Game One Hundred Fifty-One: Cubs (91-59) vs. Brewers (84-68)
Game Time - 1:20pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 188
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Rich Harden (10-2, 2.04/1.04 - 5-1, 1.65/0.92) vs. Dave Bush (9-10, 4.24/1.15)
After winning game one behind Ryan Dempster and dropping the second game on Wednesday night, it is up to Rich Harden to pick up the win today in the rubber game of the series. Today is a rematch of the final game of the series in Milwaukee on July 31st. The Cubs need a similar performance today from Rich Harden and for the offense to score early and often.
Manny Parra was scheduled to start this game but was sent to the pen by the new Brewers' manager. That could change if Ben Sheets misses any time but for today Dave Bush has replaced him in the rotation.
With Geovany Soto starting the last four games, Henry Blanco or Koyie Hill could get the start behind the plate today.
In other news.... According to a report in the Tribune, Chad Gaudin did not have a good outing in Arizona and if he does not show improvement the next time he throws he might not be back with the Cubs this season. If Gaudin does not return, the Tribune mentioned the possibility of either Kevin Hart or Michael Wuertz filling in his vacated spot in the pen.
After going 13 days in before his last outing, Rich Harden will take the mound only 7 days after his last start. Harden was very effective against the Cardinals and picked up his 5th win as a Cub, despite his velocity being down from earlier in the year. Harden allowed only 2 runs on 5 hits in 6 innings with a walk and 3 strikeouts. Harden changed speeds effectively and displayed very good command. The two earned runs was the most allowed by Harden since the Astros put four on the board against him on August 5th.
Harden was 3-0 in 5 starts in August with a 1.82 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP.
Today will be Harden's second start of the season against the Brewers. He picked up the win in the last game in Milwaukee on July 31st. Harden allowed 1 run on 6 hits in 7 innings without a walk and 9 strikeouts....the only run, a solo shot off the bat of Prince Fielder.
- Ryan Braun - 1-for-3 with a double
- Dave Bush - 1-for-2
- Mike Cameron - 0-for-5
- Craig Counsell - 0-for-3
- Ray Durham - 1-for-12 with a double
- Prince Fielder - 1-for-3 with a home run
- J.J. Hardy - 0-for-3
- Jason Kendall - 0-for-3
- Rickie Weeks - 1-for-3
Dave Bush has put together a solid second half but has allowed 5 earned runs in his last 2 starts (14 innings). Bush showed signs this season of taking his game to the next level and was one of the main reasons the Brewers posted a 20-7 record in August. Bush was 4-0 in 5 starts with a spectacular 2.12 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP with a .206 OBA. However, like most of his teammates he has struggled in September....0-1 in 3 starts with a 5.21 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP with a .264 OBA.
Bush is 0-2 in 2 starts this season versus the Cubs with a 8.53 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP.
- Henry Blanco - 0-for-9
- Ronny Cedeno - 3-for-14 with a home run
- