Both pitchers put up 0's through the first innings before the Cubs got a run in the 4th on a Corey Patterson RBI single.
The Pirates answered with 3-spot in the 5th, as Randall Simon scored on a wild pitch, Bobby Hill and Tike Redman scored on a Jack Wilson single, and Daryle Ward brought in Jason Kendall with a sacrifice fly. Things were looking up for the Bucs with a 3-run lead heading into the 6th inning.
Wells put up another 0 in the 6th but got into trouble in the 7th, loading the bases with 2 outs. Wells was pulled for Mike Johnston, who came into face Michael Barrett with the bags full Cubs. On a 1-2 pitch, Barrett connected for a grand slam that put the Cubs up 5-4, much to the dismay of the Memorial day crowd of Pirates fan.
That's just the beginning of the story. Tike Redman led off the bottom of the 9th inning with a triple to centerfield, and Abraham Nunez prompty brought him in as the tying run with a single off Joe Borowski. After that, Jason Kendall singled, Jack Wilson lined out, Daryle Ward was intentionally walked, and Craig Wilson struck out swinging, to bring up Rob Mackowiak with the bases loaded and 2 outs.
Now let me take a minute to tell you what most of you probably already know. May 28, 2004 was a big day for Mackowiak, regardless of what would happen in these 2 baseball games. He and his wife had birthed their first child earlier in the day, Garrett Mackowiak. He made it to the ballpark in time to be put in the starting lineup for game 1, and now he had a chance to make his day even more memorable than it already was.
Mackowiak didn't hesitate, it was his day and he was going to win his team the game in style. Borowski delivered the 2-1 pitch and Mackowiak got all of it, driving a walk-off grand slam to right center field.
It was quite a finish to game 1 of the double header, and game 2 was nearly just as good.
It was Oliver Perez vs. Glendon Rusch, and both pitchers pitched well. Perez went 6.1 innings giving up 3 earned runs and Rusch went 6.2 innings giving up 2 earned.
The early scoring for the Pirates came from Ruben Mateo, who hit a solo homer in the 2nd inning, and Daryle Ward who singled in the 6th to bring in Jack Wilson.
The Cubs got a run in the 3rd and 2 runs in the 4th on a Patterson 2-run homer, which led them to a 1-run lead heading into the 9th. Chicago would get an insurance run in that 9th inning on a Jose Macias RBI single and were feeling confident in their chances to split the double header. LaTroy Hawkins trotted in from the bullpen to try and save the game for his team.
After walking Tike Redman, the hero of game 1, Rob Mackowiak stepped in to the box as a pinch hitter. The new dad still wasn't content with what he had done that day, and wanted to really ruin Cubs fans' Memorial Day. Hawkins delivered a fastball for the first pitch of the at bat, and Rob didn't hesitate, taking a swing and depositing it into the right center field seats to tie the game. I can still hear Greg Brown today...
The Pirates wouldn't score again in the 9th and headed to extra innings. Mike Gonzalez pitched a scoreless 10th and Craig Wilson hit a walk off home run in the bottom of the frame to send the fans home happy.
It was one of the most memorable experiences in my 20 years of being a Pirate fan, and every May 28th lets me relive it again.
Happy 7th birthday Garrett.