Game One Hundred Thirty-Four: Cubs (83-50) vs. Phillies (73-60)
Game Time - 7:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WGN - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 184
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Ryan Dempster (15-5, 2.85/1.17) vs. Cole Hamels (11-8, 3.20/1.04)
The stretch run of the 2008 season begins tonight with the first of four against one of the hottest teams in the National League....the Philadelphia Phillies. Despite losing the finale of the series against the Mets on Wednesday night, the Phillies are 8-2 in their last 10. The Cubs and the Phillies will send their four best starters to the mound during this series, but tonight it is Ryan Dempster against Cole Hamels.
The Phillies won two of three against the Cubs in Philly back in April (11th - 13th) on the Cubs first road trip of the season. And the Cubs will be looking to repay the favor. The Phillies are the only team in the National League with a winning record against the Cubs this season....26 of the Cubs final 29 games will be against team's with a record of .500 or better.
There are several keys to attempting to beat the Phillies. One...keep Jimmy Rollins in check. Two...do not allow Shane Victorino to jump-start the offense. Three...do not help their potent offense. In other words, make 'em earn it and keep the free passes to a minimum. And finally, score early and keep tacking on. The Phillies have the offense to come back at will and if they are ahead in the 9th, well....Brad Lidge has not blown a save all season.
The Cubs and Phillies will be one of three games around the league to feature instant replay for the first time tonight....and the rest of the league will have the new technology on Friday. And as fate would have it, Wrigley Field will be the first park in the Senior Circuit to use instant replay in an official game.
Fasten Those Seatbelts....
Ryan Dempster will face the Phillies for the first time this season. Dempster has been very good this month and will make his 5th start since losing to Astros in the rain shortened game back on August 4th. Dempster is 3-1 this month with a 2.52 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP....since the break, 5-1 in 7 games with a 1.76 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP.
Dempster is coming off a dominating win against the Nationals and allowed only 1 run on 8 hits in 7 1/3 innings with 1 walk and 4 strikeouts.
Dempster is 4-3 in 19 appearances, 12 starts, versus the Phillies with 2 saves and a complete game....and a 4.67 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP.
- Eric Bruntlett - 1-for-2 with a home run
- Pat Burrell - 8-for-21 with 5 doubles and 7 walks
- Ryan Howard - 0-for-3
- Jimmy Rollins - 9-for-27 with 2 doubles
- Chase Utley - 1-for-2
The Cubs will get their second look of the season tonight at Cole Hamels and his devastating change-up. Hamels dominated the Cubs offense and beat Ted Lilly 7-1 back on April 12th. The Cubs managed only 1 hit and 2 walks in 7 innings off the southpaw. The Cubs offense is not the same as the 'free-swinging' one that took the field back in April and tonight will be a big test to see how much they have improved.
Hamels is 5-2 in 12 road starts this season with a 3.40 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP....in his last 5 starts, 2-2 with a 2.88 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP.
Tonight will be Hamels fifth career start against the Cubs. He is 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP....but the Cubs have scored only 1 run on him the last two match-ups (15 innings).
- Ronny Cedeno - 0-for-4
- Mark DeRosa - 0-for-8 with a walk
- Reed Johnson - 0-for-3
- Derrek Lee - 1-for-8 with a double
- Aramis Ramirez - 4-for-11 with a triple and a home run
- Alfonso Soriano - 5-for-23 with a double and 3 home runs
- Geovany Soto - 0-for-3
- Ryan Theriot - 5-for-11 with a double and a home run
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
Tonight's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Soto - C
Johnson - CF
Fukudome - RF
DeRosa - 2B
Dempster - P
MY MISTAKE, DOROSAGA. IT'S Win% = (RUNS SCORED^1.82)/((RUNS SCORED^1.82) + (RUNS ALLOWED^1.82)) INSTEAD OF RS^1.82+(RS+RA)^1.82.
IT FORGOT TO BRACKET THE LAST 2, CAN I BE EXCUSED FOR MY MISTAKE? I'M ONLY JOKING! DON'T BE SO TOUGH ON ME.
With the wind blowing out and with Hamels on the mound I think we can feel okay that we'll at least put up a fight and should at most win this thing handedly.
Lets do it!
Dempster looked way over amped in the 1st, like he did in that disaster against the Sux. Let's hope that this game does not follow form to that one. A 7 run 3rd did him in before. That short 2nd was a relief though.
