Cubs 2004: Games 26-50 Multiple Choice Quiz | MLB Teams

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In the first game of a three game series at Wrigley Field with the Arizona Diamondbacks, on May 4, the Cubs picked up pretty much where they left off in Phoenix. After being outscored 22-5 in the first series, the Cubs fought a losing battle to go down 6-3 in this one. D-Backs pitcher Steve Sparks pitched a 7.1 innings mostly using what special pitch?

Answer: Knuckleball

The knuckleball wasn't used very often in the major leagues because it was notoriously unreliable. It's held in such away, using the knuckles of the pitching hand, that it does not spin. It's a fairly confusing pitch, because it is slow and moves around a lot.

It confused the Cubs for the first seven innings of the game, and Sparks had a shut-out going until Sammy Sosa blasted a three run homer in the eighth. The Cubs fell to 15-11.

2. In seven innings of work in the Cubs' 2-0 loss to the Diamondbacks on May 5, Kerry Wood allowed three hits, two of which resulted in runs. One was a home run by Steve Finley in the seventh. The other was a single by Alex Cintron in the fourth. Which Diamondback was not involved in advancing Cintron home?

Answer: Danny Bautista

Cintron advanced to second on a walk to Luis Gonzalez. He advanced to third when Shea Hillenbrand hit into a fielder's choice. He scored when Steve Finley hit a sacrifice fly. Danny Bautista got the final out of the inning, but didn't score anyone.

This game marked the first career victory for starter Casey Daigle, who lasted 5.1 innings, gave up four hits, two walks, and had one strikeout. The Cub slump continued, and they were now 15-12.

3. Matt Clement has continued to be the star of the pitching staff, as he and the Cubs avoided a sweep by the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 6, winning 11-3. On the offensive side, Derrek Lee was the star of the game. Which of the following stats for Lee is incorrect?

Answer: 3 R

Derrek Lee had a hit every time he stepped to the plate, going 5-5. He knocked in Aramis Ramirez in the second inning with a single, homered in the fifth to score himelf, Sammy Sosa, and Todd Hollandsworth; and singled in the sixth to score Todd Walker.

He also scored on a Ramon Martinez single in the eighth inning, but those were the only two runs he personally scored. The Cubs and Diamondbacks didn't play again for the rest of the season, so the D-Backs won the season series 4-2. The Cubs were now 16-12.

4. May 7 marked the first game of a three game series with the Colorado Rockies, and also saw the first complete game pitched by a Cub starter this season. Carlos Zambrano gave up two hits, struck out five, and issued no walks in nine solid innings. The Cubs were victorious, 11-0, against a former Cub pitcher. Who was he?

Answer: Shawn Estes

Shawn Estes went 8-11 and had a 5.73 ERA with the Cubs in the previous season. Antonio Alfonseca and Juan Cruz were part of the 2004 Atlanta Braves roster, and Mike Remlinger spent the first part of this season recovering from a shoulder injury, but was still a Cub. The Cubs were now 17-12.

5. On May 8, the Cubs were not able to carry the momentum of the previous day's eleven run victory, and lost to the Colorado Rockies, 4-3. The Cubs three runs were all scored within the first three innings, off of three solo home runs by three different players, including all of the following except...

Answer: Corey Patterson

Sammy Sosa and Moises Alou hit back to back home runs with two outs in the first inning, and Todd Walker hit his in the third inning. Greg Maddux collected the loss as the Cubs fell to 17-13.

6. May 9 saw three rain delays for the Cubs/Rockies game in Wrigley Field. Nonetheless, the two teams had a great match up. Tied at three heading into extra innings, which Colorado player led off the tenth with a home run to put the Rockies up 4-3?

Answer: Todd Helton

5{he home run on Joe Borowski's first pitch of the game. Fortunately for the Cubs, Aramis Ramirez tied it up in the bottom half of the tenth with a home run of his own. The Cubs held on until the thirteenth inning, where a Derrek Lee single, two sacrifices, and two intentional walks loaded the bases for Corey Patterson. Patterson proceeded to hit the game winning single to deep center field, winning the game for the Cubs 5-4.

The Cubs won the series with the Rockies 2-1, and were now 18-13.

7. After a day off, the Cubs marched into Los Angeles on May 11 for a three game series with the National League West leading Dodgers. Starter Kerry Wood allowed three hits and three runs, but left the game after only pitching how many innings?

Answer: 2

Kerry Wood did not pitch after the second inning due to a tightness in his right tricep. In his last start at Dodger Stadium, in 2001, Wood pitched eight innings and allowed three hits, but spent the next month on the disabled list with tendonitis in his shoulder. Rather than push his arm and risk serious injury, Wood sat out the rest of the game, which the Cubs lost 7-3.

