Please pass the salt!  The Cubs not only won the final series of the season, but also officially eliminated the Cardinals from Post Season play at the same time.  They did it in dramatic fashion with Leonys Martin leaped at the fence to rob Paul DeJong of a tying homer with two-outs in the bottom of the 11th inning.  The Division Champion Cubs, who celebrated on the Busch Stadium pitcher’s mound last night, rubbed salt in the wound tonight, with most of their lineup resting.  The season series weighed heavily in Chicago’s favor at 14-5, with Taylor Davis getting his first major league run-batted-in, a game winning double down the third base line.  The Cubs hadn’t scored since a first inning Ian Happ solo home run.  It was once again former Cub, Dexter Fowler, who tied it up in the 6th with a ground-out that scored Tommy Pham.  Jen-Ho Tseng got his first win thanks to the game saving catch, and will apparently head to the bullpen for the Reds series finale at Wrigley Field.  Tseng was called up from Iowa to hopefully fill a starting role, but was unimpressive in his September 14th debut against the Mets.  Mike Montgomery will get the start instead.

I once again have to give credit to Ian Happ who continues to have an outstanding season.  He got off to a rough start, as the team struggled early in the year. (See Posts #101 and #123).  I also salute Kyle Schwarber, who battled back from a demotion to find his home run swing.  Happ and Schwarber were the only two position players in today’s lineup that had played in at least 100 games.  Kyle Hendricks struck out five and allowed four hits in five innings.  Joe Maddon will have some tough decisions in determining a pitching rotation to compete with the Nationals, as the team begins post season play on October 6th.  Lackey has lacked and Lester has been less, while Quintana showed some magic in Milwaukee.  Hendricks has probably been the most consistent down the stretch, but far from the dominance he showed last year.  Plus, the Nationals will have the home field edge.

There was a point this season, especially as they dropped that make-up game against the Brewers just before the All Star break to fall five games behind, that I thought that the party was over.  Instead, it’s just beginning after an impressive 7-3 road trip.  Go Cubs.