Game One Hundred Eleven: Cubs (65-45) vs. Pirates (51-58)
Game Time - 12:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 188
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Ted Lilly (10-6, 4.49/1.34) vs. Paul Maholm (7-6, 3.79/1.24)
Now that Friday's loss is out of their system, Lou Piniella's crew will get back to work behind Ted Lilly. Today's game is a rematch of the two southpaws that took the hill in Pittsburgh on the Sunday before Memorial Day. Lilly kept his team in the game despite giving up 4 runs on 10 hits in 6 innings but it was an error in the 9th inning by Alfonso Soriano that was the difference but that was then....
The Cubs lost a game in the standings to both the Brewers and Cardinals after the shutout loss on Friday and must find a way to put runs on the board and a win in the left column against Paul Maholm.
Ted Lilly is coming off a very good start against the Brewers last Monday night and was inline for the win before a home run by Russell Branyan off of Bobby Howry. Lilly held the explosive Brewers' offense to 3 runs on 7 hits with a walk and 4 strikeouts in 6 innings....but allowed two more home runs. Minus one start against the Reds, Lilly put together his best month of the season in July....despite the win-loss record.
Lilly was 1-1 in 5 starts last month with a 4.23 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. He allowed 13 earned runs on 32 hits in 27 2/3 innings (on July 10th against the Reds, 4 runs on 6 hits in 2 2/3 innings with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks) with 24 strikeouts and 9 walks. In his last 4 starts, 1-0 with 3.32 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP (7 runs, all earned, on 19 hits with 14 strikeouts and 6 walks in 19 innings....with 4 home runs).
Other than a win, Lilly's goal must be to keep the Pirates in the park today. In 23 starts, 134 1/3 innings, Lilly has served up a league leading 25 home runs.
Today will be Ted Lilly's third start of the season against the Pirates. The Bucs have not beaten Lilly this season....but they have had their way with him. Lilly has given up 9 runs, all earned, on 17 hits in 9 2/3 innings (2 starts) and the Pirates have hit 3 of the 25 home runs Lilly has allowed....8.38 ERA, a 2.17 WHIP and the Pirates have hit an unbelievable .395 against him.
For his career, Lilly is 1-0 against the Bucs in 7 games, 5 starts, with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.74 WHIP.
- Jose Bautista - 5-for-16 with a double
- Ryan Doumit - 3-for-7
- Paul Maholm - 1-for-3
- Nate McLouth - 4-for-6 with a triple
- Jason Michaels - 2-for-2 with a double
- Doug Mientkiewicz - 1-for-10 with a home run
- Ronny Paulino - 6-for-10 with 2 doubles and a home run
- Luis Rivas - 4-for-12 with 2 home runs
- Freddy Sanchez - 3-for-16 with a double
- Jack Wilson - 3-for-9 with a double
At least the Cubs will see a familiar face today, but they might have preferred another one of the Pirates' starters they have a history against. Paul Maholm, despite his losty numbers, has never lost to the Cubs....
Maholm is coming off back-to-back outings in which he has allowed only 2 earned runs combined in 15 innings with 14 strikeouts and 4 walks. Maholm beat the Astros in Houston on July 22nd and received a no decision in a 3-1 Pirates loss in San Diego in his last start.
After a horrible May (1-3 in 6 starts with a 5.92 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP), Maholm showed a lot of improvement in June (2-0 in 5 starts with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP) and was outstanding in July (2-1 in 5 starts with a 2.43 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP). In each of his last three full months the oppositions batting average has dropped.... .314, .256, .211.
The Cubs must make Maholm work today. He is throwing a lot of strikes right now but can get a little wild from time to time. If they install the same game plan against Maholm that they did against Jeff Karstens on Friday, the Cubs will lose back-to-back games at Wrigley for the second time in a week.
Today will be Maholm's second start of the season against the Cubs....he received a no decision back on May 25th and the Cubs scored 5 runs on 8 hits in 8 innings while Maholm struck out 7 and walked only 2. For his career, Maholm is 4-0 in 7 starts versus the Cubs with a 6.15 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP.
On the road this year, Maholm is 2-5 in 10 starts with a 4.60 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP....and at Wrigley, he is 3-0 in 4 starts with a 6.86 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP.
