Yes – you heard it right – Randy Wells.  With Monday night’s 4-2 win over the Reds, Wells proved why he is the Cubs 2009 MVP.  Coming off of a disastrous weekend series against the Marlins in Florida where the Cubs dropped 2 of 3 games, Wells pitched his longest outing of the year, keeping the beleagured Cubs bullpen out of harms way.  Wells threw 107 pitches in 7 1/3 innings and didn’t allow a run until a lead off home run to Alex Gonzalez in the top of the 8th inning.  He surrendered only 6 hits and 2 walks, while striking out 5.  His ERA now stands at 2.73, his WHIP is 1.14 and he now has 8 wins during the 2009 MLB schedule.  Wells has made 16 starts and should probably have a few more wins if not for the Cubs bullpen blowing his leads in 3 of his 1st 5 starts.  11-4 (instead of 8-4) would look pretty good right – for both the Cubs and Wells.

You think Manager Lou Pinella was worried about taking out Wells in the 8th.  After Carlos Marmol and Kevin Gregg failed to pitch well in Florida, Pinella needed Wells to pitch deep into the game on Monday night in Cincinnati.  And that is exactly what he did.  Then Pinella put the team in John Grabow’s hands, as he got the Cubs out of a mini-jam by inducing an inning-ending double play by Brandon Phillips to end the threat.  And although Marmol struggled again in the 9th inning (1 ER on 2 hits and 1 walk), he got Willy Taveras to ground out to 1st base to end the game and preserve the Cubs win.

Cubs Win!  Cubs Win! Cubs Win!  Great words to hear after a brutal, frustrating series in Florida…