D had his command back in the 2nd. Down 1, the game is on. Hopefully, we find a way to score 3, which may be enough tonight.
wow, much better and quick inning by Demp.
....Loud outs never the less...
I was hoping to see the offense do something against a team desperate to win with their ace on the mound. Kind of like a "how would the Cubs do in a playoff game" preview. So far,I am very unimpressed.
Gary...the night is young, let's see how they do this 2nd time around...have faith
Hamels is just on and Gary I understand where you are coming from but this is where the Cubs' pitching staff must do their job and keep the game close.
Well, I don't how good the offense will do when the ump is give about 6 inches on the outside of the plate, with Hammels puttiing right, there almost every time.
LET'S GO OFFENSE, LET'S GO (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)!!!!!!
We got lucky that Howard's shot was smoked and Utley was held at 3rd. At any rate, Demp. has done his job on a night that started like a Horror movie. He has battled.
Hammels is definitely on, buy I agree with Gary that the outside of the zone looks a little generous tonight. If we keep it to a 1 run deficit I have faith that one of our big boys will put us on the board eventually.
DERO WITH A RBI TRIPLE!!!!
Wow, Dero keeps impressing me on a daily basis. Great at bat by Fuku also.
More production from the bottom of our lineup. Amazing. What would we do without DeRo? What a steal that signing was!
Why is Bobby Howry warming up?
I think it must be a decoy Neil.
Dempster is smoked, Lou has to get him out of there.
Marshall looks very confident out there.
Hamels had the edge over D tonight. Marshall had a good inning. Maybe we can catch up late.
I'm somewhat surprised that the Cubs aren't just sitting on the breaking ball. Soriano and Johnson in particular sure look lost at the plate tonight.
This is more important for Howry tonight than it is for the Cubs. He needs one of Neil's shut down innings. I think we get the Phil's pen in the bottom of the 8th.
A very good inning by Howry!
Okay, Hamels is GONE!
LET'S GO OFFENSE, LET'S GO (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)!!!!!
Will we see Stevie Eyrie today? I don't thinks so because he has been busy against the Mets. If we do...I expect a warm welcome from the fans at Wrigley.
One more time Neil..Let's go offense!
Looking at the positives, Howry had an excellent inning. Maybe Cotts gets one too. There was nothing dominating about the Phil's performance so far.
It's not likely, but we would devestate the Phils if we can come back and win this one.
It's THE BABE!!!!
Holy Crap it feels like the playoffs! Lets go Rami!!!!!
ARAMIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GRAND SLAM!!!!!!!!!!!
Speaking of devestation, HOW ABOUT RAMI'S SLAM!!! Let's go pen. Close em out in the 9th.
Guys...all you can say is "unbelievable"!!!!!
Unreal! did any body else noticed Victorino did not even move?
I mean this honestly, but when Rami came up I knew he would do it. I just knew.
It was certainly what you call a "no doubter"!!!
Cedeno is on deck for Fontenot....
Okay, Len just pointed it out.
Me too Matt!, but then after he makes contact I saw Victorino staying put and I thought it was a high fly! but it was a monster shot!
Like I said..if we are close towards the end, have faith that our big boys will come up huge! Let's close this out!
Never a doubt.
nominated for 2nd comeback of the year!!
HUGE WIN!
Happy Birthday Lou!
Where's Jim? I hope he is okay.....
Before the series started...you heard all the hype about the Phillis' high powered offense and how they could score in a hurry....but I kept wondering...isn't that our Cubbie's M.O. as well? As a matter of fact, aren't we better at it? WE have the best offense in the Majors! And today's game proved that....5 runs in the bottom of the eight...and that ball went out in a hurry! What a great win!!
I am sure Jim from TP is fine...he is probably just a bit depressed from missing Aaron's posts about how underachieving this team is.
Hey Hey, Holy Mackeral...the Cubs are on their way!!!
I can't believe I didn't go to the game.
Sorry about the cheap shots, Jim from TP and Aaron.
I agree with Agustin on this comeback. I still think the biggest wins of the year were the first two against CC and Sheets in the first two games of the sweep of the Brewers a few weeks ago. Those wins convinced us we were the alpha dogs in the Central and that we could beat the best two games in a row. Here's hoping the next big turn around will be Z on Sunday.
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!