Game Forty: Cubs (23-16) vs. Padres (15-25)
Game Time - 7:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WCIU - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 183
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Ted Lilly (3-4, 5.24/1.30) vs. Jake Peavy (4-2, 2.47/1.08)
Updated - 5:15pm C.T. - According to multiple reports, Jim Edmonds is in Chicago taking a physical and if he passes it will be signed tonight...and will be in a Cubs' uniform on Thursday.
After scoring 12 runs in the first game of the series on Monday night, the Cubs managed only 3 runs against Shawn Estes on Tuesday and tonight figures to be a big challenge for the Cubs offense. Lou Piniella's crew will have the chore of trying to plate runs against one of the best pitchers in all of baseball, Jake Peavy. The Cubs have never beaten the Padres' ace while Ted Lilly has never lost to the Padres....so something's going to give.
Ted Lilly stated after last Friday's win against the Diamondbacks that he knew he had to step up against Dan Haren and in order for the Cubs to win tonight, the 'Bulldog' will have to turn in a similar performance.
After a horrible start to the year, Ted Lilly has returned to his 2007 form. Lilly has posted back-to-back wins and has won 3 of his last 4 starts with a 2.70 ERA....6 earned runs on 13 hits in 20 innings with 21 strikeouts and 5 walks. Lilly is coming off a gem against the Diamondbacks last Friday and will have to turn in a similar performance tonight against the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner. Lilly held the D'Backs explosive offense to just 1 run on 3 hits, a solo home run by Chris Young, in 7 innings with a season-high 10 strikeouts.
Lilly is 3-0 in 4 career games, 3 starts, against the Padres with a complete game. Lilly has allowed only 6 runs on 17 hits to the Friars in 24 2/3 innings....a 2.19 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP. Lilly beat the Padres at Wrigley last June 15th and held them to 1 run on 6 hits in 8 innings with 3 strikeouts and a walk.
- Jody Gerut - 3-for-8 with a double
- Brian Giles - 0-for-4
- Adrian Gonzalez - 1-for-3 with a triple
- Kahlil Greene - 1-for-5
- Scott Hairston - 2-for-4 with a home run
- Tadahito Iguchi - 3-for-9 with 2 home runs
- Jake Peavy - 1-for-2
The Cubs offense will have their hands full tonight with one, if not the best pitcher in the National League. Jake Peavy has pitched better than his 4-2 record indicates and the Cubs offense will have to be extremely patient at the plate tonight. In Peavy's two losses he has allowed a total of 5 earned runs on 11 hits in 13 innings with 15 strikeouts and 5 walks.
Jake Peavy has never lost to the Cubs, he is 2-0 in 5 career starts with a 2.10 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP.
- Ronny Cedeno - 2-for-3
- Derrek Lee - 2-for-10 with 2 doubles
- Ted Lilly - 0-for-2
- Aramis Ramirez - 4-for-14 with a double and a home run
- Alfonso Soriano - 2-for-7 with a double and a home run
- Daryle Ward - 3-for-9
- Ryan Theriot - 0-for-3
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
















Tonight's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Fukudome - RF
Soto - C
DeRosa - 2B
Johnson - CF
Lilly - P
I'll beat Drew to the punch...why not RC tonight? He is 2-3 against Peavy as well....
Even I agree it would be a good day to get Cedeno some ABs.
Sorry Trevor, I was completely off my game tonight. I don't see why we're not giving Pie one last start.
Drew Trevor and Matt, my thought exactly
Guys, I was surprised as well on Cedeno not being in the lineup.
Very good and interesting inning...i think lilly threw 1 fastball but his breaking pitches were very good...lets build off that offense and get peavy rattled early b/c we all know what he can do if he gets settled in
Thats my boy!!
Man...Soriano. I could get used to this!
SO-RI-ANO (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)!!!
I love how Sori is making his haters on this site eat their words...i think some have u stopped posting since he heated up haha
What's up fellas,
Just tuned in and saw Mr. Soriano led off the game with a HR. I think it is official, SORIANO is En Fuego!!
Very good at bat by Soriano....
Hey Nick!
Sup Nick.
How often do we catch ourselves saying that about Soriano, Neil?
It feels good to say it though.
A good at bat by Soriano? If that's what you are talking about, more lately. Both hits he took close pitches and worked the count to 2-1...a hitter's count.
Great catch by Theriot!!
A lot of people rightfully beat up on Theriot for some of his defensive plays, but man he's been makin some grabs as of late.
That was pretty smooth!
