Padres Vs. Cubs: Reed Johnson Walks Off In Extras In First Game Of Doubleheader

Playing on a cold, windy, and gull-strewn Wrigley Field on Wednesday afternoon, the Chicago Cubs recovered from a blown save in the ninth inning, defeating the San Diego Padres, 2-1, on a Reed Johnson walk-off home run in the 11th-inning of the first game of a doubleheader.

Matt Garza was finally able to convert his impressive peripherals into run prevention for Chicago, as he didn't allow an earned run through six innings. He was removed after the sixth with his pitch count already at 114. Garza walked three and struck out nine. The Padres stranded 16 runners in the game.

The Padres extended an already amazing streak -- starter Dustin Moseley has now thrown 25-2/3 innings to start the season without his team scoring a single run on his behalf. Moseley did well in his own right, going six innings and allowing only one unearned run, but he didn't get a win for the fourth consecutive start, probably because he didn't know how to pitch to the score.

A Marlon Byrd RBI single gave the Cubs a lead in the third, but the Padres were able to scratch a run off Carlos Marmol to tie the game in the ninth inning. The game was a war of bullpen attrition until Reed Johnson sent the Chicago crowd home happy with a line-drive home run off reliever Luke Gregerson. Well, Johnson didn't send the crowd home -- more like out into the concourse where it stretched its collective legs before returning for another game tonight.