Game One Hundred Thirty-One - Cubs 1 Brewers 6
WP - Ben Sheets (11-4) LP - Carlos Zambrano (14-11) Save - None
No one in the Cubs organization will be happier than Carlos Zambrano to see the calendar flip to a new month on Saturday. Zambrano lost his 4th straight game and finished August 0-4 in 5 starts with a 7.06 ERA after signing his long over due contract almost two weeks ago. While Zambrano struggled once again on the mound, the Cubs' offense gave him no run support and little room for error. Zambrano left the game in the 7th inning after giving up a bases loaded double to Ryan Braun. Zambrano allowed 2 runs before the Brewers 4-run 7th inning and left with his team down 4-1. Scott Eyre gave up a 2-run single to Geoff Jenkins in relief to close the book on Zambrano....6 runs, 5 earned, on 9 hits with 6 strikeouts and a walk in 6 1/3 innings.
The Cubs offense had plenty of opportunities against Ben Sheets. They left 4 runners in scoring position in the first 3 innings and had runners on base in every inning but the 5th. Sheets threw the ball very well in his first start off the DL and ended the Brewers 5-game losing streak while picking up his first win since June 30th at Wrigley. Alfonso Soriano recorded his first hit since returning from the DL. Aramis Ramirez drove in the lone Cubs' run in the 3rd with a sacrifice fly to right. Jacque Jones was 2-for-3 with a walk, the only Cub to reach base more than once on the night. With the loss the Cubs dropped back to 3 games above .500 and did not create any breathing room in the division.
Lou Piniella has stated not to get too high with every win and not get too low with every loss, a very true statement....there are over 30 games left in the season and anything can happen. With that said the Cubs need a good game, maybe a blowout, to give all the players a chance to breath and loosen up a little. The entire team appears to be tight and not playing their game. They are trying to force plays that are not there and with all of the "lack of power" talk, they appear to be trying to do too much at the plate. Case in point is the play with Mark DeRosa and Ryan Theriot in the 7th that opened the door for the Brewers' big inning.
Rickie Weeks singled with 1-out to center. Zambrano quickly got ahead in the count to Gabe Gross, 1-2. Gross hit a grounder in the hole at 2nd, DeRosa made a good play but decided to throw to 2nd with his momentum heading toward 1st base. DeRosa's throw was on line, but Theriot short armed it tying to put himself in position to turn the double play and get out of the inning. Neither Theriot nor DeRosa made sure to get one. After Theriot was charged with his 10th error of the season, Prince Fielder blooped a single to left center to load the bases (Weeks stumbled heading to 3rd or would have scored easily). Piniella came out and talked to Zambrano before he let his ace pitch to Ryan Braun. The soon-to-be-named NL Rookie of the year doubled to left on a 1-2 pitch (a ball from the bullpen got away at the same time and rolled into the infield as Braun's was heading into left field). Piniella brought in Scott Eyre to face Geoff Jenkins. With runners on 2nd and 3rd, Jenkins singled to left to drive in the last 2 runs of the game.
The other two runs Zambrano allowed came with 2-outs in the 4th and 5th inning. Prince Fielder doubled to lead off the 4th and scored on a triple to right by Corey Hart. In the 5th, Zambrano hit Rickie Weeks for the second time in the game. Gabe Gross followed with a 2-out double to right, Weeks scored the eventual winning run.
Cliff Floyd made a highlight reel catch to start the game. Zambrano fell behind Weeks, 3-1, and he took Zambrano's offering to the wall in right. Floyd battled the wind and made the catch as he fell backwards into the ivy....great concentration. Floyd made two other nice plays on the night that saved runs.
The Cubs stole 3 bases against Johnny Estrada and put themselves in the right position to score runs but could not come through with the clutch hit when they needed it. The turning point in the game came in the 3rd inning and for the third game in the row a failed bunt attempt cost them a big inning.
Carlos Zambrano led off the 3rd with a infield single down the 3rd base line....the ball stayed fair. Soriano followed with a single to center. With runners on 1st and 2nd in a scoreless game, Piniella asked Theriot to lay down a sacrifice bunt. Theriot ended up popping up the bunt (on the second attempt) and Fielder caught it for the first out. Derrek Lee followed with a single to center. Corey Hart does have a good arm and with Zambrano running the bases, it was the right call by Mike Quade not to send Zambrano. Aramis Ramirez followed with a sacrifice fly to right and Cliff Floyd flied out to left to end the inning.
The sign outside the Cubs' Clubhouse on Thursday should read: "Mandatory Bunting Practice Today at 3:00"
Round two went to the Brewers and their ace, Ben Sheets....the Cubs let him off the hook.
Ted Lilly is scheduled to take the mound on Thursday night against rookie southpaw, Manny Parra.
Subscribe
It's sad to watch the struggles of Zambrano, and yesterdays game reinforces that he is a thrower v. a pitcher. It was very disappointing to see him get outpitched by someone who was out of commission the last 45 days. As for the offense, more lost opportunities and failure to execute. I particularly was amazed at Soriano failing away on three straight pitches, the latter two that both bounced three feet from the strike zone. Wonderful example of patience at the plate. This team may back into the playoffs, but they are not playing playoff caliber baseball. As a final thought, what is with Aramis Ramirez? If you're hurting, then sit. If not, let's start producing some drives into gaps v. this overswinging approach recently. I'm a diehard Cubs fan, but won't drink the kool-aid just yet.
