Cubs-Rays, Tuesday, 6/17/08

Result: Rays 3, Cubs 2. The Cubs continue to lead the NL Central by 3.5 games with a MLB-best record of 45-26. St. Louis lost at home to Kansas City, 2-1.

What happened: Evan Longoria threw out Reed Johnson on a bunt attempt for the final out, preventing the Cubs from tying the score. Tampa's bullpen was just a little better than Chicago's, as Troy Percival survived the ninth for his 16th save. Starters Ryan Dempster and Scott Kazmir were sharp, but both left early due to high pitch counts.

The game turned on: Longoria's play. A brilliant and daring try by Johnson, and it almost worked. Longoria bare-handed the bunt and skipped it across to first, where Willy Aybar somehow dug out the throw. Not normally a first baseman, Aybar was practically straddling the bag. There was contact between he and Johnson, and by rights Johnson could have steamrolled him and tried to knock loose the ball.

Other notes of interest: Cliff Floyd, a Cub in 2007, showed that he still has some of the greatest home-run power in MLB, murdering a high splitter from Dempster. ... Johnson took the bone-headed play of the night, getting caught trying to steal third with two outs in the 7th. ... Neal Cotts was the runner up, throwing errantly to first base after Akinori Iwamura's grounder hit off his foot and caromed high into the air. Cotts had no play, but threw anyway, allowing Iwamura to get all the way to third. He eventually scored Tampa's third run. ... Longoria flexed his muscle on an opposite-field blast, an easy swing that is a big reason he is considered one of the best young prospects in baseball.

Up next: Cubs-Rays tonight at 6 from the worst ballpark in America. Carlos Zambrano and Andy Sonnanstine are your starters.