Nice play by Theriot!!
Soriano is the Richard Kelly of baseball
I really like it that our offence is doing this against Peavy. That is a good sign.
I'm not Soriano hater, but I have been throwing around the thought of trading him for a stud #2 pitcher, which I think is the most important part of getting this team a championship. Lily is making me eat my words more than Soriano in his last few starts.
I'd still trade Soriano for Peavy though
Jim,
I just read your question about Hill and I haven't seen him pitch yet and they just left on a road trip. They'll be back a week from tomorrow and i'll make a point to go see him and i'll let you know.
Lilly looks very good tonight.
Man, Theodore is dealing!
Whats different than earlier in the season? Velocity?
I think Lilly has better control and movement than earlier in the season
Thank you for the effort Cory. Very interested to see if he can pull it back together and get back up here
Santo's right this minor slump Lee's been in is due to his impatience at the plate. I've noticed he's swinging at pitches he normally takes and taking pitches that are strikes....the recipe for slumpville.
Me too Jim I wasn't counting on him being down here.
Still waiting on official news that Edmonds is a Cub.
Soriano-meter at .258, and rising.
Soriano has now passed Reed "BTS" Johnson in avg.
I predicted last week that this would occur on Wednesday.
Today is Wednesday.
To all you Soriano doubters...you know better.
How does Soto not handle that...
OMG that was a horrible bounce! Soriano had him!
Man, the runner was toast at home if it wouldn't have take such a high bounce.
Common Lilly let's get out of this!!!
Man playing these tools is maddening! COME ON LILLY!!!!!!!!!!
Nice Job Lilly. Now lets get some insurance runs.
Jim, no official word on Edmonds that I know of...yet. Supposed to be official after the game.
The offense needs to crank it up....
Nice job by the kid! Making up for the screwups earlier!
GEO-SO-TO (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)
Soto now leads the Cubs in RBI's
GEO!
SOTO!
GEO!
SOTO!
This guy is gonna be something else!
Soto crushed that ball. Man what a rookie
GEO SOTO!!!!!!
I' got a man crush on Soto!!!!!!!
Did anyone see the quote by Lou asking where Edmond's will hit? He said ninth....that was funny!
The Cubs havn't won a series against San Diego at Wrigley since 1999? Wow that's really wierd.
geo!!!!!!!
geo!!!!!!!
Great inning to get 2 of those runs back and good AB by Sori even though he flew out he made him work...but i have seen alot of negative remarks regarding the Edmonds signing mostly on other sites and i dont understand it...for that cheap y not bring him in if he doesnt work out simply release him and it is just like giving pie a few weeks to work on things at AAA since he is not plaing right now anyway...if it works out it give us a huge boost from the left side and Edmonds d will still be good as i dont think he has lost a step since he was never that fast he just took good paths to balls
So BB liked the needle, huh?
He needs to be careful with his diction there. That could be misconstrued, haha.
Man is this offence fun to watch or what. Nice job Riot and Rami
Big double by Ramirez....first RBI of the night by a Cub not named Soriano or Soto
Hey guys i think i figured it out...we should start bashing Lee cause everyone that gets bashed on this site seems to turn it around (Sori,Theriot). So...
Lee is terrible! We should trade him for a #5 starter so we can send marquis to the minors or send him elsewhere! Then we could stick Ward at first and be heading to a division title fo sure!
haha hopefully it works!
Senor Nasty!!! He gone!!!
Marmol is just sick!!
10 hits in 25 innings...
Best relief pitcher in baseball. bar none!
Skrait Nasty!
Im with you Ryan. Lee's such a bum. And dont get me started on Marquis and Edmonds. Pure Suckage...
Like that? Haha.
This kind of relates to the game just cause they sang the 7th innning stretch but wondering if any of u Chicago guys could help me out. I am not at all a soccer a fan but seeing that that there is an MLS team in Chi-town, how many big of a crowd do the games draw?
HAHA nevermind they just answered it on the broadcast...as i was writing i was thinking they were going to do that haha...and i like it Matt keep it coming
nice at bat reed. not alot of theriot bashers tonight...
if someone could take up a collection to buy marmol some batting gloves. he used soto's, maybe to get some luck from the rookie
Alright Kerry....
Get serious now...
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
WOW!!! That got too close!!!
Good Lord Kerry....You just knocked 2 years off my life.....thanks Kid K!
tks Kerry for reminding us...that nothing
comes easy being a cub fan!!!
Yes it did; but good win win tonight!!
Phew..
Kid Klose tonight.
Kid Klose tonight.