April 2008 Archives

Game Twenty-Seven - Cubs 19 Brewers 5
WP - Ryan Dempster (4-0) LP - Jeff Suppan (1-1) Save - None

Lou Piniella's crew completed the first month of the season by setting a new franchise record for wins in April with 17. The Cubs' skipper preached all winter about the importance of a fast start and Piniella can now check that off his list. The Cubs offense came out swinging against Jeff Suppan. They plated 6 runs in the 1st inning, 1 in the 3rd, 5 more in the 4th, 1 in the 6th and 6 more in the 8th.

Geovany Soto led the Cubs offense with two 3-run home runs and set a career high with 6 RBI's with the first multi home run game of his career. Soto became the first Cubs' catcher since Barry Foote in 1980 to record 2 home runs and 6 RBI's in one game.

Even in the lopsided win, the Cubs' newfound patience continued throughout the entire game. The Cubs walked another 9 times on the night to go along with the 17 hits and set a season high with 19 runs scored. The Cubs offense scored at least 5 runs in 3 different innings and the 19-run outburst was their highest single game total since they scored 20 back in 2001.

Ryan Dempster became the first Cubs' pitcher to start 4-0 at home in the month of April with another solid start. Dempster allowed 3 runs on 4 hits in 6 innings with a strikeout and 5 walks. Bobby Howry surrendered the other 2 runs on a home run by Mike Rivera in the 7th. Carlos Marmol retired the side in order in the 8th with 2 strikeouts and Michael Wuertz recorded the last out of the game.

The Cubs ended April with a bang....but as the cliche goes, the baseball season is a marathon and not a sprint. Time to keep winning games.

Game Twenty-Seven: Cubs (16-10) vs. Brewers (15-11)
Game Time - 7:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: ESPN Wednesday Night Baseball, WCIU - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 189
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago

Ryan Dempster (3-0, 2.90/1.03) vs. Jeff Suppan (1-0, 3.48/1.26)

All in all it could be said the Cubs have had a good first month of the season. A 16-10 record and just a win shy of setting a new all-time mark is very good....but losing 4 of the last 6 cannot be sitting to well with their skipper. The Cubs will try to avoid their first 3-game losing streak of the year tonight behind Ryan Dempster. The offense must continue to be patient against Jeff Suppan, get into the Brewers bullpen and return the favor from last night.

A picture is worth a thousand words....

Game Twenty-Six - Cubs 7 Brewers 10
WP - Ben Sheets (4-0) LP - Jason Marquis (1-1) Save - Eric Gagne (8)

For the first time this season the Cubs lost a game in which they scored at least 4 runs as they were out hit on a cold night at Wrigley. The Cubs offense scored 4 runs, 3 earned, off of Ben Sheets, the most the Brewers' ace has allowed this year, but it was not enough. Jason Marquis struggled with his command, left after just 5 innings and the middle relievers could not get the job done. Marquis was never the same after a 13-minute delay before the 3rd inning. Reports indicated home plate umpire Jerry Crawford left "feeling ill" and was taken to the hospital. Marquis surrendered 5 runs on 10 hits with a walk and 2 strikeouts. But the Cubs bullpen had another rough outing and could not keep the Brewers off the board.

Kevin Hart, Sean Marshall, Michael Wuertz and Jon Lieber gave up 5 runs on 7 hits with 2 walks and only 1 strikeout in the last 4 innings. The Brewers' 17 hits were the most allowed by Cubs' pitching this season.

Lou Piniella said after the game, "Gotta sure up the middle to get to the short people. That's been a problem for a while." Piniella did not sound to happy, to say the least, with his bullpen.

Ben Sheets set a career high in walks with 7 but only allowed 4 runs, 3 earned, on just 3 hits. Derrek Lee led off the 3rd with his 8th home run and in the process tied Sammy Sosa, Shane Andrews and Lee Walls for the most home runs in the month of April. Mike Fontenot doubled in three runs in the 7th....but in the end, the Brewers bullpen was the difference in the game.

Game Twenty-Six: Cubs (16-9) vs. Brewers (14-11)
Game Time - 7:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 189
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago

Jason Marquis (1-0, 3.47/1.50) vs. Ben Sheets (3-0, 0.96/0.64)

Lou Piniella's crew returns to the field tonight for the first of three games against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Cubs stumbled into Monday's off day after losing 3 of the previous 4 games. The Cubs must get back on track tonight and that will be easier said than done against Ben Sheets.