- Henry Blanco - 3-for-11
- Ronny Cedeno - 1-for-4
- Mark DeRosa - 2-for-10
- Jim Edmonds - 1-for-3
- Kosuke Fukudome - 0-for-4
- Reed Johnson - 1-for-3
- Derrek Lee - 7-for-20 with 3 home runs
- Aramis Ramirez - 7-for-17 with 2 home runs
- Alfonso Soriano - 5-for-14 with 3 home runs
- Geovany Soto - 1-for-3
- Ryan Theriot - 3-for-13 with a double and 3 walks
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
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Fukudome and Edmonds off today. Johnson in center batting 5th and DeRosa in right batting 6th....will post full lineup as soon as possible.
Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Johnson - CF
DeRosa - RF
Soto - C
Cedeno - 2B
Lilly - P
I'm expecting a Cubs' return to form today and a two run Cubs victory--maybe 5-3. Maholm is 5-1 in his last 11 starts so it won't be a blow out game. Lilly has an advantage, especially if the wind favors him, because the Buc's recent call ups and acquisitions haven't faced him before.
This is it for me today, because my first wife is insisting that I take her to the golf course this afternoon. Go Cubs, Play Well!!
Why does Cedeno continue to play? The kid can't hit, yet he continues to play regularly. I think Lou plays the righty/lefty matchups way too much! These guys are playing major league baseball...if you are a lefty hitter and you can't hit lefty(or vice versa) pitching, then you shouldn't be getting paid millions of dollars
Very efficient inning for Lilly. Good rhythm.
LET'S GO OFFENSE, LET'S GO (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)!!!
GDP on a 3-1 count? Come on Lee...
Okay, Lou's going to have to start playing hit and run....another double play, that is 5 in the last 10 innings.
Lilly just had his bad inning. After throwing 11 pitches in the 1st inning...43 in the 2nd inning but allowed only 1 run.
The offense must wake up!
54 pitches through 2 innings...and to this Pirates line up....hmm...would you explore a trade of Lilly in the off season?...when does his contract run out?
Let's call the I 94 corridor the new Bermuda triangle, becuase my team got abducted by aliens on their way home and replaced with imposters.
Jesus Lou, the odds are about 2 to 1 that Lee is going to pull a gound ball to the left side. Start a friggin runner once in a while.
I guess I take back what I said asbout Cedeno...nice clutch hit! Still would like to see a couple of lefty bats in the line up though!
Rich, Cedeno has all of the 'tools' to be a very good major league player...he has yet to realize it though.
Rob, Ted Lilly signed a 4-year deal with the Cubs before the 2007 season.
Great double steal...then a single to right by Soto.
Nice Inning by Lilly. Very Efficient
Nice manufactured run...
Gary, yesterday 'Dome was running on a pitch and DLee lined out to right, and Kosuke was doubled off. Sometimes, the best laid plans fail. Baseball is a very humbling game to play. But you gotta have faith.
GIDP's have killed the big inning for us from the latter part of last year to now, and it's getting old. We should be up with a better cushion right now, but I'll take 5-1 anyday after yesterday's poor showing.
Hey, anyone else keeping track of the Favre situation? Is anyone reminded of the Mark Grace situation? I actually hope he signs with the Bears and they win the Super Bowl, which, in a way, would be poetic justice for Chicagoland, as Grace, a Cubs icon who was burned by management, left, and won a championship with the D'Backs....only difference is Favre has already won a championship....
anyway, just thinking out loud
Howry continues to not miss too many bats...
howry just got threw an inning without giving up a run? wow when is the last time that happened
Howry = Dave Veres
Eyre = Mark Guthrie
Just hold you breath and hope the lead is big enough.
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
Congratulations, Cubs! You just HORSE-checked the Pirates for the 10th time guaranteeing to win the season series. You have my congrats! Yesterday's shocker may have been a blessing in disguise. May you have peace for future LESSONS. You will become a HORSE within the near future. I can see greatness and the light from comrodity in these rooter. Again, I say, be good. I really mean it, truly true to my burning heart, eyes, ears, and feelings elsewhere.
Make me happy and visit YouTube and play No Rain by Blind Melon. Please don't ask why! It has trueness to it. It is my favorite song and should be yours too.
The Candle has spoken.
Peace out to all my hippies!!!!
Candle fighter:
My favorite song is "Go Cubs Go" by Steve Goodman.
If I was at a Night Club it would be "True Faith"
by New Order. Listening to that song while watching some fine Latina swinging her gate on dance floor, let me tell you, there is nothing better bro!