Game One Hundred Forty-Eight: Cubs (89-58) vs. Astros (80-68)
Game Time - 1:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 186
Location - Miller Park, Milwaukee
Ted Lilly (14-9, 4.29/1.29) vs. Brian Moehler (11-6, 4.16/1.33)
The Cubs will try to make it four in a row today behind Ted Lilly....and it should be a challenge to say the least. Not only did Carlos Zambrano 'cool-off' the hottest team in the league on Sunday night with his no-hitter, but he might have made it very difficult on one of his teammates today.
The Astros were not happy about two of the three games being relocated to Miller Park to begin with and after being no-hit by Zambrano they will be looking to prove a point today. The Astros are in the thick of the playoff picture and a win today by the Cubs would make it a little harder for them to continue their late season surge. Lilly better bring his A game, especially early on.
Jason Marquis was slated to start this game when the announcement was originally made the second of the three game series would be played today. But the Astros rearranged their rotation....and so did Lou Piniella. Marquis will face Ben Sheets on Wednesday at Wrigley instead and Lilly will get the task of trying to hand the Astros their first back-to-back loss since August 25th and August 26th.
The Cubs are 7-9 against the Astros this season with at least one left to play....
Ted Lilly bounced back from his horrible start in Cincinnati with a gem against the Cardinals in St. Louis his last time out. Lilly allowed only 1 run on 5 hits without a walk and 5 strikeouts in 8 innings of work. Lilly showed very good command and threw strikes against a very good Cardinals' offense.
Lilly had lost his two previous starts, one because of no run support....the other because of no velocity or command. The Cubs need the 'Bulldog' to step up again today and give them innings while the offense tries to figure out Brian Moehler.
Lilly is 8-4 in 17 games on the road this season with a 4.16 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP.
The two biggest stats from his last start....no walks and no home runs allowed. It was the first time all season Lilly had not issued a free pass or served up a long ball. Lilly must keep the ball in Miller Park today.
Lilly is 1-0 in 2 starts versus the Astros this season with a 2.19 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Lilly received a no decision in the first game back from the break on July 18th and a win in Houston on May 19th.
- Brad Ausmus - 1-for-5
- Lance Berkman - 1-for-14
- Geoff Blum - 3-for-11 with a double and 2 walks
- Michael Bourn - 1-for-3
- Darin Erstad - 2-for-23 with a double and 2 walks
- Mark Loretta - 5-for-18 with 2 doubles and 2 home runs
- Brian Moehler - 0-for-3
- Hunter Pence - 2-for-9
- Humberto Quintero - 0-for-5
- Miguel Tejada - 6-for-30 with 2 doubles and 4 walks
- Ty Wigginton - 2-for-9 with a double
The Cubs offense has been mesmerized by Brian Moehler this season and must be patient today against the crafty righty. For whatever reason Moehler has the Cubs figured out and one of their problems this season against Moehler has been their impatience. They are simply not making him work.
Moehler is coming off a solid month of August, his best stretch of the season (4-1 in 6 starts with a 3.44 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP) ....but has struggled a little in his last two starts. Moehler gave up a pair of runs to the Pirates in his last start (2 runs on 5 hits in 6 innings without a walk or a strikeout) and could not complete 5 innings of work against the Rockies (5 runs on 6 hits in 4 2/3 innings with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts). Moehler is 1-1 in his last 2 starts with a 5.91 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP.
Moehler is 1-1 in 3 starts this season versus the Cubs with a 2.12 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. The Cubs offense has just 15 hits and 4 runs in 17 innings with only 3 walks....simply not good enough.
