Game One Hundred Twenty-Two: Cubs (74-47) vs. Marlins (63-59)
Game Time - 6:10pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 185
Location - Dolphin Stadium, Miami
Carlos Zambrano (12-5, 3.22/1.25) vs. Josh Johnson (3-0, 3.19/1.42)
Lou Piniella's crew will try to keep their modest 4-game winning streak going tonight behind Carlos Zambrano. Dolphin Stadium has been a House of Horrors for the Cubs since 2005. The organization has lost their last 6 in a row to the Marlins in Miami and Lou Piniella has not posted a win in a Cubs' uniform in the state of Florida. Including last season and three in Tampa against the Rays this year, the Cubs are 0-for-their-last-9 in the Sunshine State.
Greg Maddux was the last Cubs' pitcher to post a win in Miami against the Fish. Maddux beat Al Leiter on July 10, 2005 with a lineup that featured only three players left on Lou Piniella's roster....Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez and Ronny Cedeno. The Cubs won 9-2 more than three years ago.
The Cardinals just left Miami after winning 3 of 4 against the Marlins and they enter play tonight 2 1/2 games back of the first place Mets in the NL East.
Lou Piniella reportedly had a meeting with his team to remind his players that this is a business trip for the Cubs for the next three days. Tonight's starting lineup will likely feature Mark DeRosa at 3rd base and Mike Fontenot at 2nd while Aramis Ramirez receives a little time off after bruising his left hip on Thursday night in Atlanta.
Carlos Zambrano is coming off his worst start of the season and arguably of his career. Troy Glaus and the Cardinals lit up Zambrano in 4 1/3 innings. They scored 9 runs on 10 hits with 4 home runs and not even Zambrano's 15th career home run could save his outing. Zambrano departed, the Cubs' staff gave up 12 runs and Zambrano promised to be much better his next time out....well?
Zambrano was dominating before his outing against the Cardinals with one of those wins coming against the Marlins at Wrigley on July 24th. Zambrano held the Fish to 2 runs on 6 hits in 7 innings with 6 strikeouts and no walks.
Zambrano is 6-4 on the road this season in 10 starts with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP....and at night, 11-3 in 15 starts with a 2.42 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP.
Big Z is 4-1 lifetime versus Florida with a 2.55 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP....at Dolphin Stadium, 2-1 in 3 starts with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP.
- Jorge Cantu - 2-for-2
- Luis Gonzalez - 5-for-19 with 3 walks
- Wes Helms - 4-for-10
- Jeremy Hermida - 0-for-1
- Mike Jacobs - 0-for-5
- Hanley Ramirez - 1-for-8 with a home run
- Dan Uggla - 0-for-3
- Josh Willingham - 4-for-5 with a double
The Cubs will get their second look of the season at Josh Johnson. The talented right-hander has not lost a game this season and pitched very well against the Cubs at Wrigley on July 25th. Johnson held the Cubs offense to 2 runs on 7 hits, struck out 8 and walked 3 in 5 1/3 innings Geovany Soto and Reed Johnson homered off of Johnson but is was a double by Jorge Cantu off of Jeff Samardzija in his big league debut....and Jeremy Hermida's home run in the 9th off of Bobby Howry that was the difference. Ryan Dempster was inline for the win.
Johnson is 1-0 in 2 home starts this season with a 4.05 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. Johnson is coming off an impressive win against the Mets in New York. He held the Metropolitans to 2 runs on 5 hits in 7 innings for his third straight win....and second in two starts against Carlos Beltran and company. The Marlins are 6-0 in Johnson's 6 starts this season and he is 2-0 in his last 2 outings with a 1.38 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP.
The Cubs are one of only four different teams that has faced Johnson this season.
- Mike Fontenot - 1-for-2
- Kosuke Fukudome - 0-for-2
- Reed Johnson - 2-for-2 with a home run
- Derrek Lee - 1-for-3
- Aramis Ramirez - 0-for-3
- Alfonso Soriano - 2-for-10 with a double
- Geovany Soto - 1-for-2 with a home run and a walk
- Ryan Theriot - 1-for-2 with a walk
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Wow Neil, I knew we didn't have alot of success down there, but shut out since 2005? Sheeesh.
Tonight's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Edmonds - CF
Soto - C
DeRosa - 3B
Fontenot - 2B
Johnson - RF
Zambrano - P
WGN just reported Aramis is available to pinch hit tonight
Watching the game via the Marlins broadcast....they're announcers are annoying to listen to......
wtf is wrong with big z?
Smelled this one coming. Zambrano never has one bad outing, especially in August. If Marshal does well, I am all for skipping some of Z's starts down the stretch to freshen him up for post season.
Something aint right with Z. I'm not worried about a comeback tonight as much as I am worried about our "ACE".
