Game One Hundred Thirty-Three: Cubs (82-50) vs. Pirates (57-75)
Game Time - 11:35am C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 184
Location - PNC Park, Pittsburgh
Jason Marquis (8-7, 4.76/1.44) vs. Zach Duke (4-12, 5.29/1.55)
While Major League Baseball sorts out the last of the details on instant replay that will debut at Wrigley on Thursday, the Cubs will complete their season series today against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cubs offense must continue what they started in the first two games....26 runs in 18 innings and not let up on getaway day. Lou Piniella's crew is 13-4 versus the Bucs this season with one left to play....
Jason Marquis will remain in the rotation for at least his next two starts according to a report in the Tribune. With the way Piniella went through his pen last night, don't be surprised to see Sean Marshall or Chad Gaudin early on if Marquis struggles with his command....and himself. If Marquis is replaced in the rotation for the last month of the season, Sean Marshall would give his skipper another southpaw in the rotation and a proven winner at the big league level.
Lou Piniella has been receiving contributions from his entire roster of late and his bench should receive a lot of playing time today. Henry Blanco should be behind the plate to give Geovany Soto a day off. Reed Johnson will be in center. Mark DeRosa could spell Kosuke Fukudome in right with Ronny Cedeno somewhere in the middle infield....Cedeno has hit Zach Duke extremely well in his career.
Jason Marquis is coming off a very good 5 innings against the Nationals.....then a horrible 6th inning. Marquis could not find the strike zone, walked the bases loaded, gave up a pair of runs and managed to record just one out before Neal Cotts gave up the grand slam to Willie Harris. But that was then....
Lou Piniella needs a good outing today out of Jason Marquis. Piniella used his pen last night after lifting Carlos Zambrano in the 5th and the offense could go a long way to helping their pitcher's cause. Marquis has pitched much better on the road this season than at Wrigley and has been successful in the past at PNC. If the Cubs are to win this game it will depend on the right arm of Jason Marquis.
Marquis won his two previous starts before his loss to the Nationals and is 2-1 in his last 4 starts with a 5.09 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP.
Today will be Marquis' 5th start of the season against the Pirates. He is 2-1 with a 3.47 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP....at PNC, Marquis did not receive a decision on May 24th and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits in 5 1/3 innings with a 3 walks and 2 strikeouts.
- Ryan Doumit - 5-for-17 with 2 doubles and a home run
- Zach Duke - 1-for-1
- Adam LaRoche - 7-for-27 with a double and 2 home runs
- Andy LaRoche - 1-for-6
- Nate McLouth - 5-for-20 with a double and a home run
- Jason Michaels - 4-for-6 with a home run
- Nyjer Morgan - 2-for-2
- Freddy Sanchez - 7-for-31 with 3 doubles and a home run
- Jack Wilson - 10-for-40 with 2 doubles
The Cubs will face an old nemesis today in Zach Duke. The Pirates southpaw dominated the Cubs at the beginning of his career. Duke is 4-4 in 12 career starts versus the Cubs with a 3.16 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP....while they have hit a robust .297 against him. This year is a slightly different story. Duke is 0-2 in 4 starts with a 5.91 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP and they have hit .362 against him.
Duke is another one of the very good arms in the Pirates' system that has not pitched well this season. He is 4-7 in 13 starts at PNC with a 4.90 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP....in his last 4 starts, Duke is 0-3 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP after going 0-4 in 6 starts in July with a 9.51 ERA and a 2.01 WHIP.
The Cubs must be patient against Duke, make him work and most importantly....score early and often.
- Henry Blanco - 1-for-5
- Ronny Cedeno - 8-for-23
- Mark DeRosa - 5-for-17 with 2 doubles
- Jim Edmonds - 0-for-8
- Kosuke Fukudome - 1-for-6
- Reed Johnson - 5-for-10 with 2 doubles
- Derrek Lee - 10-for-32 with 2 doubles and a home run
- Aramis Ramirez - 11-for-32 with 6 doubles and a home run
- Alfonso Soriano - 12-for-21 with 2 doubles and 2 home runs
- Geovany Soto - 3-for-12 with a double
- Ryan Theriot - 7-for-21 with 2 doubles
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
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Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Johnson - CF
DeRosa - RF
Cedeno - 2B
Blanco - C
Marquis - P
As for Barack Hussein Obama's comments about sox fans being true fans who watch the game vs the Cub fans who go to Wrigley Field to drink, etc. I ask this "Why do the Cub fans pack other ball parks as well"? As for Obama being a sox fan. Why would any black person cheer for or go to bridgeport. That
neighborhood as well as Mt Greenwood, Beverly are known for their hatred towards black people.
Sean Marshall is more important to this team in the bull pen then in the rotation. It is important to have 2 lefties in the bull pen.
I have been impressed with Marshall after he has come back up from the minors this year. He has definitely earned a shot at the rotation next year. But unless the Cubs can find another lefty reliever I hope he stays in the pen because that is where we need him more.
