Game Fifty-Two: Cubs (30-21) vs. Dodgers (26-24)
Game Time - 6:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: ESPN, Comcast Sports Net - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 174, 185
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Sean Gallagher (1-1, 5.68/1.58) vs. Hiroki Kuroda (2-3, 3.48/1.27)
The Cubs will look for their first back-to-back wins since April 14th and 15th tonight behind Sean Gallagher. The Cubs have an 8-8-1 series record this season, 7-2 at home and Lou Piniella's crew has won the first game of the last 6 series they've played. The win on Monday extended that streak and kept the Cubs, once again, from becoming the only team in baseball to not have lost 3 games in a row this year.
The Cubs will get their first look tonight at Hiroki Kuroda and Sean Gallagher will attempt to earn his second career win under much different weather conditions than Monday. The forecast is calling for cooler temperatures with a high of only 55 expected in Chicago on Tuesday.
With the recent struggles of Kevin Hart in Triple-A (1-1 in 5 starts with a 4.12 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP, 24 strikeouts and 6 walks) and with Sean Marshall placed on the 7-day DL over the weekend, Sean Gallagher is penciled into the Cubs' rotation for at least two more starts. Maybe this will allow Gallagher to relax and just pitch. The talented, young right-hander was very good in his second start at Wrigley. Gallagher allowed 1 run on 4 hits in 6 innings to the Pirates. Last Wednesday in Houston was an entirely different story.
Gallagher was given a lead, gave it up and ended up leaving the game with 2 outs in the 5th inning. The Astros took advantage of Gallagher's inexperience and lack of a solid out pitch. Gallagher gave up 5 runs on 8 hits in 4 2/3 innings with 4 strikeouts and a walk. Tonight will be a good test to see if Gallagher can show his skipper he can make adjustments necessary from start to start and learn from his mistakes.
Gallagher has faced the Dodgers once his career, a 2-inning outing out of the pen on September 3rd of last season. Gallagher gave up 3 runs on 5 hits in an 11-3 Cubs' loss.
- Jeff Kent - 1-for-1
- James Loney - 1-for-1
- Juan Pierre - 1-for-2 with a double
Hiroki Kuroda has been inconsistent at best so far this season for Joe Torre. Kuroda is coming off his longest outing of the year, a 5-2 victory over the Reds. He allowed 2 runs on 5 hits in 8 innings....his first win since his Major League debut on April 4th in San Diego.
Kuroda is a solid pitcher and one the Cubs were interested in signing before the 2007 season and rumors suggested they were interested in the former Japanese star once again last winter. 'Mr. Complete Game' would have been a good addition to the Cubs' rotation but he reportedly agreed to a contract with the Dodgers because he wanted to pitch on the west coast. (Click here for more from the CCO on Hiroki Kuroda).
Kuroda is 1-3 in 5 starts outside of Dodger Stadium this season with a 3.09 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. He has kept the ball down for the most part and has allowed only 5 home runs in 62 innings....3 on the road.
The Cubs must be patient with him the first time through the lineup, make him work and listen to the scouting report from Kosuke Fukudome. If the offense is impatient at the plate early on, Kuroda will only get stronger and better as the game progresses.
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Tonight's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Fontenot - 2B
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Fukudome - RF
Edmonds - CF
Soto - C
Cedeno - SS
Gallagher - P
Here's hoping the Cubs have a great game and a win tonight.
If there is time for noting that ML Baseball and fans are weird or perhaps that the game is just a metaphor for the American Dream, consider this:
Cubs are 30-21 and Dodgers are 26-24, with each team having a $118 million payroll. A. Jones and N. Garcipara make $22 mil for the Dodgers and A. Soriano and J. Marquis make $22 mil for the Cubs. The Cubs are led by the esteemed Lou Piniella and the Dodgers by future Hall of Famer Joe Torre. Forty thousand of us pay top dollar to see the Cubs and 45,000 do so to see the Dodgers.
The Eastern Division leading Florida Marlins, on the other hand have a TOTAL payroll of $22 million, and their record is 30-20. Ten thousand people watch the Marlins at home with discounted tickets. Of course, they are managed by Fredi Gonzalez. Does anyone know Fredi Gonzalez's secret?
Is it just my location or is the audio all screwed up?
anybody have any insight on why the home plate umpire was yelling at the cubs dugout and more importantly why was Louie P and everybody laughing about it? do the radio guys or espn guys know what is going on? Len and Bob don't seem to know.
8 pitches?
Cliff, Pat and Ron said it looked like Dempster said something.
Cory...if that keeps up that falls right into Kuroda's strength. They must make him work.
I'm not sure which is worse, listening to Chris Berman talk sarcastically about how "patient" Dome is supposed to be, and how he has rubbed off on Aramis..........or realizing that he's right.
That half inning was U-G-L-Y.
1-2-3 in the 2nd on just 7 pitches.
Good job by Gallagher in the 3rd....
Nice job Geo!!
D-Lee!! Fukudome!! and Soto!! with the defense!!
Our offensive stats look pretty inflated.....
