June 2009 Archives

Game Seventy-Four - Cubs 0 Pirates 3
WP - Ross Ohlendorf (7-6) LP - Ted Lilly (7-6) Save - Matt Capps (18)

An extremely bad month for the Chicago Cubs came to a fitting end on Tuesday night in Pittsburgh. The Cubs were shutout for the eighth time this season and the third time on the current 10-game road trip (second time in two games) that concludes Wednesday with the finale against the Bucs. A day after putting together a solid win against Zach Duke, the Cubs reverted to the bad habits that led to an 11-14 record in June.

Ted Lilly didn't pitch that badly and for the third time was on the wrong end of a shutout. Half of Lilly's six losses this season have come in games when the Cubs did not score a single run. Lilly put together a quality start but his wild pitch and error led to the Pirates first run.

Lilly gave up three runs, two earned, on eight hits in seven innings with two walks and seven strikeouts. Freddy Sanchez continued killing Cubs' pitching this season. Sanchez recorded three of the Pirates eight hits off Lilly, drove in two and scored the other. The final score could have read: Cubs 0 - Freddy Sanchez 3

Lou Piniella's crew made Ross Ohlendorf look very good in his first career start against the Cubs. The offense managed only four hits and Ohlendorf struck out eight ... a new season high. The Cubs did not make him work. He threw 93 pitches in seven innings and did not walk a single batter.

The Cubs had a chance in the eighth to make a game of it. After a single by Ryan Theriot and an infield single by Milton Bradley, with a little help from an error by Jack Wilson, the Cubs had runners on second and third with no outs ... with the top of the lineup due up.

John Grabow struck out Alfonso Soriano swinging on four pitches. Kosuke Fukudome struck out looking on three pitches and Derrek Lee grounded out to second to end the inning. The Pirates were conceding the run and the Cubs could not put the bat on the ball.

As with a .500 team as soon as it appears they are taking a step forward, the show up in Pittsburgh and lay an egg.

Game Seventy-Four: Cubs (36-37) vs. Pirates (35-41)
Game Time - 6:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet Plus - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 184
Location - PNC Park, Pittsburgh

Ted Lilly (7-5, 3.41/1.11) vs. Ross Ohlendorf (6-6, 4.75/1.29)

Updated - 4:00pm C.T. - Jeff Samardzija Recalled - Jose Ascanio Optioned

Can the Cubs make it two in a row on the road? In order to do so they will need a bounce-back performance from Ted Lilly ... as well as production from Kosuke Fukudome and Sam Fuld.

Milton Bradley is expected to get the next two days off against Ross Ohlendorf and Virgil Vasquez (both right-handers). Piniella wants Bradley to work with Von Joshua on his left-handed hitting. Kosuke Fukudome will play right and Sam Fuld is expected to start in center.

It might be a good time to get Alfonso Soriano a breathier as well. Soriano is still struggling and Micah Hoffpauir needs the playing time. With the speedy Fuld in center, he would help cover some ground and Ohlendorf struggles against lefties.

A quick show reminder...The CCO Radio will air live tonight at 7:00pm C.T. during the Cubs-Pirates game on Blog Talk Radio. To listen to the 60-minute call-in show live, click on this link and go to Blog Talk Radio. The podcast of the show will be available around 9:00pm C.T. and can be accessed through the player on the right side of the CCO or through Blog Talk Radio.

A variety of topics will be covered and the call-in number to discuss the Cubs with the CCO live is 347-237-4020.

From the history books ... Today marks the 100th Anniversary of the first Cubs-Pirates game at Forbes Field.

While the offense must build on Monday night's performance, all it takes is one win at a time ... and tonight it starts with Ted Lilly.

According to a report from the Sun-Times, the Cubs have recalled Jeff Samardzija from Triple-A Iowa and optioned Jose Ascanio back to Triple-A in order to make room on the active roster.