- Henry Blanco - 1-for-4 with a double
- Ronny Cedeno - 2-for-6
- Mark DeRosa - 1-for-7
- Jim Edmonds - 14-for-39 with 5 doubles and 6 home runs
- Mike Fontenot - 2-for-6 with a double
- Kosuke Fukudome - 1-for-7
- Derrek Lee - 1-for-8 with a home run
- Ted Lilly - 1-for-3
- Aramis Ramirez - 5-for-19 with a double and a triple
- Alfonso Soriano - 4-for-12 with a double
- Geovany Soto - 2-for-8 with a home run
- Ryan Theriot - 1-for-6 with a double
- Daryle Ward - 6-for-16 with 3 doubles
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
Still walking on cloud nine after last night! I have been amused all morning as well hearing Cecil bitch about it. How he tips his hat to Zambrano BUT his team didn't get to the park until 2 hours before the game and blah...blah...blah... Give me a break didn't they have 2 days off in a row too? Aren't they professionals? What a bunch of sour grapes! Another funny thing is all the douchbag Cardinal fans i'm subjected to living here in Des Moines. Local sports t.v. and radio guys not to mention Joe Schmo just can't take our success & last night was too much for them to bear. They barely mention the nono and when they do it's just agonizing for them...I LOVE IT! Again thank you Carlos and the rest of Cubs!
My favorite moment of the game last night was when the bullpen came in to celebrate and brought the pink backpack with them. It was promptly dropped to the second base side of the mound and the celebration continued. Funny stuff.
Now ,for today. Lets keep up the momentum and put this division away.
Lineup for today's game:
Soriano - LF
Fontenot - 2B
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Hoffpauir - RF
Soto - C
Edmonds - CF
Cedeno - SS
Lilly - P
11-4 takes us to 100 wins... That would be somethin!
Oh and Neil, the site renders very well on Google Chrome.... my new toy.
cool-
a spot start for Hoffpauir... I'm hopeful he'll be a nice bat off the bench as this season goes into October.
Why no Riot?
And it seems to me that Soto is getting alot of playing time down the stretch. I assumed it was because the team was slumping and Lou wanted his bat in the lineup. But the funk seems to be over and he's still not resting him. He has started 12 straight games prior to today.
Gregg, I think having Friday and Saturday off help get Soto some rest. If not for those two days I am sure he would've gotten a game off soon maybe even today.
Lilly is perfect through 3. Can he top Z's no-no by gong perfect today? Not likely but it would be very cool.
WOW.....it was just announced the Brewers fired manager Ned Yost while in Chicago waiting for tomorrows game!!! Dale Sveum replaces him.....
They've been struggling....but I've never seen a manager get fired who was in the thick of a pennant race....
Only 59 pitches for Moehler through 4....need to make him work.
Ned Yost was just fired! WOW!!!
WOW is right. I just heard that on the radio. Unbelievable. I guess we will see how Dale Sveum does with the team for the last 2 weeks. I guess with the Cubs coming up they want to give the team a jolt.
The Astros Broadcasters are trying anything for a hit......when Tejada came up, they not only played his music that he uses when he comes to bat at home....they played it through his entire at bat trying to get a rally hit.....lol too funny
I expect to see a bunt dropped down very soon.....they've got to be frustrated....
Jimmy Ballgame! #17 as a Cub!
EDMONDS!!!!
As if on cue.....Astros broadcasters make a statement that Edmonds isnt near the player he used to be, but he still is productive.....next pitch.....smack!!!!! Way to go Jimmy!!!
If he [jim]can get hot going into the post season.....wow!
So Yost gets fired with two weeks left in the season, hmm, I thought there was a good chance of that happening right after the season was over, but wouldn't have guessed it now.
Hmm..... De Ja Vu anyone?
I think Doug Melvin may have been worried about his own job, who knows. A firing at this point and with a team in the middle of the playoff hunt isn't a common occurrence. With CC and Sheets likely heading out after the season, Melvin could have been on the chopping block had they not made the playoffs and still could be. Who knows.
Since this is such an untypical move...Im guessing the orders came from above....something to shake the team now that Phillies have caught them.....
Either way....put a fork in em...they're done.
DLee!! Looks like he is starting to come around and just in time!!