Go Derosa! Where is Baron tonight?
DEEEEEEE-ROOOOOOO!!!!!!
I have a man-crush on this guy
I hope this is all in this crazy venezuelan's head. That last trip to the DL did him some good. I agree with resting him for a start or two. Maybe his shoulder is fatigued again.
Jeff, dont put "ACE" in quotes... he is the singular ace..... since 2003, a season where he pitched more innings than Prior OR Wood..... .
VN Homer for DeRosa...
I'll tell you who is annoying to listen to..
Otto. This is atrocious. I miss Ronny!!!
I hope the Cubs have another double digit scoring binge in them, because it's obvious Lou has the 9 run limit on for Zamrano again.
and he hits .368... So Jeff, bow your head and drink the Z milkshake... it'll be good for you
hard luck there.... not a lot of experience at 3B for De-Ro.... lets pick up from here and shut them down eh?
Damn Z...
There we go!
Nice to see that Z has settled down a bit.
Anyone else feeling a comeback coming?
Can't have Soriano 0 for 4 with Ramirez out of the line-up.
Wow, dead night on the CCO. I'll check back later...
Cant help but feel dead in Miami..
I hate this place.
So no, even I dont feel a comeback.
I feel a comeback. The Cubbies are still in striking distance. And Sori is due, esspecially after his last at bat where he fouled off several pitches. Its not over yet faithful.
Grounder, Grounder, Grounder, Grounder, Grounder...
The Yanks already cut Richie Sexson?
He was hitting .250 with a .370ish OBP in 30 ABs.
Wasnt horrible. I'd try him. A Ward/Hoff backup plan.
According to mlbtraderumors:
"Sexson received 35 plate appearances from the Yankees, hitting .250/.371/.393. He did what he was supposed to do, hitting .273/.393/.455 against lefties."
Not bad at all really.
If we had space I'd take a flyer on Sexson.....but not with Hoffy in the wings....
Nice start to the 9th.....cmon little man.....
Id rather see Kosuke here for the base hit than Ward who is 0 for his last 13......
Cmon Daryle!!!!!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
WARDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
I feel something.
Sori might not need to do anything
D-Ward!!!!! Nice work
No freakin way.
I take it all back.
So freaking amazin!
WOW!!!
I kept asking myself..
"Is this real? Am I hearing an audio mirage?"
No freaking way!
Sa-Weet!
Jeff,
I think you did feel come back!!!
See I knew Ward was a better choice than Kosuke....lol
Ward was 4-40 pinch hitting before that HR......great timing.....
Now lets get Woody back into the closers mode.....
I'm going to use my veto power to stop the Richie Sexson talk right now... He's a bum. Look back at his play last year when Seatle played the Cubs. He is a liability at 1st base.
That move to have Ward pinch hitting is exactly the reason that Sweet Lou is getting paid to run the team, and not me.
Come Woody, lets call it a night here.
Loved seeing Zambrabo come back to the dugout--out of uniform--to congratulate Ward for getting him off the hook....
We do need Z to get with it......
Cmon Woody.....THIS WOULD MEAN A .500 ROAD RECORD!!!!!
And the Brew Crew face the tough Dodgers......
I dont want him everyday Lew. Hell I dont even want him on a playoff roster (knock on wood)
I want his bat in Ward like situations.
Not that it matters with Ward's shot!
Anyways, Lew and Jeff what gave yall that comeback feeling? Incredible!
I have goosebumps.
Faith runs strong in Jeff and myself. But I know, and teams around the league know, that no lead is safe against our Cubbies this year.
GO CUBS GOOOOO.....GO CUBS GOOOOOO HEY CHICAGO WHAT DO YOU SAY THE CUBS REACHED .500 (ON THE ROAD) TODAY!!!!
SWEET WIN!!!!! CUBS TIE THE BREWERS FOR MOST COME FROM BEHIND WINS IN THE NL WITH 35!!!
9TH ROAD WIN IN A ROW!!!!
CMON DODGERS....PUSH THE BREWERS TO 5.5 BACK!!
Nice win boys!
WooHoo!
YES! Finally!
After a tiring round of golf today, I slept from the third to the eighth. With the Ward--Wood finish, I wasn't sure I had awakened. Thought I might be dreaming. As Marilyn would say, "If that doesn't blow up your skirt, you can't be thrilled."
I wonder if Gaudin and Ward read the recap--which said they needed improvement. Let the good times roll!!!!
Filling in for Jim in Tinley...
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
What a great win.
The force was strong with the cubs tonight, I just didn't see us losing after Z righted the ship. Nice game, HUGE win and the brews are trailing LA. This season has been like a good buzz. Go Cubs! I love chatting with all of you on the CCO!
DODGERS WIN!!!! Cubs up on the Brewers 5.5 games!!!!