According to reports during Monday night's game, Aramis Ramirez could begin a rehab assignment as soon as Thursday. Ramirez is with the team in Pittsburgh and will continue to take batting practice throughout the series. If all goes as planned, Ramirez will go to one of the Cubs' minor league teams on Thursday while his teammates return to Chicago for a big four-game series against the Brewers.

Game Seventy-Three - Cubs 3 Pirates 1
WP - Rich Harden (5-4) LP - Zach Duke (8-6) Save - Kevin Gregg (13)

The Cubs won their first game of the year in the Steel City behind Rich Harden's best outing of the season. Harden gave up nine hits, all from the fourth inning on, but struck out nine with only one walk ... and one earned run. Harden struck out the side twice and pitched out of jams in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.

Carlos Marmol, circa 2008, showed up in the eighth and was dominant against the heart of the Pirates order. Marmol retired all three hitters on eight pitches, seven for strikes, with a ground out and two fly ball outs. Kevin Gregg sat down the Pirates in order in the ninth despite running the count full on both Jack Wilson and Eric Hinske.

Marmol and Gregg picked up where Harden left off and really challenged the hitters.

Andres Blanco drove in the game's first run with a two-out single in the second inning. Jake Fox (2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored) singled, advanced to second on a single by Geovany Soto and scored on Blanco's liner to center.

Ryan Theriot hit his seventh home run of the season in the third off Zach Duke. Theriot's solo shot to left gave the Cubs a two-run lead ... and Rich Harden a little cushion. Milton Bradley, hitting out of the sixth spot in Lou Piniella's lineup, drove in the Cubs third run in the fourth with a double to left center. One of Bradley's hardest hit balls of the year split the Pirates outfielders and it rolled all the way to the wall. Geovany Soto (1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored) made it all the way home from first.

After a weekend full of controversy, Milton Bradley had four of his better at bats of the year Monday night in Pittsburgh. He finished the game 2-for-4 with a RBI (his first since June 12 and third of the month) and hit the ball hard all night. Adam LaRoche took away a single from Bradley in the eighth that would have been his third hit of the game.

For as efficient as the offense was against Zach Duke, Monday night was all about Rich Harden ... and getting a win.

Game Seventy-Three: Cubs (35-37) vs. Pirates (35-40)
Game Time - 6:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WCIU - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 183
Location - PNC Park, Pittsburgh

Rich Harden (4-4, 4.95/1.40) vs. Zach Duke (8-5, 3.09/1.19)

The Cubs difficult 10-game road trip comes to an end on Wednesday night. After dropping six of their first seven, Lou Piniella's crew must put together a good series in Pittsburgh. The Cubs enter play today in fourth place in the Central but with the same amount of wins as the Pirates. The Cubs hit a low mark for the year at two games under .500 after they did not show up to the South Side on Sunday ... and if they are not careful could limp home Wednesday night in last place in the division.

The Cubs will face a very young and improving Pirates team that always plays their better games of the season against the Cubs. The Pirates are 21-14 at PNC Park this season (Cubs are 21-13 at Wrigley) and the Cubs are a pathetic 14-24 on the road. The Pirates won four straight before Sunday's loss to the Royals and are playing with much more confidence than the Cubs right now. This is not the same Pirates team the Cubs have faced in recent years and no one on the Cubs should take this series for granted.

Angel Guzman will have one more bullpen session before going on a rehab assignment later in the week with the Peoria Chiefs. Guzman's absence has created a huge hole in the bullpen.

Jake Fox is expected to start at third tonight with the other slots filled by the usual suspects. It is past time for this roster to start playing as a team and start winning on a consistent basis. Just one win at a time is all it takes ... and tonight it starts with Rich Harden.

According to a report from ESPN in Chicago, the Cubs are expected to place Aaron Miles on the disabled list Monday with a hyperextended elbow.

The report mentioned the Cubs would recall either Bobby Scales or possibly Sam Fuld to take his place on the active roster. The move is expected to be made official before Monday's game against the Pirates.

