29-9.
In fact, the men in Chicago jerseys have won their last eight road games. The Sun-Times’ Gordon Wittenmyer points out that this is the best winning streak on the road since the Cubs won 12 in a row on the road in 1945. And we all know what happened in 1945, don’t we? That’s right — the Curse of the Billy Goat.
The series was dotted by pitchers hitting batters. In Wednesday’s game, Alfonso Soriano had been hit in the head. Then, though he denies any retaliation, Ted Lilly hit Yunel Escobar in the elbow on Thursday. The benches cleared but no fist-fights broke out.
The Cubs have won all six of their games against the disappointing Braves this season. They remain in first place in the National League Central Division. The Cubs last went to the World Series in 1945, when William Sianis invoked the Curse of the Billy Goat, after their 12-game winning streak on the road. They last won a World Series in 1908. That makes exactly 100 years, but who’s counting?
