Dominating the Hill

Game Four - Cubs 9 Brewers 3
WP - Rich Hill (1-0) LP - Dave Bush (0-1)

Lou Piniella received a quality start for the third consecutive game. Rich Hill threw 7 brilliant innings against the Brewers' high powered offense and allowed just 1 run on 1 hit....a home run by Corey Hart. Counting spring training Hill has yet to walk a batter in 2007 and he struck out 6 on the night on just 78 pitches, 58 for strikes. Hill had a perfect game going until the Hart homer in the 6th.

The Cubs offense broke out of their early slump and scored almost as many runs in the first inning, 6, as they had the entire 3-game series against the Reds, 7. Every starter recorded at least one hit and with the exception of Cesar Izturis, scored at least one run. Mark DeRosa hit his second long ball in as many days and Ronny Cedeno had a pinch-hit round tripper of his own. The Cubs hustled and were very smart on the bases. What a difference a day makes....

Rich Hill was one mistake short of perfection. And when he faced a little adversity in the 6th, he collected himself and retired the top of the Brewers lineup in order. The Cubs offense gave Hill all he would need in the 1st inning and he even got an at bat before he threw his first pitch. After the big 1st inning for the Cubs, Hill shut down the Brewers in order and made a statement right from the start. Of the first 6 batters he faced, he struck out 3 and his defense helped him out when needed, especially Alfonso Soriano in center.

Soriano made several fine defensive plays and received his first real challenges of the year. Bill Hall badly misplayed a ball in the Cubs 1st that led to the big inning, so playing center field does have its challenges. While Soriano will likely have games similar to Hall's performance, on Friday night he was more than solid in the field.

Hill cruised along until the 6th inning. Corey Hart led off with a home run to left center. Tony Graffanino followed with a grounder to Ramirez, who fumbled the ball but recovered in time to make a strong throw to Lee at 1st. Charlie Reliford called Graffanino safe, saying Lee was pulled off the bag by Aramis' throw. The replay showed a very bad call, Lee's foot was on the bag. Hill was able to get Geoff Jenkins to ground back to him but his throw to 2nd was high and ended up in center field....everyone was safe, runners at 1st and 2nd with no outs. Hill recovered and really showed his maturity. He retired Rickie Weeks and J.J. Hardy on pop outs to the right side of the infield and struck out Prince Fielder swinging on 3 pitches, on his last pitch he dropped down to a side arm delivery to retire Fielder and left the field pumping his fist.

Angel Guzman pitched the last 2 innings of the game and gave up 2 runs on 3 hits. Guzman was very good out of the pen but could not retire Kevin Mench with Fielder on 3rd and Hall on 2nd. Mench singled to left to account for the other 2 runs on the day for the Brewers.

Last season the futures of Rich Hill and Angel Guzman in a Cubs' uniform seemed very uncertain but if they can continue to pitch the way the did on Friday night, those early struggles will soon be forgotten.

Alfonso Soriano got the Cubs offense going with a leadoff double to left. Dave Bush followed the double by hitting Jacque Jones. Derrek Lee hit into a force out but Aramis Ramirez followed with a single to left to plate Soriano. Cliff Floyd doubled to center over the head of Bill Hall. Floyd hit the ball extremely hard but Hall badly misplayed it. Lee scored and Ramirez scored all the way from 1st....thanks to an errant throw by Hall. When the ball went home, Floyd advanced to 3rd. Ramirez really hustled on the play and Floyd's smart base running landed him at 3rd. Michael Barrett followed with his first hit of the season with a single to left to score Floyd. Mark DeRosa stepped to the plate and took a 3-1 pitch over the left center field wall for his 2nd home run of the season. Cesar Izturis followed with a double but was stranded at 2nd. The Cubs scored 6 runs on 6 hits and sent 10 the plate in the 1st inning.

