CHICAGO -- It was Sept. 2, 2002. A day current Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross and former Cub Mark Grace will remember forever. Grace was playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks under Bob Brenly -- a former Cubs television analyst -- one year after the Diamondbacks helped Grace to a World Series ring. Now he was going to get his first and only chance to pitch in the big leagues.
The Diamondbacks were down 18-0 against the Los Angeles Dodgers going into the ninth inning while Ross was playing in his fourth big league game. Another former Cub and good friend of Grace, Rick Sutcliffe, was broadcasting the blowout for ESPN.