by Boutros Boutros Ghali

The Chicago Cubs did it again in St. Louis on Tuesday night. The Handsome Youngsters struck early and sent the Best Fans In Baseball home early again. It was a gum bucket of a beating in Busch Stadium and the Cubs have yet another 5 game win streak this season. 

The Cubs were facing Michael Wacha with his sub-3 ERA, but the youngsters hit that mark early for the second straight game. On Monday, it was Dexter Fowler leading the game off with a home run, but in Tuesday's game it was Anthony Rizzo getting the Cubs on the scoreboard first. 

With two outs and the Original Youngster standing on first base, Anthony Rizzo crushed a changeup into center field for his 100th career home run. It was the 29th of the season for Rizzo and it put the Cubs up 2-0 early. 

Jason Hammel took the mound for the Cubs in the second of two games that looked like bad pitching matchups for the Cubs. Haren and Hammel are not known for long or particularly strong pitching performances especially when they are facing what could arguably be the best team in baseball. 

In the first inning, things were already looking bad when Hammel issued two walks to the second and third hitters of the game. Luckily, Prison Neck Tattoo Molina hit into a double play to end the inning.

Beyond the outstanding offensive performance in St. Louis, the Cubs defense has been on their game helping the pitchers out. The proliferation of double plays and excellent fielding has helped make Haren and Hammel look great. 

The Cubs had the 2-0 lead in the second inning, but like Monday, they were not done taking advantage of the Cardinals pitchers. Javy Baez got the inning going with a one out double into left field. Baez got the start in yet another new lineup from Maddon with Austin Jackson in center field, Bryant in right, and Baez at third. 

Jason Hammel knows that the American League's DH rule is a ridiculous and pointless thing. He went to the plate in the second inning and ripped a single right up the middle to score Javy from second base. The DH is not needed and the Cubs lead was 3 after the pitcher hit. 

Russell popped out for the second out of the inning, but Action Jackson kept the inning going with a single that moved Hammel to second base to put a runner in scoring position. It turns out, Jackson was in scoring position too because O.Y. Castro is having a resurgence late in the season and he took out some frustrations with a big blast to left center field. 

It was a three run homer and the Cubs now led by 6 in the second inning. I wish I could say the Cubs kept scoring, but nothing kills a rally like a three run homer and the Cardinals were given a chance to hit against Hammel. 

Hammel was up to the task yet again and despite giving up a double to double G Greg Garcia, he got through another inning without giving up a run. In the third inning, Hammel gave up a triple to Pisghetti, but was still able to keep the Cardinals from reaching home plate. 

His first 1-2-3 inning came in the fourth and Hammel followed that one with two more perfect innings with a little help from Javy Baez showing the world that he might be the future third baseman of this team. 

In the fifth inning, Baez had to charge the plate to barehand a bunt that he then threw to Rizzo for the off balance out on a very tough play. I love Kris Bryant, but I don't know that he could have made the play that Baez did in that position. In the sixth inning, Javy was flashing the leather once again with a diving stop to his left and a throw to first from his knees for the out. 

Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo are the O.G.s of this team. Despite their young age, they have been with the Cubs for longer than anyone else and in this game, they were the dominant force that veterans can be in the late months against big time rivals. In the seventh inning, the Handsome Youngsters were adding on to their lead with some good hitting from Castro and Rizzo. 

Jackson, the newest Cub, led the inning off with a double. Castro, the longest serving Cub, followed with an RBI double of his own past a diving John Jay Joe Jeremy Judd Jack Jake Jerk in center field. 

Coggs struck out, but Rizzo got a chance with only one out and a runner in scoring position. The MVP candidate and Hit By Pitch King, shot a single to the right field side of second base to allow Castro to run home. The Cubs lead was now 8-0 in the seventh inning. 

Over the first two games of this series, the Cardinals have been horrible. They went 15 straight innings without scoring and their two starting pitchers lasted a total of 6.1 innings while Haren and Hammel doubled that number. But, in the seventh inning, the Cardinal bats started to come alive. Luckily, the Cubs lead was insurmountable. 

Yadi walked to start the inning. The Cardinals replaced him with a pinch runner because he's slow according to Len Kasper although he should not talk about things that don't have to do with baseball (twitter reference). 

Hammel then gave up a two run homer to Upchuck, which is kind of funny considering that Yadi would not have had to run anyway. Hammel walked Reynolds and Captain Hook got his hooking hooks warmed up. Cubs 8-Cardinals 2. 

Grimm replaced Hammel and had troubles. He got one strikeout, but then he hit John Jay with a pitch. Who could really blame him, but it was still another runner on base. Tommy Pham singled to load the bases and TJ Hooker hooked Grimm. Grimm decided it was the Gum Bucket's fault and gave it a beating in the dugout. 

Clayton Richard threw two pitches and Javy Baez leaped into the air to rob Carpenter of a hit. Dr. Hook entered and started hooking yet again. 

Strop entered and threw a meatball to Pisghetti (see what I did there?) and the Cardinals got two runs on the single. Cubs 8-Cardinals 4. 

Strop's dead relatives were not pleased as the Cubs pitcher gave up a walk and another single to give the Cardinals another run before the inning was over. Cubs 8-Cardinals 5. 

Upchuck, who hit the two run homer that started the 5 run Cardinals inning, finally struck out to end the inning. Eleven Cardinals reached the plate for five runs, but the Cubs were ultimately just putting the save in place to give Rondon some work. 

Of course, the Cubs had to hold the Cardinals in the 8th inning to get to that point. The Leprechaun, Fernando Rodney, did work in the 8th inning to get them there. Strop needs to learn a thing or two about proper hat positioning from Rodney because that guy is a world class hat tilter. 

The Happy Hooker got hook happy in the ninth inning as he made multiple changes. Deno took Coghlan's spot, Fowler took Jackson's spot, Jackson moved to right field, Bryant moved back to third, David Ross started catching for Rondon, and Baez moved to second base. Castro, Montero, and Coggs all went to the bench while Rizzo and Russell were the only two players that did not move.

Matt Carpenter doubled off of Rondon, but Rondon had no issues with anybody else. The Cubs win the second game, which gives them a series win vs the Cardinals and a chance to sweep. It was also the Cubs 80th win of the season and cut the Cardinal lead in the division to 6.5. 

That's the Reckless Recap. Go Cubs!