Game One Hundred Twenty-Three: Cubs (75-47) vs. Marlins (63-60)
Game Time - 6:10pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WGN - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 185
Location - Dolphin Stadium, Miami
Sean Marshall (2-2, 3.55/1.13) vs. Anibal Sanchez (1-2, 4.08/1.36)
After the dramatic 9th inning on Friday night, the Cubs will try to win their second consecutive game in Florida since 2005 behind Sean Marshall. Marshall will make the spot start in place of both Ryan Dempster and Rich Harden. The rainout on Tuesday in Atlanta pushed Harden from his scheduled start on Sunday to the opener at Wrigley against the Reds on Tuesday. Two days ago the Cubs announced Marshall would start today instead of Ryan Dempster. Dempster went back to Chicago to take care of personal business but is scheduled to make the start in the finale of the 3-game series on Sunday.
Sean Marshall will make his 4th start of the season today with reportedly an 80-pitch count limit. Marshall must throw strikes and give his manager innings. Chad Gaudin and Kerry Wood will likely be unavailable and it will be up to Jeff Samardzija and Carlos Marmol to finish tonight's game....if necessary.
The Cubs will face Anibal Sanchez for the first time in only his fourth start of the year. Sanchez garnered national attention on September 6, 2006 when he tossed the fourth no-hitter in Florida Marlins history....and the first since A.J. Burnett in San Diego 5 years earlier. Sanchez spent 13 months recovering from right shoulder surgery in June of 2007. Sanchez struggles against left handed hitters and Lou Piniella stated he will use a mostly lefty lineup tonight. Derrek Lee will get the night off in favor of Daryle Ward and look for Mike Fontenot at 2nd, Kosuke Fukudome back in right and Jim Edmonds in center according to a report from the Chicago Sun-Times. Aramis Ramirez could return to the lineup as well.
In other news.... Bobby Howry is no longer in the mix as a setup man in the Cubs' bullpen according to a report in the Chicago Tribune. Howry's struggles have been well documented and he will fill the mop-up role in the pen vacated by the recently traded Scott Eyre.
Jason Marquis' next start will be skipped and he is available out of the pen this weekend for Lou Piniella. Marquis will start the opener against the Nationals next Friday at Wrigley. Rich Harden, Ted Lilly and Carlos Zambrano will start the 3-game series against the Reds while Jason Marquis, Ryan Dempster and Rich Harden will face the Nationals next weekend.
Sean Marshall has been relegated to the bullpen since Rich Harden came over from the A's in the second week of July. Lou Piniella has stuck with Jason Marquis as his 5th starter and left Marshall in the long relief role....and he has performed quite well. Marshall will make his first start tonight since July 6th in St. Louis in which he picked up the biggest win of his Major League career.
Marshall took the mound in St. Louis on the Sunday night following the 9th inning loss the day before at the hands of Rick Ankiel....with a lot of help from Kerry Wood and Marshall led his team to a very important series win on the road, at the time the second of the season since sweeping the Pirates in Pittsburgh at the beginning of the year. Marshall held the Cardinals to 1 run on 6 hits in 6 innings with a walk and 4 strikeouts and the Cubs won 7-1. Piniella will need a similar performance tonight out of his young southpaw.
Marshall faced the Marlins on July 26th at Wrigley and made just one mistake in 3 innings of work. The Cubs and Rich Harden led 2-1 going into the 8th but Jeremy Hermida tied the game at 2 with a home run, the only hit Marshall allowed. The Marlins won the game, 3-2 in 12 innings on a double by Jorge Cantu.
Tonight will be Marshall's 15th game and 3rd start on the road. Marshall is 1-1 with a save and a 3.22 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. As a starter this season, Marshall is 1-2 in 3 starts with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP....only 3 walks and 16 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings.
Marshall is 1-2 in 3 career starts, 4 games, versus the Marlins with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP while the Fish have hit .219 against him. Florida's offense is extremely dangerous but has not fared as well against lefties as righties. The Marlins are 17-18 (.485) versus southpaw starters and 46-42 (.523) against right-handers.
For his career, Marshall is 0-1 in 1 start at Dolphin Stadium with a 18.90 ERA and a 3.30 WHIP....7 runs on 7 hits in 3 1/3 innings with 4 walks and 2 strikeouts on May 22, 2006.
- Jorge Cantu - 0-for-2
- Wes Helms - 2-for-6 with 2 doubles
- Jeremy Hermida - 2-for-4 with a home run
- Hanley Ramirez - 2-for-8
- Dan Uggla - 4-for-11 with 2 doubles
- Josh Willingham - 2-for-7
Anibal Sanchez will make his first ever start and appearance tonight against the Chicago Cubs. Sanchez is scheduled to make only his 4th start of the season since returning from the DL on July 31st. Sanchez had right shoulder surgery on June 21, 2007 and missed a majority of his sophomore season after a sensational rookie campaign in 2006.
Sanchez was 10-3 in 17 starts, 18 games, with 2 complete games and his no hitter against the Diamondbacks. Sanchez was acquired from the Red Sox along with Hanley Ramirez, Jesus Delgado and Harvey Garcia on November 24, 2005 for Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota....a trade that has worked out quite well for both organizations.
