July 2007 Archives

Game One Hundred Five - Cubs 7 Phillies 3
WP - Jason Marquis (8-6) LP - Adam Eaton (9-7) Save - None

Lou Piniella's crew finished the month of July the same way it began, with a win. In between the Cubs won another 15 games to finish an improbable month with a 17-9 record, their most wins in July since 2000. The Cubs 17 wins in July were the most in the National League and the second best in the big leagues behind the Yankees with 18.

Jason Marquis turned in a solid performance to earn his 8th victory of the year. Marquis improved his record to 5-2 after Cub losses; he allowed 3 runs on 8 hits in 6 innings. The Cubs came from behind once again. Jacque Jones doubled in 2 runs in the 6th, Mike Fontenot added a pinch hit RBI single and Jason Kendall singled with 2-outs and the bases loaded in the 7th that drove in the final 2 runs of the game.

Game One Hundred Five: Cubs (55-49) vs. Phillies (56-49)
Game Time - 7:05pm C.T. WCIU, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 183
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago

Jason Marquis (7-6, 4.20/1.30) vs. Adam Eaton (9-6, 5.83/1.54)

While the Cubs missed a great opportunity to take over the lead in the Central Division last night, that was then and today is a new day. Lou Piniella said the baseball season really begins on August 1st. That is when teams make their run at the post season and everything up to then is just jockeying for position. Well his crew has put themselves in a very good position and now they must finish the month of July with their 17th win....but, as usual, it all starts with Jason Marquis.

Game One Hundred Four - Cubs 1 Phillies 4
WP - Cole Hamels (12-5) LP - Ted Lilly (11-5) Save - Brett Myers (7)

Lou Piniella's crew continued their struggles against left-handed starters on Monday night and dropped to 9-16 on the season against southpaws. Cole Hamels dominated the Cubs lineup and allowed just 3 hits in 8 strong innings of work. The lone run of the game came off of Ryan Theriot's 3rd home run of the year in the 6th inning. Hamels and Brett Myers combined to retire the last 12 batters in a row, after the Theriot homer, to end the game. The Cubs offense had the leadoff runner on in 4 of the first 6 innings but could not string together any hits against Cole Hamels.

Ted Lilly lost for the first time since June 3rd and while he had problems with his command, he made only two mistakes. Lilly gave up a 3-run home run to Aaron Rowand in the 3rd and a solo home run by Tadahito Iguchi in the 5th. The two home runs by the former southsiders were the first long balls allowed by Lilly since July 19th and it was the first time Lilly had allowed multiple home runs in the same game since June 21st in Texas.

Game One Hundred Four: Cubs (55-48) vs. Phillies (55-49)
Game Time - 6:05pm C.T. ESPN, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 183, 174
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago

Ted Lilly (11-4, 3.46/1.09) vs. Cole Hamels (11-5, 3.63/1.18)

The Cubs open a 4-game series tonight against the Philadelphia Phillies and start a 7-game homestand that concludes on Sunday against the New York Mets. The next 7 games will be a good indication of how far Lou Piniella's crew has come since the middle of May. Back on May 11th the Cubs started a 7-game road trip that included three against the Phillies and four against the Mets. They won just one game in both cities and limped home to face the White Sox with a 2-5 record to show for the efforts. That was then and this is now and a reversal of that record would be a good way to start the month of August. It will be tough for a Cubs team that does not play very well against southpaws. Tonight is the first of four they will face on this homestand and the Cubs are a Major League worst 9-15 against left handed starters. While the offense must figure out how to beat Cole Hamels tonight, it all starts with Ted Lilly.

For the first time in a long time, I found myself rooting for the St. Louis Cardinals this weekend. It is something I am not proud of, but I am sure the Faithful had the same feeling as well. I was looking for a split, and I figured that would be the best case scenario. Taking two from the Brewers is a tough task, especially since Ted Williams has thawed and comes to the park dressed like Ryan Braun. That kid is unreal. But the Cards did one better; literally, they took three out of four from the Brew Crew at Busch Stadium. The Cubs took care of business on Saturday after giving one away on Friday and the Cardinals sweep the Crew in a day/night double header. The Cubbies gain a game and a half in one day, what is it my birthday?

Sunday rolls around and the Big Z decided to throw one of his best outings of the year. If it wasn't for his brief memory lapse, where he decided to play hacky sack instead of baseball, I think Z would have talked Piniella into letting him finish out the afternoon. Regardless of the last pitcher on the mound when the afternoon is over, a "W" was achieved and another game was taken off the Brewers dwindling lead. The Cards won again, are they getting too close? Our Cubbies ended the road trip with a 4-2 record, the Brewers 2-6. Happy Monday, the Cubs are a half game back in the NL Central. The last time you could say that was April 12th, four and a half months ago. This is a look ahead at the remaining schedule of the top two teams in the NL Central. I thought about adding the Cards, but that was it, just a thought.