Updated - 6/28/09 - 1:25pm C.T. - Sam Fuld Recalled from Triple-A Iowa according to the Tribune

Game Seventy-Two - Cubs 0 White Sox 6
WP - John Danks (6-6) LP - Carlos Zambrano (4-3) Save - None

For all of the Cubs' problems this year they had yet to fall two games under the .500 mark ... until Sunday. The White Sox embarrassed the Cubs on the South Side and won the weekend series two games to one. The Cubs were shutout for the seventh time this season and twice in the last week. The woeful Cubs offense managed only four hits, one for extra bases, but walked four times. They had chances early on against John Danks and once again could not come up with a clutch hit. Lou Piniella's crew finished the afternoon 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left seven on base.

It was a long day for the Cubs after arguably one of their worst efforts of the year. Carlos Zambrano did not step up and give his team any stability. After saying before the game that Interleague games bore him because he cannot bat, Zambrano allowed five runs, four earned, on nine hits with two walks, two hit batsmen and three strikeouts.

The White Sox pounded out 13 hits against Cubs' pitching and received gifts from the Cubs sub-par defense.

After showing signs on Friday and Saturday of starting to put together a little consistency offensively, the Cubs took several steps back on Sunday with a horrible day at the plate against an above average pitcher. Sunday got so bad that the eternal optimist, Ron Santo, started singing "Kumbaya" during the eighth inning and said, "You've either got to laugh or cry and I've been doing too much crying lately."

Following the game Lou Piniella said, "Not a good game for us at all. Not a good game. You don't mind getting beat like the way we did on Saturday but this was not good. We are going to have to sure up some areas."

The Cubs have lost 6 of 7 and finish the bulk of their Interleague schedule with a 6-8 record ... with a game remaining in September. Lou Piniella's crew will enter play Monday in fourth place in the division.

Game Seventy-Two: Cubs (35-36) vs. White Sox (36-38)
Game Time - 1:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WGN TV - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 180
Location - U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago

Carlos Zambrano (4-2, 3.48/1.27) vs. John Danks (5-6, 4.43/1.29)

Today concludes Interleague Play for all but two teams in the majors ... the Cubs and the White Sox. The make-up date from the rainout on June 16 has not been announced but the all signs are pointing to the game being played on September 3 at Wrigley (both teams have an open date on September 10 as well). The Cubs are 6-7 against the AL with two games remaining on their schedule ... and the game against the Sox in September could end up being a formality if the Cubs continue to struggle the way they have throughout the first three months of the season.

Saturday was not a good day for the Chicago Cubs. Not only did they lose to their crosstown rival in a game the bullpen could not hold, every team in the central took care of their business ... and then there's the little trade involving Mark DeRosa going to the Cardinals.

Aramis Ramirez Update: Aramis Ramirez took batting practice again on Saturday. He told the media that his shoulder was a little sore after Friday's session, but not more than could be expected. As mentioned last week, Ramirez said during the pre-game before the Cubs-Tigers game on Wednesday that once he returns he will require extra rest for the remainder of the season. Ramirez pointed out he likely would not be able to play day games following night games, depending on how he feels. The Cubs have missed his run production, and his glove, but the return of Aramis Ramirez will not be a cure-all for this team. The Cubs need help in the bullpen and a player similar to the one that is now with the Cubs' biggest rival. According to multiple reports Ramirez could begin a rehab assignment within a week, which if all goes well he could be back in time for the four-game series against the Cardinals at Wrigley (July 10 - July 12).

Mark Teahen was rumored to be on the Cubs' radar over the winter and reports are suggesting he is once again ... so stay tuned.

Today is just not the rubber game of the series against the Sox but an important game for the Chicago Cubs. Lou Piniella needs production from both Milton Bradley and Alfonso Soriano and to have someone in the pen step up and provide some much-needed stability late in games ... and it all starts with Carlos Zambrano.

According to multiple reports, the Indians traded Mark DeRosa to the Cardinals for pitcher Chris Perez and a PTBNL late Saturday night.

The Cubs were rumored as late as Saturday as being interested in re-acquiring DeRosa from the Indians ...