The Cubs posted a solid 9-4 record over the last two weeks. The upcoming stretch of games against the Brewers, Cardinals and Reds will be a big test for the first place club.

To leadoff or not to leadoff is the question Lou Piniella has to find an answer to once Alfonso Soriano returns from the DL. A report last week on Cubs.com indicated Soriano is pain free and several reports later in the week stated that when Soriano returns on Thursday against the Brewers he will hit first in the Cubs lineup. But the Cubs are 9-4 since he injured himself on the hop back on April 15th. With Reed Johnson in the starting lineup, the Cubs are 12-4, so where should Soriano hit in the new OBP oriented lineup?

Installment 8 - Managers, Men and More Lip Service

The CCO Radio returns for the latest edition on a much needed off day for the Cubs. Brian and Shaun, along with a special guest, discuss the latest from Carlos Zambrano's great start to Ronny Cedeno to Ryan Theriot as well as the return of Alfonso Soriano. There is even a mention of Brian Roberts and discussion about Lou Piniella's use of his bench over the weekend. Plus a couple of well-timed impersonations, the reminder to 'Fear the Blanco' and after the first month....believe it or not, they are still excited.

After you are done listening, read on for twenty-five thoughts on the 25-man roster after 25 games....

Game Twenty-Five - Cubs 0 Nationals 2
WP - John Lannan (2-2) LP - Ted Lilly (1-4) Save - Jon Rauch (4)

A day after recording their first shutout of the season, the Nationals returned the favor and shutout the Cubs for the first time this year. Ted Lilly turned in the Cubs fourth quality start in a row with an impressive 6 inning performance....he was just out pitched. John Lannan handled the Cubs offense with pinpoint control and did not allow a hit until the 5th inning. The Cubs loaded the bases for the sixth time in the 3-game series in the 5th with 1-out but came away empty. They also left the tying runs in scoring position in the 6th....again with 1-out. On the day the Cubs left 8 on base and appeared out of gas for most of the afternoon.

Ted Lilly took the loss but for the first time this season he pitched the way he did a year ago. Lilly gave up both runs in the 2nd inning, surrendered only 4 hits in 6 innings, struck out a season high 7 batters and walked only 2.

The Cubs finished the road trip with a disappointing 2-3 record but have still won 9 of 13 since their last day off.

Game Twenty-Five: Cubs (16-8) vs. Nationals (8-17)
Game Time - 12:35pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WGN - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 185
Location - Nationals Park, Washington D.C.

Ted Lilly (1-3, 7.30/1.62) vs. John Lannan (1-2, 3.42/1.44)

Lou Piniella's crew will complete their second road trip of the year with the rubber game of the series, and the trip, against the Nationals. The Cubs have won 2 of the first 4 and with a win today they would finish a 13-game stretch with a 10-3 record before their first day off on Monday since April 14th.

The Cubs will face the third left-handed pitcher of the series today and possibly the most talented of the group. John Lannan's record and ERA does not indicate how well he has pitched this year. It will be up to Ted Lilly to keep the Nationals off the scoreboard and give the offense time to score a few runs. The Cubs need their own southpaw to pick up where he left off against the Mets and earn his second victory of the season.

Game Twenty-Four - Cubs 7 Nationals 0
WP - Carlos Zambrano (4-1) LP - Matt Chico (0-5) Save - None

Lou Piniella's crew ended their 2-game losing streak with an impressive shutout win over the Nationals, the first of the year for the Cubs' pitching staff. Carlos Zambrano struggled with his command at times but was able to get the big out when he needed it. Zambrano surrendered only 5 hits in 7 innings, struck out 5, walked 4 and hit a batter. The 4 wins by Zambrano in April is a new career high.

The Cubs offense broke out of their brief 2-game slump. Reed Johnson, Ryan Theriot and Derrek Lee were 6-for-6 with 5 runs scored in the first two innings. Derrek Lee drove in 3 with a double, a single and 2 walks. Mark DeRosa came through with a bases loaded, 2-run single in the 1st inning. Aramis Ramirez drove in a pair in the 8th with a 2-out double....all 7 of the Cubs' runs were driven in by Lee, Ramirez and DeRosa. Ronny Cedeno added 3 hits, including 2 doubles in 5 at bats.

With the win, the Cubs tied the All-Time mark for victories in April with 16 set back in 1969.