History would repeat itself, and Wood eventually went on the disabled list. The Cubs were now 18-14.

8. May 12 saw the Cubs take on Los Angeles for the second time, and it was a disappointing outing for Matt Clement, the team leader in wins. It was 2-0 Dodgers in the seventh inning when Alex Cora came up to bat for LA, with Jason Grabowski on first. How many pitches did Clement throw to Cora in total during this at-bat?

Answer: 18

Cora hit fourteen consecutive foul balls off Clement before he hit the eighteenth pitch over the right field wall, scoring two runs. Clement left the game, and Los Angeles went on to win 4-0. The Cubs were now 18-15, and found themselves three games behind the Houston Astros in the NL Central division.

9. May 13 was the date of an interesting game for the Cubs, in that several regulars (Sammy Sosa, Todd Walker, Corey Patterson) sat out to give some of the less used players a little work. Los Angeles starter Hideo Nomo had a lot of trouble controlling the ball, giving up six runs in only 1.1 innings of work. On the other hand, Carlos Zambrano had a 22 inning scoreless streak heading into the seventh inning. Which Dodger scored to break that streak?

Answer: Juan Encarnacion

When Olmedo Saenz hit a sacrifice fly to center in the seventh, Encarnacion was able to score easily, though the run was unearned. Joe Borowski gave up the other two Dodger runs in the ninth inning as the Cubs were finally victorious, 7-3. The Dodgers won the series, 2-1, and the Cubs were now 19-15.

10. The Cubs traveled to San Diego on May 14 to begin a three game series with the Padres. In the second inning, with the score tied at one apiece, and with no outs, Sammy Sosa stepped to the plate to face Ismael Valdes. He hit a 417 foot home run to give the Cubs the lead for good. More importantly, the home run was the 548th of his career, tying him for ninth place on the all-time list with whom?

Answer: Mike Schmidt

Mike Schmidt spent his entire career in Philadelphia and hit 548 home runs. Sammy passed Mickey Mantle's total of 536 i!5{ Reggie Jackson, at 563, and Harmon Killebrew, at 573, are his next targets. As for this game, Greg Maddux pitched eight solid innings, giving up only one run and five hits.

He was tired out in the eighth, having to score from first on a Jose Macias triple, or he probably could have finished the game ... he only threw 88 pitches. Joe Borowski came in and retired all three batters in the ninth inning, and the Cubs were victorious for the second night in a row, 6-1.

Their record was now 20-15.

11. On May 15, the Cubs scored five runs in the fifth inning of their game against the San Diego Padres. With two outs and Jose Macias on base, Sammy Sosa hit a foul pop fly. Which Padre couldn't haul it in, setting up Sosa's 549th career home run, as well as a later three run homer by Aramis Ramirez?

Answer: Khalil Greene

The ball hit Greene's glove, and dropped to the ground. Sosa finished out the at-bat with a home run. Padre starter Adam Eaton then allowed Moises Alou and Todd Hollandsworth on base. Aramis Ramirez knocked them home with a homer to deep left field. Ramirez's home run was his 100th of his career. The Cubs were victorious, 7-5, and were now 21-15.

12. May 16 saw the final game of the series with the Padres. Which Cub reliever got the start in place of the injured Kerry Wood?

Answer: Glendon Rusch

Rusch got the start, but not the win. The win went to Francis Beltran, who relieved Rusch in the fifth. LaTroy Hawkins, Kyle Farnsworth, and Joe Borowski combined with Beltran to not allow another hit for the rest of the game, and Joe Borowski converted his 21st consecutive save opportunity, a new club record. Sammy Sosa didn't play, after a violent sneeze gave him back spasms, and landed him on the disabled list.

The Cubs completed their second series sweep of the season, and moved into a tie for first place with the Houston Astros at 22-15.

13. In Atlanta, on May 18, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson pitched what would become only the 17th perfect game in major league history. Meanwhile, in Chicago, the Cubs were beginning a three game series against the San Francisco Giants after a day off. Giant starter Jason Schmidt had an extremely impressive night as well, only allowing one Cub hit and one Cub walk. Which Cub had the walk?

Answer: Moises Alou

Matt Clement struck out in the third inning, but strike three was on a wild pitch, and he managed to reach base anyway. Moises Alou walked in the fourth, and Michael Barrett got the one and only Cub hit, a single, in the fifth. Matt Clement only allowed one run and five hits in eight innings, a solid outing. Nevertheless, the Giants were victorious, 1-0, and the Cubs dropped to 22-16.