LEE!!!!!!!!!! Breaking our the lumber!!! Nice to see!!
DLEEEEE! Big home run!
DLEEEEE!!!!! Somebody is heating up!
Just got in.
Looks like its been an interesting game. If you get my drift.
Geo!! 6-0 and some fantasy numbers for my team as well.
GEO!
SOTO!
GEO!
SOTO!
SOTO!!!! This is more like the offense we are used to seeing.
SOTO with #22!!
After a bad stretch to start the month we are having fun again and this is why it is great to be a Cubs fan!! All I can say is.....AMAZING!!
JIMMYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!
My heart dropped when that ball was hit! I was nervous before he even swung...a batter pinch hitting in the middle of an at bat I was thinking how ironic that would be.
Hey if this is a "home" game for the Stros why are they wearing the road unis??
A win today brings the magic number to 6......a sweep of the Brewers brings......back to back division titles!!!
Ive never heard an error so wildly cheered, haha
Joe S.,
Since they have road games to follow they packed their road uni's and I guess didn't bring their home uni's as well.
Dang it Loretta!!
Stinkin Mark Loretta.... Didn't that guy retire already??
I think it is safe to say our bullpen is going to be Well rested for the brewers series.
Hearing the crowd chat Er-ror Er-ror was funny....the loud roar when they posted the error was great...but the smile on Ramirez face when he got the error was priceless!!!
Hey, how do you follow up a no-hitter? Well, a one-hitter certainly is about the best you can do....
Here's trivia they mentioned on the Astros broadcast....there have been back to back no hitters thrown on consecutive games but NOT consecutive games....how?? No hitter one day followed by a doubleheader the next..but the second no hitter was in game 2 not game 1.....
That should have said there have been back to back no hitters thrown on consective DAYS but not consecutive games.....
Go Cubbies!! 6-0 in the bottom of the eighth!!
Doug Melvin and Brewers ownership have NEVER shown any class; so, why the "big surprise" about the firing of Ned Yost?
If he were not the "so-called commissioner," I would not be surprised if Selig was named the new "manager."
What a jerk team.
Maybe Yost should have been more focused on a division title than sending tapes of CC to MLB.
SOme of us said it here at the time that Yost had better things to worry about, and that if he didnt focus it would bite him.
Look what happened Zip.
The fact is the Brewers are fading down the stretch for the second year in a row. This is the second October that the Brewers had World Series hopes but couldnt find their stroke.
A change was neccesarry.
CUBS WIN!!
That is a good way to follow up a no hitter!!
A No Hitter followed by a 1-Hitter.....hey Matt....are ya happy with how things turned out after all? :-)
Just a week ago everyone was down and worried....now look....8 games up....magic number 6...and the second place team fires their manager.....
Let's go Cubbies!!!
Very much so Joe.
No doubleheaders either. Which was my concern.
This couldnt have turned out any better, I admit. You called it. It turned into a plus.
Good win!!
Congrats Cubs on 4 wins in a row, and thanks vocal Faithful for bringing them through while I was a bystander. I have been paying attention while hosting fifteen 71 year old college pledge brothers and their significant others over the weekend in our first reunion ever. An incredibly good time. Some of us had a good number of riders during the golf outing. For you young guys, that's when you hit the ball far enough that you get to ride in the cart to your next shot. Today I had to peek in on Game Day while giving a few friends blow-by-blow email reports and some thoughts on what may be happening in the stock markets. (Don't sell now if you are holding solid companies that are not convulsing in the financial services industries. The economy will be poor for several more months so there is time to wait before buying the bargains.)
Joe S's post reminds me that I told him the Cubs could win 4 of 5 with his lucky hat on 9/8--if he wore it brim forward. About that time, Nick and I agreed that the losing funk was about to end, and Gramps said no need to panic. Yeah, it was a gut feel and wishfull thinking but How Sweet It's Been the last 4 games. While always having to worry about a short series, season-long form usually holds up and funks end.
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!