Dave Bush settled down, threw 5 scoreless innings and retired the last 6 batters he faced but the Cubs were able to get on board again in 7th off of Claudio Vargas. Jones lead off the 7th with a seeing-eye-single to right and with 1-out advanced to 2nd on a broken bat flare to center by Ramirez. Bill Hall would have forced Jones at 2nd with an accurate throw. Floyd followed with his second double of the game. Jones scored but a good relay by the Brewers cut Ramirez down at the plate. Piniella went to his bench for Ryan Theriot to pinch run for Floyd. Barrett followed with his second hit of the day, a single to right that scored Theriot who made a very good slide at the plate to avoid the tag.

Ronny Cedeno added a pinch-hit solo homer in the 8th.

While one loss does not make a season, neither does an impressive win. The Cubs evened their record on the young season but the next two days will be a good test to see exactly how the Cubs stack up against two of the better pitchers in the league, especially with the history they have against Ben Sheets and Chris Capuano.

Ryan R

I would think that Murton gets the start today. Pinella is definitelly concerned with keeping Floyd healthy, and I think a early day game after a night game means Murton starts. Plus Lou didn't use him as a PH last night so maybe he's saving him for today.

Neil,

I know what your saying about Floyd, but I think Lou was playing for a run on a single. Which is why Theriot goes in there. It would have been interesting though had Floyd stayed in, although I don't think he even makes the turn at third. Theriot made a great move to avoid the tag. You got to love the small guys that are quick as lightning.

Neil

Chad...you know I am a numbers guy. Floyd (I just posted in Talkin') has hit Sheets pretty good while Murton has never faced him. Murton hits Brewers pitching very well.... .380/.448/.580 with 3 doubles, 2 triples and a home run. With the way Floyd ran around the bases last night I would be surprised if he started today, but with Capuano going on Sunday, Murton will get the start.

As much as I like Murton, with Floyd hitting the ball the way he has, 3-8 with 2 doubles, 2 RBI's and 2 Runs (could have been 3 if Piniella had not pinch run for him last night)... I say stay with the hot hand and Floyd.

Chad

Now, everyone be totally honest: Do you want Floyd or Murton in the lineup today against Ben Sheets?

Brandon W

Bush was tipping his pitches pretty badly in the first two innings. He was taking the ball out of the glove very slowly and not hiding it well with his glove. I think that had something to do with us crushing him. Either way, Im glad we played well and won. Hill pitched great, but his whole motion is a little slower when he throws the breaking ball.

Ryan R

I think this game shows what the Cubs will do to average pitching. Today with Ben Sheets may be a different story, if they can get a couple of runs and Z has a good game then they'll do ok.

I really liked the fact that Lou was aggressive later in the game, even with a 5 run lead. He looked like he was getting impatient around the 5th inning. You gotta love that "never satisfied attitude". Don't think Dusty would have done that. I swear, every time the cameras were on him he's standing up. The guy never sits down. A lot better than sitting on the bench, chewing your tothpick and staring at your lineup card.

Also, how about ARAM hustling tonight. Even though he got thrown out at home the second time, the guy was going in hard. It's definitelly not pretty, but its still a thing of beauty. Actually all the guys were hustling tonight, even on ground outs. So far Lou has kept that promise.

Rich Hill looked outstanding tonight. Yes, the brewers helped him some, but when you get a team down 6 runs in the first they get desperate. That curveball is just flat out nasty. It helps him even when he dosen't use it. At least 3 guys struck out because they thought that curve was coming and instead it was a fastball/slider. When Fielder struck out to end the 6th you could watch him standing there afterwards just blinking because he had no clue what just happend. Hill with that half sidearm delivery just absolutelly psyched the guy out. You know down 0-2 Fielder was thinking of that curve away.

Anyway, if we can get this kind of pitching from our 3-4-5 guys, you know Z will come around, this will be a good year. I know its only 4 games in but the attitude on this team is 180 deg. from last year. They actually believe they can win.