14. Moises Alou did something on May 19 that had never been done before. He hit a walkoff home run in the tenth inning to give the Cubs a 4-3 victory over the Giants. Felipe Alou was the manager of the Giants, and yes, he was related to Moises. How?

Answer: Father

For the first time in history, a son hit a walkoff home run to beat his father. Moises was managed at one time by Felipe, in Montreal. Joe Borowski got the 10th inning win as the Cubs moved to 23-16.

15. On May 20, the Cubs played their second straight 10 inning game, but this time lost on a two run home run by which San Francisco Giant?

Answer: Neifi Perez

After Joe Borowski walked Michael Tucker with two outs in the tenth inning, Perez hit a two-run shot that ended the Cubs' hopes of winning their first series against the Giants this year. Pedro Feliz had hit a solo home run in the fifth inning, as well as singled in the third to score JT Snow. Joe Borowski got the loss, the Cubs lost the series 2-1, and fell to 23-17.

16. The Chicago Cubs/St. Louis Cardinals rivalry is one of the most intense in baseball, behind only the New York Yankees/Boston Red Sox rivalry. Both teams have a lot of fans come out in support, no matter if where the game is played. Such was the case as St. Louis made their first appearance at Wrigley Field of the season on May 21. Cub starter Sergio Mitre gave up all seven Cardinal runs, including three runs on back-to-back home runs in the fifth inning. Which Cardinal did not score in that inning?

Answer: Scott Rolen

Pujols hit the first of the two home runs, scoring Lankford, and Edmonds hit the seventh. This made the score 7-2 in favor of the Cardinals. Despite a valiant effort to come back by the Cubs, which included a solo home run by Todd Walker in the fifth, and a three run homer by Moises Alou in the seventh, the Cubs fell to the Cardinals 7-6. Their record dropped to 23-18.

17. The rivalry between the Cubs and the Cardinals had another chapter added on May 22. The Cubs took control early, scoring four runs in the first inning on three different types of hits. Which of the following was not one of them?

Answer: Triple

Aramis Ramirez hit a single to score Todd Walker and move Moises Alou to third base. After Todd Hollandsworh reached on a walk, Derrek Lee hit a ball into the ivy in center field, a ground rule double that scored Moises Alou and Aramis Ramirez. Corey Patterson proceeded to hit a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Hollandsworth to score. Hollandsworth also added a two-run home run in the third, and Corey Patterson scored in the seventh on a throwing error to give the Cubs a 7-1 victory.

It was Glendon Rusch's second win of the season, as he continued to fill in for Kerry Wood.

The Cubs moved to 24-18.

18. May 23 say the series finale for the Cubs and the Cardinals. Matt Clement got the start for the Cubs, and Matt Morris had the ball for the Cardinals. For the second straight day, the Cubs had a four run first inning. Which of the following Cubs who scored in that inning got the most RBIs for the game?

Answer: Aramis Ramirez

Aramis Ramirez's three-run home run scored Alou and Goodwin, and Michael Barrett hit a double that scored Derrek Lee. However, those four runs were the only offense the Cubs could muster that day. Fortunately, it was enough as the Cardinals fell 4-3.

The Cubs won the series 2-1, led the season series 4-3, and now had an overall record of 25-18. They sat in a three-way tie with Cincinnati and Houston for first place in the NL Central.

19. May 24 was a day off for the Cubs, but they found their way to Houston on the 25th for a two game series. The Astros were coming off of a five game losing streak, and were ready for a little revenge against their division rivals. The Cubs used four pitchers in this 5-0 victory for the Astros. Which one did not record a strikeout?

Answer: Michael Wuertz

Carlos Zambrano gave up four Astro runs in five innings of work, but managed to strike out eight. Francis Beltran gave up the other Astro run, pitched for 1.2 innings, and struck out two. Mike Remlinger pitched 0.2 innings, struck out one, and Wuertz closed out the game for the Cubs, giving up no hits and no runs, but not recording any strikeouts.

The Cubs only got three hits in the game, and were now 25-19.

20. May 26 found the Cubs on the losing side of a sweep for the first time in the season, at the hands of the Houston Astros. Granted, it was only a two game series, but a sweep is a sweep. Greg Maddux gave up three Astro home runs to three different sluggers. Who was not among them?

Answer: Craig Biggio

Bagwell and Kent took Maddux deep in the third inning (back to back), while Berkman got his turn in the fifth. Houston pitcher Andy Pettitte had to leave the game after the fourth inning due to a muscle strain, and would have to miss his next start against the Cubs the next week. After the 7-3 defeat, and 2-0 sweep, the Cubs were 25-20.

