a funny thing (or three) happened on the way to the "W"

Last night, the Cubs extended the Astros losing streak to seven games by performing an often impossible task for the club -- clutch hitting. They scored all of their runs in the eighth inning after a dominating performance by veteran ace Roger Clemens. The Astros record on the road is now 2-21, and their fans must be beyond frustration.

It's one thing to watch an ace like Mark Prior collapse, as he did the last time he faced the Astros, giving up seven runs in one inning. But Clemens was note perfect save a groin pull that forced him to leave the game early, and his bullpen destroyed all his hard work. With the mild groin pull, even one missed Clemens start could be further devastating for the struggling Astros, as he has often been a reliable skid stopper. Astro fans had better pray nothing happens to Roy Oswalt.

I hope the Cubs can reach the .500 mark tonight. They have too much raw talent to be stuck in the doldrums of the NL Central, though raw talent means nothing thanks to the "hands off" management style of Dusty Baker. Seven games separate them from the Cardinals, and the Brewers are proving themselves competitive adversaries in the Division with good pitching and Cub-killer Carlos Lee (thanks, Southsiders!). The Cubs must play consistent above-.500 ball if they want even a shot at a Wild Card berth -- the NL Central is currently the only Division with a second place team below .500.