Game One Hundred Thirty-Five: Cubs (84-50) vs. Phillies (73-61)
Game Time - 1:20pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 185
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Rich Harden (9-2, 2.00/1.03, 4-1, 1.47/0.75) vs. Joe Blanton (6-12, 4.75/1.42, 1-0, 4.03/1.42)
After the dramatic come from behind win on Thursday night, the Cubs will get back to work this afternoon behind Rich Harden in a battle of former Oakland A's pitchers. When the season began, Joe Blanton was the A's Opening Day starter and Rich Harden followed. 135 games later the former teammates will square off at Wrigley Field in a very important game for both teams.
The Phillies slipped to a full game behind the Mets on Thursday and with the Brewers just 6 1/2 back and the road trip that is September on the horizon, all of the remaining 28 have equal importance.
Kerry Wood will likely be unavailable for today's game after pitching four days in a row. Carlos Marmol should pitch the 9th with Jeff Samardzija inserted in the 8th....that is if Rich Harden can do his job and if the Cubs have a lead late in the game. Joe Blanton will make his first career appearance at Wrigley and against the Cubs. Mark DeRosa, Alfonso Soriano and Reed Johnson have faced their former American League foe and have good career numbers against Blanton. It will be interesting to see if Lou Piniella finds a place for Johnson in the starting lineup.
Fasten Those Seatbelts....
Rich Harden has been very good since coming to Chicago and will face a huge test today. Harden has completed 7 innings in his last two starts and has allowed only 1 earned run in his last 3 starts (a solo home run by Austin Kearns). Harden has recorded 23 strikeouts in his last 19 innings and the key to Harden's longevity in his past two outings....no walks.
Harden is coming off an 11-strikeout performance, and tied a career high that he set earlier this season with the A's....against the Phillies. Harden threw 8 innings of 2-hit ball on June 26th and struck out 11 with only 1 walk. The 8 shutout innings is a season high and his new team will need a similar performance today in order to win the second game of the series.
Harden will face the Phillies for the second time in his career today.
- Pat Burrell - 0-for-3
- Greg Dobbs - 0-for-7
- Pedro Feliz - 0-for-4
- Ryan Howard - 0-for-3
- Jimmy Rollins - 0-for-3
- Chase Utley - 0-for-3
- Shane Victorino - 2-for-3
- Jayson Werth - 0-for-3
The Cubs were rumored to be interested in Joe Blanton last winter and reportedly Billy Beane was asking for a couple of arms and a couple of legs. The Phillies were able to pry him away at the trade deadline after the Cubs had already worked a deal for Rich Harden. The Phillies were in need of a quality starter. Brett Myers was struggling and in the minors and other than Cole Hamels and Jamie Moyer, the Phillies' rotation was a little thin. Blanton has all of the tools to be a dominating pitcher and has been very good since leaving Oakland.
While Blanton has only 1 win in a Phillies uniform, his team is 5-2 in 7 starts. Blanton was rocked in his first few starts with Philly but is coming off one of his best starts of the year. Blanton held the Dodgers to 1 run on 6 hits in 6 innings with 4 strikeouts and 3 walks.
Blanton is 1-0 in his last 5 starts with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP....on the road this season, 4-3 in 9 starts with a 5.50 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP.
Today will be Blanton's first career start against the Chicago Cubs.
- Mark DeRosa - 3-for-10 with 2 doubles
- Reed Johnson - 5-for-10 with 2 doubles and a home run
- Alfonso Soriano - 4-for-9 with a double and a triple
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Edmonds - CF
DeRosa - 2B
Fukudome - RF
Blanco - C
Harden - P
Based on the above article and Johnson's history with Blanton....why isn't he in the lineup? Cause it was a night game last night?
A lot of pitches for Harden in the first 2 innings.
Roguesqr....I'm thinking the lefty/righty matchup. I understand Soto not being in but after Harden raved about him following his last start, I am surprised Blanco is behind the plate.
Aramis with the first hit. They are not making Blanton work...only 60 pitches in the 4th inning.
I am not able to watch the game right now, but heard there was an error by Kosuke. What happened?
come on now.....let's at least make him work. i love that fact that we're basically eating bullpen's alive this year.
Neil - yeah, i questioned that about soto as well. i always kinda liked the idea of certain pitchers sticking with the same catcher for their starts, kinda like Maddux would always do.