21. When the Cubs last visited Pittsburgh, on April 22, the game was rained out. Now they returned for a four game series, including their first doubleheader of the year on May 28. Starter Matt Clement became the 21st pitcher in major league history to hit three batters in one inning, and the first Cub since Walter Thornton in 1898. After allowing one hit and no runs in the first four innings, he beaned three Pirates en route to allowing four runs in that inning. Who wasn't one of them?

Answer: Randall Simon

The Cubs were leading 1-0 before Clement lost his control. Craig Wilson was the only one of the three not to score in the four run inning. Despite a seventh inning grand slam by Todd Hollandsworth, the Cubs lost when Joe Browoski allowed a game tying single and a Pirate grand slam in the ninth inning, blowing his first save opportunity all year, and ending his club record streak of 22 consecutive save opportunities converted.

The Cubs found themselves in the midst of their worst losing streak of the year, three games, as they fell to 25-21.

22. The second game of the Cubs/Pirates double header on May 28 had to be decided in 10 innings, and the Cubs fell short once again. Which Pirate had tied the game at four in the ninth inning before Craig Wilson won it in the tenth with a solo home run?

Answer: Rob Mackowiak

Rob Mackowiak had also hit the game-winning grand slam in the first game, and had become a father for the first time. All in all, a pretty good day for the Pittsburgh outfielder. It was not, however, a good day for the Cubs, who lost their fourth straight game and fell to 25-22.

23. The Cubs tried to bounce back from their four game losing streak on May 29, producing seven runs in offense against the Pittsburgh Pirates, including four runs in the first inning. Which player hit the only home run of that inning for the Cubs?

Answer: Derrek Lee

The Cubs were looking good for the first three and a half innings, leading 5-1, but then Pittsburgh went on a five run rampage, capped by a three run home run by Pittsburgh's star of the series, Rob Mackowiak. The Pirates never looked back and were victorious, 10-7. The Cub slump had hit five games, and they were 25-23.

24. On May 30, the Cubs were hurting from a season high five game losing streak, but apparently decided that enough was enough, and scored 12 runs (eleven of which came in the final three innings) en route to a 12-1 victory. Which of the following starters was the only one not to record a hit?

Answer: Rey Ordonez

In three at bats, Rey Ordonez walked once, but did not get a hit. Jose Macias went 1-6 with one run scored; Carlos Zambrano went 1-3; and Corey Patterson went 1-4 with a walk and a run scored. The other Cubs starters recorded these stats: Todd Walker, 2-4 with a walk and three runs scored; Moises Alou went 2-6 with two runs and two RBIs; Aramis Ramirez went 3-6 with two runs and two RBIs; Derrek Lee went 3-5 with a walk, two runs, and four RBIs; and Michael Barrett went 3-5 with a walk and two RBIs. Oddly enough, not one of the twelve runs was scored on a home run. Pittsburgh ended up winning the series 3-1, but the Cubs were just happy to end their losing streak.

They moved to 26-23.

25. Memorial Day, May 31, saw the Houston Astros make their first appearance of the year at Wrigley Field, and the Cubs were hoping their momentum from the previous day would continue. Greg Maddux pitched well for 6.2 innings, and got the victory. Which of the following stats is correct for his day?

Answer: 7 H

Greg Maddux allowed seven hits and one ER, and just two walks. He didn't hit any batters. The Cub victory put their record at 27-23, and moved them into a tie with the Astros for second place in the NL Central, two and a half games behind the Cincinnati Reds.

The NL Central at this point in the season saw the last place Pittsburgh Pirates only five games behind the first place Reds. Team leaders for the first 50 games: Michael Barrett led the team in batting average, with a .328. Moises Alou had the team lead in home runs, with 13, and in hits, with 63. Aramis Ramirez held the team lead in RBIs, with 41, and in runs scored, with 36. Corey Patterson led the way in stolen bases, with seven. Derrek Lee and Corey Patterson tied for the most strikeouts, with 41, and Sammy Sosa and Todd Walker split the walk lead, with 21 each. Matt Clement held the team lead in wins, with 6, while Carlos Zambrano's 2.41 ERA was the best among the Cub starters. Greg Maddux led in innings pitched, with 69.1. Matt Clement had the club lead in strikeouts, with 63. Greg Maddux led the team in hits, runs, and home runs allowed (77, 35, and 15). Matt Clement led in walks issued, at 24.

Source: Author asutbone

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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Cubs 2004: Games 26-50 Trivia Quiz

Every game has a story. This quiz follows the second 25 games of the 2004 season for the Chicago Cubs, from May 4 to May 31.

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