Sanchez is coming off a loss to the Cardinals his last time out. He pitched rather well and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits in 7 innings of work but the Marlins scored only 2 runs in a 4-2 loss. Sanchez tied a career high with 8 strikeouts against the Cardinals but tossed a season-high 103 pitches.
Alfonso Soriano is the only Cub that has faced Sanchez....he is 2-for-11 with 2 home runs and 2 walks.
Sanchez struggles against left handed batters and Piniella has already stated he will use a mostly lefty lineup tonight. 14 of the 17 hits allowed this season by Sanchez have come from left handers and they are hitting .400 (righties .088) with a .571 slugging percentage.
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
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Neil,
I see the Marlins DFA'ed Justin Miller today. He's a nice right handed arm out of the pen. Any chance we try to pick him up? Plus, bringing all those tatoos to town would add some entertainment.
David...good pickup. I like his splits and I am surprised they DFA'd him.
The past two years Miller has pitched better on the road than at home.
2007 - 3-0 in 28 games with a 2.77 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP
2008 - 3-1 in 22 games with a 3.79 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP
RH - .184 average in 2007
LH - .324 average in 2007
RH - .224 average in 2008
LH - .310 average in 2008
Career at Wrigley - 2-0 in 4 games (4 1/3 innings) with a 0.00 ERA and a 0.46 WHIP.
Miller could be a good replacement for Howry. A 'mysterious injury' to Howry could give them room and then Howry would be able to return once the rosters expand in 15 days.
Tonight's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Edmonds - CF
Ward - 1B
Fontenot - 2B
Fukudome - RF
DeRosa - 3B
Blanco - C
Marshall - P
Miller is a vet with some prior success. But he was DL'd for 3 weeks in July and has put up a 6.75 ERA in 4 brief appearances in August. He seems iffy for now and a long shot for post season roster eligibility.
Let's hope Marshall can step up with a strong performance for 5 or 6 innings tonight. That seems like a stretch to me, and it's likely the Cubs will need 5 or more runs to get the win.
JimK...did not see that on Miller. That makes sense.
Soriano with the leadoff walk and then was picked off. It was not close and it looked like he was asking for it. Sanchez almost picked him off in tow previous attempts.
Hanley with a home run on a 2-1 count....
Throw them filth Sean and thats what happens.
Saw that coming as soon as Hank set up for it.
Comeback time. I have my faith tonight guys!
Nice job by Marshall. After the homerun, three straight swinging strikeouts.
Why cant Sori run out regardless?
Phew. Caught a break!
Matt....I do not think he saw it and thought it was foul.
Not a good at bat by 'Little Babe Ruth'....easy for me to say, but he walked 2 straight batters. Do not swing at the second pitch of the at bat with a 1-0 count.
Yeh, 'Anna' (HAH!) doesnt seem to have pinpoint control tonight.
Make him work.
How is the Fish bullpen?
Choke on that!
Go Hank!
Sean can get out of some jams. Thats impressive, I admit.
I hate that he keeps getting passed up for a rotation spot. Even with the emergence of the Shark, I would kill for Sean to get a spot.
HANK WHITE with the strike....
Marlins' pen is good Matt. Remember the series in Chicago?
About that Neil...
MLB blacks out Marlin games in Mobile. WHat a load, huh? So I really didnt get a chance to watch them.
All I remember is Gregg closing us out every night.
Hank White is coming out tonight!
BB just said it. Perfect backup.
HANK!!!!!! #3 on the year, tied the game and flipped the order.
Yeh I put Hanley on base here. He cant even run, being blocked in and all.
Its incredible he is even a leadoff man. I wonder if Marlin fans have the Soriano discussions like we have.
I am very surprised Sanchez hit there. 91 pitches after 5, 4th start after shoulder surgery.
Damn..
Intentional walks!?!?!?!?!
It will be up to the pen now....
Matt, the only blaring weakness in their pen is long relief. The Cubs need to get Hendrixson into the game.
And they said it was quiet on here last night. Neil and Matt must have chased everyone out of here.
Let's have Howry get on track right now.
Hey Lew....
Good inning for Howry
Lew wants to see a hit here.
Z is pinch hitting in the 7th inning?
Neil, I agree.
Howry needed one of those.
Think Alf could have made it?
Matt....I think Reed hit it too hard. No I do not think Soriano could have made it.
Was Lou asking Rami if he was ready to hit. Aramis was holding a bat at the time... I guess I'll have to stay tuned.
Lew...Piniella said before the game Ramirez was available to pinch hit tonight
And Rami is on deck if Geo gets on.
Nice Geo! We'll take it.
...How about a steal of home..
Not jokin.
Come on Rami!
The Marlins bullpen is just good....
That is 11 left on tonight.
Back to Back blown saves anyone???
Lets Go Cubbies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Let's go RIOT
Let's go Reed
Nice hard shot by Lee.
Just couldnt get the clutch hit tonight.....plenty of chances....
I sure wish Soriano would have been sent instead of being held up. With the Cubs struggling and only a one run defecit, would have been worth the risk. As it was the throw was up the line.....
Well, lets get em tomorrow and take 2 of 3! Nice start by Marshall......