Game Sixty-Four: Cubs (39-24) vs. Dodgers (30-32)
Game Time - 7:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: ESPN Sunday Night Baseball - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 184
Location - Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
Jason Marquis (3-3, 5.02/1.66) vs. Brad Penny (5-7, 5.45/1.57)
The Cubs will try to avoid their first 3-game losing streak of the year and in the process post their second winning road trip of the season tonight behind Jason Marquis. Lou Piniella's crew won the first two games of the west coast swing with solid victories over the Padres but have lost three out of the last four. Piniella called Saturday's game "pivotal" in his pre-game show and maybe the way the Cubs lost the game will serve as wake up call to a team that has struggled on the road.
Tonight is the last game of the season against the Dodgers, the Cubs have won 4 of the first 6 after winning only 2 of 7 a year ago....
The Cubs need Jason Marquis to step up tonight and put his team in position to win a ballgame. Marquis will be making his 12th start of the season and of his first 11, only 2 could be classified as quality starts (3 total on the year). Marquis is coming off his worst start....and ironically enough he picked up his third win with a 9-6 victory over the Padres. Marquis has not completed 6 innings of work since he beat the Pirates back on May 18th but his team has won his last two starts.
Marquis is 2-2 in his last 6 starts with a 5.51 ERA and a 1.68 WHIP. He has walked 17 and struck out 17 in 32 2/3 innings.
Tonight will be his 9th career appearance, 8th start, against the Dodgers. Marquis is 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP while holding the Dodgers to a .210 batting average. Marquis received a no-decision in the only game he faced the Dodgers last season. He gave up 2 runs on 4 hits in a 7-4 Cubs' loss on September 6th at Wrigley. For his career, Marquis is 1-0 in 3 career starts at Dodger Stadium with a 2.25 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP.
- Angel Berroa - 0-for-2
- Andre Ethier - 0-for-6
- Matt Kemp - 0-for-3
- Jeff Kent - 8-for-19 with 3 doubles
- James Loney - 2-for-3 with a double and a home run
- Russell Martin - 1-for-8
- Juan Pierre - 7-for-28 with 2 doubles and 2 triples
The Cubs offense will get their first look of the season at Brad Penny. Penny has struggled on the mound for Joe Torre this year....but he's been very good in the past against the Cubs, thanks to Greg Maddux. Penny has not posted a win since May 2nd against the Rockies and his team has lost 5 of his last 6 starts. Penny is walking a lot of batters this year and has been equally as bad at home and on the road. Penny is due to break out of his slump, for the Cubs' sake....hopefully he will wait at least one more start.
Penny is 3-4 in his first 8 starts at Dodger Stadium with a 5.14 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP and has not allowed less than 2 earned runs since April 21st in Cincinnati. In his last 7 starts, 1-5 with a 7.92 ERA and a 1.81 ERA....21 walks and 23 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings with 49 hits allowed.
Penny is 3-2 in 8 career starts against the Cubs with a 2.42 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP, last season....1-0 with a 1.29 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP, 2 runs, 1 earned, on 7 hits in 7 innings with 3 walks and 2 strikeouts.
- Ronny Cedeno - 1-for-3
- Mark DeRosa - 6-for-24
- Jim Edmonds - 9-for-34 with a double, a home run and 5 walks
- Derrek Lee - 5-for-11 with 3 doubles
- Aramis Ramirez - 9-for-23 with a double
- Alfonso Soriano - 1-for-7
- Ryan Theriot - 2-for-5 with a double
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