Game Sixty-Nine: Cubs (43-25) vs. Blue Jays (35-34)
Game Time - 12:07pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 179
Location - Rogers Centre, Toronto
Jason Marquis (4-3, 4.54/1.56) vs. Roy Halladay (8-5, 3.07/1.00)
The Cubs will try to get back on track today and post a rare win against the Blue Jays. The Cubs have not won a game on artificial turf since September of 2004, a trend that must come to an end soon. But it will not get any easier for the Cubs' offense today. While Jason Marquis will try to build on his last start, his offense will have the tough task of beating Roy Halladay. Lou Piniella announced on Friday that Mark DeRosa will start at 3rd base today and Aramis Ramirez will take his turn as the team's DH.
From the better late than never department....the CCO failed to mention on Friday the most recent addition to the Iowa Cubs, Ben Broussard. The Cubs signed the former Indian and Mariner to a Minor League deal on Thursday. Broussard was released by the Rangers earlier in the year...the lefty is an insurance policy while Alfonso Soriano is out and can play both first base and left field.
The Cubs need the Jason Marquis that pitched last Sunday night in Los Angeles to take the hill tonight. Marquis tossed a gem, without a doubt his second best outing in a Cubs' uniform and sent his team home with a winning road trip. Marquis surrendered only 1 unearned run in 6 1/3 innings on just 3 hits with 2 strikeouts and a walk....the free pass coming to the last hitter he faced. Marquis had very good command and mixed his pitches very well.
Marquis struggles have been well documented, one batter he will look like a Cy Young winner and the next he will look like he should be pitching in the Florida State League. With the Cubs facing one of the best pitchers in the Junior Circuit today, Jason Marquis must be on top of his game and not make it easy on the Blue Jays' offense.
Marquis is 2-1 in 6 starts on the road this season with a 3.97 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. In 3 career games, 1 start, against the Blue Jays, Marquis is 0-1 with a 7.50 ERA and a 2.17 WHIP. Today will be Marquis' second career start at the Rogers Centre....0-1 in 2 games with a 9.00 ERA and a 2.40 WHIP.
- David Eckstein - 3-for-8
- Lyle Overbay - 4-for-14 with a double and a home run
- Alex Rios - 2-for-3 with a double
- Scott Rolen - 6-for-24 with 3 home runs
- Matt Stairs - 3-for-3
- Vernon Wells - 1-for-3
- Brad Wilkerson - 5-for-15 with a double and 2 home runs
Roy Halladay, the Blue Jays best pitcher, has out performed his 8-5 record. Halladay is a strikeout machine and boasts and incredible strikeout to walk ratio. In 102 2/3 innings. Halladay has made 81 batters swing and miss while walking only 12....nearly 8 to 1. The Cubs may have to go back to their old ways today....swing early and swing often in order to beat Halladay.
The other impressive stat that jumps out is, Halladay has 5 complete games in 13 starts....unprecedented in today's game.
Halladay's worst start of the season came back on April 23rd, he allowed a season high 5 runs on 9 hits in 8 innings to the Rays in Tampa. In his 13 starts this year, only once Halladay has given up 5 or more runs....in 7 of the 13, he has allowed 2 runs or less.
Today will be Halladay's second career start against the Cubs. He lost his first outing in Wrigley back on June 8, 2005, 2-0 to Sergio Mitre....the only victory for the Cubs in the series.
- Mark DeRosa - 0-for-3
- Derrek Lee - 1-for-3
- Aramis Ramirez - 2-for-7
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
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