Gallagher is really hanging in there... But our guys are hackin away with the win blowin in.... Ironically, Soriano has the only walk...
Fontenot is certainly not impressing...
Poor throw by Sori there... although if the wind is blowing straight in, that could be the reason it veered to the right. Too bad the scoring rules dictate that the outfielder takes an error because he threw to the plate and let the runners advance. *shrug*
Time to put DeRo back in there at 2nd... Fontenot has stranded 4 all by himself
I don't see what Fontenot has done to deserve a spot in the big leagues. He was hot for a short stretch last year but that's about it. He hasn't done anything since then.
Eric, I was thinking the same.
good plays by fuku and edmonds.
Hey I don't mind Berkman or Sut. They are
ok! Offense anyone?
Excellent D and good pitching should inspire just enough Offense. C'mon Bats!! Get us 2 runs.
Let's Go Offense, Let's Go!!!!
Come on Offense!! Let's get
Gally the win.
Judas Priest Theriot, horrible bunt.
A few thoughts.....
* WTF is Lasorda doing the 7th inning stretch?
Obviously he is a Dodger fan and those jagoffs at WGN who coordinate that thing do that thru out the year. Man do I hate that!
* Edmonds really nneds to start hitting PERIOD!
Fundamentals....that is the second time with a failed sac bunt.
Nice job Soriano!! Now lets get a few here.
This At-Bat should be Fontenot's career... If he fails, he should be demoted to A ball immediately..
Phew! I was about to have an anuerysm
Gallagher pitched a very good game.
Second that Neil... Very nice work from him
Nice Job Ramirez!!
YAAA!!!!
Thats why A-Ram is a super-star
FUKUDOME!!!!!!
Aramis and Kosuke!!!!
Way to Scratch and Fight Cubs. No one remembers Theriot's poor bunt.
I wonder how much longer this Edmonds experience is going to last?
Three things:
1) The Cubs may be at their best clutch baseball playing ever right now.
2) Tommy Lasorda may be completely senile, but sounds like he can still outcoach some people (I would also like him and Brennley to co-coach a team where Tommy asks who the guy is on first, Bob telling him, and then Tommy just saying "Run him").
3) Edmonds needs to retire. He has no pop left in his bat, as all three of his outs were swings that, for any other player, would've gone a lot farther or been a lot more productive but, for him, just wind up dying as they leave the bat.
Nick, you're right, how the hell can Lou put up with this??? CUT HIM. This is pissing me off so much, he is absolutely killing us. I didn't think I could hate Jim Edmonds anymore, but he continues to impress.
C'mon Marmol, don't start this
FUKUDOME!!! Game-savers tonight!!
That play right there on Pierre's ball is the reason Kosuke has to stay in right field.
Marmol is all over the place...walked the bases loaded.
Marmol was kind of wild tonite....
but he has allowed 14 hits in 33 innings pitched...
He is the best relief pitcher the Cubs have had in a decade... by FAR!!
MARMOL!!! Let's Go Offense, Let's Go!!!!
Cardiac Cubs in full force tonight. Good job Marmol!
I would have really liked to know what the score would have been if Soto was hitting 6th, and not Edmonds... time to add some Geico Insurance runs
Carlos, you don't have to make it that exciting. Come on Woodie! Something very routine will get my heartbeat back to normal.
ok jim...(HBO)....a struggling Marmol
is still better than 95% of all mayor league
pitchers....simply Nasty!!!!!!
Austin, great reference on the insurance runs.
I think they should pay me ( I'll take a Cubs win instead)
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
THERE IT IS!!!!! ALRIGHT!!
That's a great win Cubs. D and Pitching and a couple of key hits. Hooray for our Guys!!!
I agree JimK...that was fun
Didn't catch tonight's game, unfortunately...but I read the box score, and immediately thought "bye bye Edmonds". Looks like a few people agree here as well.
So what do we do about CF?
Why don't they try Cedeno? They talked about it before. He couldn't be worse, offensively, than anyone we have tried. His defense will likely be an adventure, but at least he is not slow, and should be able to cover decent ground.
If we are going to be mediocre at CF, I would rather be mediocre with Pie/Cedeno, and let them get regular at-bats.
What about Eric Patterson? His brother played a good CF...he probably shares some of the same physical tools, and DeRosa is blocking him at 2B right now.
Time to think outside the box, Hendry, and look a bit closer at what you already have inside the farm!
Nice Harold Lederman reference Agustin
Jason B: To answer ur question about CF, you go talk to Rob & Big, steal their time machine, and go draft Curtis Granderson. Done.
I have a feeling we may see Fukodome shift to center with Haufpauer getting a shot in right so we can get his stick in the lineup and see what he can do. Would be GREAT if he can hit like he has in spring training....it would A) Fix CF problem B) Allow Fukodome to shift to the 2 hole and C)Give us another left handed stick with power in the line up. Would be a HUGE addition. Then Ward comes of the DL and we drop Edmonds like a sun-lost ball of Sorianos.
After last night's game, I don't want to see Dome moved out of Right Field.