Zambrano is not the same pitcher of 04,05, 06 and 7 weeks of 07. Reminds me of Prior after 04 season. I've seen two games personally with Zambrano in this stretch and frankly he's lucky they have only scored 12 runs (Cincy and Brewers) They are teeing off on him like it is batting practice and he has real trouble with command. He appears stiff on his warm-ups almost like he is throwing with his arm and not his full body. Bad back? At this point any other Cubs starter give the Cubs a better chance to win. Woods looked good last night. If he gets his command and stays heathly through Sept. he can really help
JH...I agree. You look at Oswalt who dominated last night against a hot Cardinals club. You would have hoped for the same from Zambrano. What should be an automatic win each time out with your "ace" is now an adventure (at best). I'm sure we'll hear about his real physical issues after the season or if they fall out of contention. At times you wish the Cubs would just "come clean". As a sidenote, I find it frustrating that this team still cannot produce fundamental bunts, sac flies, and fielding of the pitching position (Rich Hill). These are basics that should be no-brainers from the minor league system. Candidly I think it's time for Pinella to busts a few chops in that clubhouse, and also potentially bench Soriano (who it truly a plate liability and momentum killer in the lineup right now).
Rick,
I do not want to see Soriano benched, but I do want to see him moved to the 2 spot. Theriot was tearing it up as the lead off, and Soriano would see a lot of fast balls and have a ton of protection behind him. I really think he would tear it up in the two hole. Something has to change to get this offense going, cause right now it ain't doin crap.
When you look at the June/July streak, it was driven by youth, opportunistic play, fundamental soundness, and reasonable starting pitching. I'd get the LSU duo back at SS/SB again (Fontenot is still a major spark), and move DeRosa back to right (Cliff Floyd, if he's not going to hit HR's, is a liability). I'd also hustle Soto back up on 9/1, and immediately inject him behind the plate since Kendall (nice guy and all), couldn't throw out my grandmother. I think we'd all agree that we'd rather see this team lose with hustle and great effort v. non-producing seasoned vets. Back to Soriano, move him down even to the 6-7 hole, take the pressure off him, and whatever he gives the team will then be a bonus. His "three pitches and out" routine is getting real old.
Rick, I think you hit on some really good observations. I really agree with you. Get back to what worked before, and if you're going to lose, atleast lose with a fight versus a whimper.
Rick i agree, during that span, we had that spark that kept us going. I would like to see Fontenot back at second and DeRo in right also, yes Fontenot has cooled off with the bat, but it is not like he is not hitting at all, or if that doesn't happen how about Pie in Center and move Jones in right, maybe having Pie in there will get Soriano hot again.
We need to take this game tonight. We have probably our most consist starter, who is coming of a pretty good sart, against a rookie, there is NO reason we shouldn't beat the crap out them tonight. Time for this TEAM to step up, not just one person, but TEAM.
The Iowa Cubs beat the Cardinal's AAA team Memphis 3-1 to go 17 games above .500 with only 5 games left to play in the season. Unfortunately they remain 7 games back of the Brewer's AAA club Nashville.
Game note the only run that Memphis scored was on..... you guessed it Will Ohman...1 inning pitched, 33 pitches, 2 hits,1 walk, and 1 run. Hey but he did strike out 3! What a towel!
Rick agree that Soriano is a liability right now. He is clearly not at 100% (Nor is Ramirez). Lou had an atypical bad night managing last night. With the wind blowing in from the North the Cubs needed speed on the bases. Soriano cannot run or steal, Floyd could not help in the field or on the bases. Marmol should have faced Braun while the game was in hand and keep the pressure on the Brewers maligned relievers. The mistakes by the Cubs and in particular Theriot did not help.
Pray for a better effort tonight, otherwise it will be a similar result.
If the Cubs aren't going to hit HR's (which has become quite obvious)then Plan B should be that "speed burns". When a catcher like Estrada is throwing out 9% of base-stealers, you need to have your burners on-base and keep giving them the green light to run. But this is a team that still needs to do the little things right on execution. It's always intriguing how baseball (like most sports) is a momentum thing. To me the Cubs just lost it with reinserting Floyd and Soriano, and not keeping a young Soto at the big league level (v. bringing back Blanco). A team like the Cubs cant' sustain winning with station-to-station running, and a catcher who can't execute a basic bunt or deter baserunners from stealing. Still time though to regain that momentum...with the right lineup, character, and energy.
JH/Rick...I couldn't agree more. It would be nice to see this club jump early on someone, and then have the pitching staff not give that lead back (take note Marquis). It is all about momentum and confidence. JH, let's hope we won't need a lot of praying tonight.
After watching Soriano the last two games he should not be playing. As Rick said he swung at two pitches that bounced three feet in front of him . And when running into third he looked like he almost hyperextended his knee. He looks awful and is not ready to play yet. Theriot was going a great job in the leadoff spot. I want Soriano to come back but when he is ready. He is not going to help the club just because of the name on the back of his jersey, he has to be able to play without hesitation. He has showed he needed more time. BP and a game are two different things.