But the ball hit the top of the fence in the back of the left-field bleachers and bounced back onto the street, proving the Cubs aren't the only ones having a tough season.
But the pressure is off the Cubs now that they're closer to fifth-place Cincinnati than any of the top five teams in the
For young players like
Williams (4-6) had his most impressive outing of the season, holding
Williams, who also had two hits and beat a throw to the plate with a nice slide, left to a standing ovation from the crowd of 38,273, showing their appreciation for his all-around effort.
Afterward, Williams said he was pitching for his father, Glenn Williams, who was in attendance for the first time to watch his son pitch for the Cubs. His father received a kidney and liver transplant last spring when Williams was pitching for the Giants, and his health weighed heavily on his son's mind during
"Especially with what whatever happened back in spring training, all that trouble my family's been going through," Williams said. "Just to see my dad out there, just to know he's here to support me, I have to step up and get on a roll.
"I think this is a start. I hope my dad can come to every game the rest of the season, because I think I do a lot better with my family here."
Williams' hard times with the Giants coincided with his father's poor health, ultimately leading to Williams' trade to the Cubs in May.
"It was hard," he said. "I was worrying for my father a lot because he's the one that actually put me here to play baseball. I'm just happy my father is here and my family is here."
The Cubs broke open the game early, scoring four runs in the third off Braves starter John Thomson on
Burnitz's grand slam to center off reliever Joey Devine made it 8-0 in the fourth, and the Cubs already had their biggest offensive output since an 11-4 victory Aug. 11 at
Baker made one significant lineup change, benching Corey Patterson in favor of
"It's a day to work, get your thinking cap together, take some extra hitting, don't worry about being tired," Baker said.
The Cubs may be out of the race in most people's minds, but Baker is watching closely to make sure no one is cashing it in.
psullivan@tribune.com