Game One Hundred Three - Cubs 6 Reds 0
WP - Carlos Zambrano (14-7) LP - Matt Belisle (5-8) Save - None

For the second day in a row the Cubs played in front of a home crowd at Great American Ball Park. There were clearly more of the Faithful on hand once again and Carlos Zambrano treated them to arguably his best outing of the season, a stark contrast to the way he pitched the last time he took the mound in Cincinnati. Zambrano gave up just 2 hits in 7 1/3 innings of work, walked 3 and struck out 6 and was 3-for-4 at the plate. Zambrano dominated the Reds in route to his Major League leading 14th victory and when he left the game in the 8th inning he was given a standing ovation. Will Ohman and Bobby Howry pitched the last 1 2/3 innings of the game and gave up just a hit to help preserve the shutout.

Derrek Lee hit his second home run in as many days, his 11th of the season, to give Zambrano the early lead. Alfonso Soriano had another big day at the plate as well and appeared to hit a 2-run home run in the 2nd inning but Joe West ruled it fan interference and Soriano had to settle for his 30th double of the year. Aramis Ramirez drove in the first run of the game and Angel Pagan drove in 2 runs in the 9th with a 2-out single to center that sealed the victory. The Cubs finished a very difficult 6-game road trip with a 4-2 record and with the win are back to 7 games above .500 for the third time this season.

Game One Hundred Three: Cubs (54-48) vs. Reds (45-60)
Game Time - 12:15pm C.T. WGN TV, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 188
Location - Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati

Carlos Zambrano (13-7, 3.65/1.26) vs. Matt Belisle (5-7, 5.28/1.45)

The Cubs will look to end their 6-game road trip on a positive note today in the rubber game of the series. Lou Piniella's crew must take care of business today behind their ace and make their road trip a winning one, just not a break even one. Aramis Ramirez is expected in the lineup today and Cliff Floyd is expected to take the day off with the return of Koyie Hill behind the plate. While the offense supplied the power last night, it all starts with Carlos Zambrano.

Game One Hundred Two - Cubs 8 Reds 1
WP - Sean Marshall (5-4) LP - Aaron Harang (10-3) Save - None

Saturday at Great American Ball Park was 70's night complete with slinky giveaways, retro commercials, disco music and Barry Williams aka Greg Brady throwing out the first pitch and singing the 7th inning stretch. The only thing that was missing were the Cubs two-toned blue striped jerseys. In front of a sold out crowd of 42,365 it was the Cubs that supplied the fireworks to a stadium filled with more blue than red. Alfonso Soriano went yard twice, drove in 5 and added a single for good measure that should have driven in another run. Derrek Lee hit his 10th home run in the 1st inning off of Aaron Harang before he left with lower back spasms. The Cubs showed a lot of patience at the plate. They walked 6 times with Ryan Theriot receiving 2 of the free passes.

Sean Marshall tossed a gem. Lou Piniella's 5th starter held the Reds to 1 run on 6 hits in 6+ innings of work. Jacque Jones committed an error in the 4th inning that led to the only run the Reds scored but made up for his mistake with two excellent catches that saved runs later in the ballgame. Sean Marshall gave his team what they needed, another quality start. And they rewarded him with a long overdue win.

Game One Hundred Two: Cubs (53-48) vs. Reds (45-59)
Game Time - 6:10pm C.T. Comcast SportsNet, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 188
Location - Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati

Sean Marshall (4-4, 3.25/1.26) vs. Aaron Harang (10-2, 3.45/1.18)

Lou Piniella needs a solid, quality outing tonight out of Sean Marshall but most importantly the Cubs offense needs to pick up where they left off in the 9th inning on Friday. The Reds made the Cubs look very bad and clearly out played Lou Piniella's crew. The Cubs are 2-5 against the Reds this season with 11 more remaining on this year's schedule, they have to figure out how to beat them, and quick, if they want to be playing meaningful games in September. The offense will have a tough time scoring anything tonight against Aaron Harang....but it all starts with Sean Marshall.

Game One Hundred One - Cubs 4 Reds 5
WP - David Weathers (2-3, BS 5) LP - Bobby Howry (5-6) Save - None

After a one hour and 27 minute rain delay, the Cubs scored an unearned run off of Bronson Arroyo in the 1st inning, thanks to an error by Ken Griffey, Jr. Bronson Arroyo settled in and threw a gem with help from a Reds' defense that made several highlight real-type plays. The Cubs offense managed just 2 hits off of Arroyo after the opening frame until a 2-out double by Ryan Theriot cut the Reds lead to 4-2 and chased Arroyo from the game with 2 outs in the 8th. The Cubs offense came alive in the 9th against David Weathers. Jason Kendall tied the game with a single to left after singles by Aramis Ramirez, Cliff Floyd and Mark DeRosa. Mike Fontenot appeared to drive in the go ahead run with a single to center but Ryan Freel threw out Jacque Jones at the plate and Alfonso Soriano lined out to end the inning.

Bobby Howry gave up a lead off single to Norris Hopper in the bottom of the 9th. Pinch hitter, Juan Castro sacrificed him to 2nd and Edwin Encarnacion singled down the 3rd base line with the game winner. Rich Hill pitched 5 inconsistent innings. He struck out 8 and walked 3 but gave up 6 hits including a monster home run off the bat of Encarnacion that ended up in the third deck. Rocky Cherry surrendered 2 runs in the 6th but only one was earned due to the 5th error of the second half by Alfonso Soriano. The Reds have been a thorn in the Cubs side for the past several years, and Lou Piniella's crew has yet to figure out how to beat this team.