I'm not watching either, but come on with the errors already. we've had errors in at least the past 3-4 games now.
Andy, Kosuke's throw hit Howard. Utley had stopped at 3rd and when the ball bounced off of him, Utley scored.
Come on Edmonds!
come on DeRo!
DeRo has 2 more rbi's than D-Lee....come on Dero
least dero is in there. lets extend that hit streak!! Let's GO CUBBIES!!!!!
wth Theriot! i hope that doesnt come back to haunt us
blanton should be out of there now.
Eyre in....
bases loaded walk!! Game tied!
Anyone know how the fans treated him? Cheers or jeers?
I'll take it. Now we can focus on the go ahead runs.
brand new ballgame...let's have another great outing by the bullpen
Great patience by Kosuke....
Double switch, Kosuke out?
Neil...seemed wierd to me too...but if you think about it...Blanco made the last out..but Lou can't take him out...and Fuk was right before him
Anybody know why Gary Matthews is nicknamed "the Sarge"?
Soriano!!!!
where is everybody??
I'm here bro. great contest so far and Cubs winning but far from over. I think we caught a break there with the play at first but gladly take it!
and now that was strike 3 and jeff got hosed.
oh well, lets get this done...
Duas - I was wondering where everyone was myself.
I don't know why he's called the Sarge, but I do know that he's been called that for awhile now. I'm sure it's online somewhere.
LOL! WOW WOW Sr. Nasty!!!!!
Flying Bats!!
SO-RI-ANO (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)!!!!
Sorry late....internet down
DeRosa had a 10-game hitting streak coming into today's game. 0-for-1 with 2 walks and then sacrifices....what a team player!
come on ronny...get this insurance run in
great at bat...but strike out...
MARMOL!!!!!!
A huge win for the Cubs....first career win for the Shark!
friends...i give you...Senior NASTY!!!! Great Win today guys
I got to MLB audio just in time for Riot's walk in the 6th--followed by 3 more to tie. Another brilliant finish by the pen. Soriano homers late. The Cubs are simply excelling.
The other day I was driving past a White Castle...and the advertising display read: "The original Slider..."
LOL...i got a kick out of that...thinking of Marmol
Just another great win. You have to wonder what the Brewers think when they go to the park each night and see that the Cubs have already won...again!!! It could be 7 1/2 by morning!
BTW, Matthews earned the nickname Sarge based on his military service background....when he played LF for the Cubs, he would always exchange salutes with the bleacher bums out there. He always played with tremendous hustle.
Bryan...thank you very much for that info
guys, what's the cubs ROAD record since the all-star break?
Road Record since All-Star Break -- 13-6. I just added it up. That's pretty darn good.
Not to dwell on health concerns, but Pat and Ron gave another scare when Lee seemed hurt on a fielding play today. Hoffpauir continues to amaze, and I'm glad we still have him. Last night he hit a grand slam and his line in only 69 games at Iowa is .360--25 HR and 99 RBI's.
I'm not overlooking tomorrow, but I really have my fingers crossed for Z on Sunday. If he returns to peak form in the next couple of games, we would be at full and awesome strength.
Bruce Levine on am1000 yesterday said he thought Z should skip a start, most people think he is tired. Worked for Marmol certainly. If he doesn't pitch well Sunday, I would definitely want Marshall to pick up that start, and bring up Hart to eat innings in the pen. With a 7-game lead, we can afford to start resting guys.
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
(I WAS THERE)
Good for you Jim [TP]!!
I chose 23-27 Series against the Mets in Shea Stadium NY because it is where I predict we will clinch. If any of you wanna go, let me know. We will be the last team in history to clinch a division in Shea!
or maybe not because if the Mets win their division they would probably do later than we and they play all their last games @ home.
Hey if it ended today....we would play Arizona @wrigley right????? PAYbackBitches!
Bryan, Matthews has been given credit over the years of turning that team around when he came over and keeping them in line that season. While many always point to the 'Daily Double', Rick Sutcliffe and Jody Davis, without the Sarge, 1984 probably does not happen.
That team, in my humble opinion, is responsible for changing the entire culture of the Cubs and turning Wrigleyville into what it is today. Without that team the last two decades could have been like the 50' and most of the 60's.