Can we please leave all politics out of this site. Don't we all get enough from every other media outlet. Whether it was kind of baseball related or not. Thanks
I don't usually post, but I wanted to speak up on the comments about Obama's statements. I like reading this blog, and especially enjoy checking in with the comments people make during the games. I like it because it is at once an education and a pleasure to read a forum that both respects and is passionate about the game, and the Cubs.
To your comment, Jim, I have to disagree. You seem to say that Wrigley, on the north side of Chicago, would be haven for black fans of baseball. The last time I went to Wrigley, and every time I've gone to Wrigley, I've been struck by the marked whiteness of the crowd. Not to say that there weren't black people there cheering just as loud as everybody else, but simply that that's the situation. And let's face it, Chicago is seriously segregated. And if we're going to talk about racial sensitivity, let's not perpetuate the stereotyping of Obama as some kind of secret Muslim. It seems to show exactly the reason he wouldn't want to come cheer for the Cubs. (Besides his fundamental lack of judgment in being a Sox fan in the first place.)
I predict 7 innings 2 runs allowed from Marquis today. Cubs win 5-2.
All,
Please keep your comments related to Cubs Baseball. I encourage you to discuss your political views, just find the appropriate place for it. This is not it.
Thank you.
Eric:
Around Wrigley Field it is mostly White, Liberal White. As opposed to the red neck white that permeates mostly through bridgeport, Beverly and the Morgan Park neighborhoods. Full disclosure, I was only mentioning his middle name. I have no idea if he is a Muslim and I don't care. The only quality that I care about in a person is that He or She is a Cub fan.
Jim: Right - total misreading on my part. Sorry about that, and for the politics.
Two lead off doubles and nothing to show for it. Got those runs in.
Did Lou say anything last night after the game about the bunt Cedeno laid down to first base instead of third? Runners were on 1st and 2nd with no out.
Did we use up all our runs the first two games.
Well Duke is their ace????
Of course he would be in the bull pen of any other team.
So far Lee's ABs have been the reason this game is scorless. I have to belive not scoring 2 lead-off doubles will come back to haunt them. At least both teams are sleep walking through this game.
Early games on getaway day?!?!?!?!
Hopefully the offense can get it going.
Come On Offense!
When Marquis pitches 6 shut out innings, we ought to win every time. Come on Lou Crew--get some timely hits. Here's another one that We Should Win!!
Great baserunning by Johson, and great squeeze by Blanco and Dero! 2-0 Cubs
I am watching the game on gamecast. Was it a squeeze that scored Cedeno?
SQUEEZE!!!!!
That's better.
It looks like we are going to have to gut this one out.
Cedeno ground softly to 3B; Johnson was running on contact and made it. Blanco was fortunate that his bunt somehow avoided being caught and stayed fair.
The first run scored on a groundout to third by Cedeno. The second one scored on a squeeze with Blanco at the plate and DeRo on third....Great timing by Lou: first pitch after the first run just scored...
There we go!!
What a great outing by Marquis!
Will Lou send out Marquis for the 8th? Something tells me the 4th time thru the top of the Pirates order may not go so well. Marmol warming up.
The resourceful Lou passed a laptop with our encouragement/anger posted aroung the dugout. The little people played small ball, and we now lead 2-0 after 7. Way to go Faithful!!! Now, how about a strictly business performance by the pen.
I just continue to be so impressed (and at times amazed) by the production from the bottom of our lineup.
Standing O for Marquis. Great job!!!!!
clap,clap,clap,clap.
I agree Bryon. That is the biggest difference from last year and this year.
I'll give it up for Marquis!
clap,clap,clap,clap
Gotta give the props to Marquis today. He showed up, and really gave a sound outing while resting the pen. A great job! Now it would be really nice if he can replicate this a few more times this year.
Marmol rocks in the 8th. The Trib just announced that bidders for the Cubs have been reduced to 5. Canning's Madison Dearborn Partners and Mark Cuban are included. Zell said that he is hopeful of closing a deal by year end.
Righties have 12 hits in 42 innings against Marmol... That is un-real
The stat from Marquis' start that will impress Lou the most: ZERO walks!
Come on Woody: one more out!
Come on Woody, shut the door on this one.
Great job by Marquis, gave us exactly what we needed today.
Cubs Win ! Cubs Win !
Standing O to Marquis and bullpen!
33 games over .500 for the fist time since 1945!! Wow
....finally, we swept a team that we were supposed to!
Man I love our bull pen. When you have 3 relief pitchers as dominant as Samardjza, Marmaol and Wood, it really can shorten the game for the opposition.
Today, we thank the little people and the pen. Congrats Marquis, DeRo, Johnson and Blanco. Now comes one of the toughest series of the year--the Phillies. They're good, and they are in must win games as they battle the Mets.
I do believe that Lou passing the laptop with our 6th inning posts visible got the team going. He is one smart dude.
A Manufactured Win....
Will have the recap up later.
now that that's done.
LET GO CARDS!!!!! LETS GO CARDS!!!!!!
Absolutely! Go Cards!
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!