Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Chicago opened the season in Cincinnati on April 5, and were victorious, 7-4. Who got the first home run of the year for the Cubbies?
2. Greg Maddux made his second debut as a Cub on April 7 and gave up three runs in six innings of work, as Chicago got its first loss of the season, 3-1. Before this game, when was the last time Maddux donned a Cub uniform in the regular season?
3. Cincinnati officially won this first season series on April 8, with a 5-3 victory over the Cubs. Sammy Sosa got all three RBIs for the Cubs. Which of the following players did not represent one of them?
4. April 9. In the first game of a three game series in Atlanta, the Chicago Cubs trailed the National League Central champion Braves 1-0 in the ninth inning. John Smoltz was pitching for the save. With two outs, Todd Hollandsworth hit a home run to tie the game and send it to extra innings, where the Cubs would eventually prevail. How many innings did it take to finish off the Braves?
5. For the beginning of the season, the fifth slot of the Cubs pitching rotation was being filled by Sergio Mitre, replacing the injured Mark Prior. In 7.2 innings on April 10, he allowed five hits and two runs. The fifth hit was the back breaker, a two-out single by Marcus Giles in the eighth inning. Which Cubs reliever walked Giles home, costing Mitre his shot at his first big league win?
6. Still stinging from an eighth inning collapse one day before, the Cubs roared into Atlanta on April 11 and beat up on the Braves, 10-2. Kerry Wood got his second win of the season, pitching 11 strikeouts. More importantly, he tied a franchise record for most consecutive strikeouts when he fanned how many batters in a row?
7. The first game played in Wrigley Field for the season, took place on April 12th against the Pittsburgh Pirates, in the first game of a three game series. It wasn't exactly a happy homecoming for starter Greg Maddux. In the 13-2 beat down, which of the following stats was incorrect for Maddux's return?
8. Two days after being embarassed at their home opener by the Pirates, the Cubs came back with vengeance on April 14th. In their 8-3 victory, five different Cubs recorded RBIs. Which of the following was one of them?
9. USA Tax Day, April 15th, saw the Cubs facing off with Pittsburgh in the final game of the series. Three Cubs hit home runs. Who wasn't one of them?
10. The Cincinnati Reds made their first appearance of the year at Wrigley Field on April 16, beginning a four game series. And this one was a wild one. Both managers were ejected, an umpire left the game due to food poisoning, and Sammy Sosa and Moises Alou hit back-to-back home runs in the ninth to win the game for the Cubs, 11-10. However, entering the sixth inning, the game was tied 4-4. How many runs did Cincinnati score in the sixth inning to pull ahead?
11. Looking for a bit of retribution following their last minute loss a day prior, the Reds managed to keep the April 17th game close until the ninth inning. They were trailing 2-1, when they managed to score two runs and take the lead. Which Cub was ejected from the game for arguing with the umpire about his calls at the plate?
12. April 18th saw a game that had the exact same score as another game this season between the Cubs and Reds, except the other team won. What was the final score?
13. April 19th. Finally, a game with the Reds that wasn't close. The Cubs defeated the Reds 8-1 in a game that featured which player's fourth career grand slam?
14. The Cubs rode into Pittsburgh on April 20th for the first game of a rain-shortened series. In game one, Pirates starting pitcher Ryan Vogelsong lasted how many innings before being yanked?
15. The second game of the Cubs-Pirates series on April 21st, was the most lopsided victory for the Cubs to that point in the season, and it started early. Pirates starter Josh Fogg didn't retire a single batter in his starting appearance and had to be pulled after facing six. The Cubs went on to score how many runs in the first inning alone?
16. The April 22nd game against the Pirates was rained out, so the team moved to April 23rd, with the Cubs returning to Wrigley for a three game series against the New York Mets. Greg Maddux was the starter, and finally won his first game on his return to the Cubs. In seven innings of work, he allowed seven hits, but only one run. Which Met represented that run?
17. April 24th saw the first shutout of the season pitched by the Cubs. They defeated the Mets 3-0, and three pitchers combined for the shutout. Who was not one of them?
18. Matt Clement stormed onto Wrigley Field on April 25th to finish off the Mets and pitched a beauty. For 6.2 innings, it was a no-hitter. Which Met ended that?
19. The Cubs began a road trip that landed them in Phoenix on April 26th, to take on the Arizona Diamondbacks. Riding a six game winning streak, they didn't figure to have much trouble with the struggling D-Backs. And how wrong they were. Which of the following stats for Cub starter Carlos Zambrano was incorrect?
20. After the disappointing loss a day before, the Cubs were embarassed again on April 27th, as the Diamondbacks thumped the Cubs, 10-1. The lone run scored for the Cubs was a home run in the ninth inning by which batter?
21. On April 28th, the Cubs were finally able to solve the Arizona Diamondbacks, but just barely. All three runs by the D-Backs in the 4-3 decision were home runs by which Arizona player?
22. After a day off, Chicago entered St. Louis on April 30th for a four game series. In this first game, however, the bullpen managed to blow it in the ninth with four walks off three relievers. Who was not one of the relievers?
23. The Cubs started off the month of May with a win, defeating the Cardinals 4-2. Matt Clement gave up one run and five hits in eight innings to record the win. After this game was in the books, how many times had Clement defeated the Cardinals in his career?
24. For nine innings on May 2nd, the Cubs and Cardinals could not score off each other. Carlos Zambrano had 12 strikeouts in seven innings of work for the Cubs, and Matt Morris pitched nine innings of shut out ball. In the tenth though, Kyle Farnsworth walked three people and allowed the game winning RBI single. Who hit the single?
25. The final game of the four game series against the Cardinals took place on May 3rd. Greg Maddux took the mound and allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings of work as the Cubs were victorious, 7-3. He also helped himself out offensively by scoring two runs. He was driven in both times by which batter?
Source: Author
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