The Chicago Cubs defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates this afternoon in a close game, 3-2. Despite the low score, the Cubs put eleven men on base via a hit or a walk. Although they only drew two base on balls this afternoon, they're doing very well in that category this season. With 64 walks in sixteen games the Cubs are averaging exactly four BB per contest. Last year they drew walks at a rate of 3.1 per game, and the previous two seasons (Dusty Baker) they were around 2.5! The last season a Cubs team averaged over four walks per game was in 1975. Coming into today, they posted a .266 BA, but with all the walks their OBA was an excellent .346.

Fukudome with twelve gets a lot of credit, but Soto drew two today and now stands at nine. Two relative new comers are making a big difference.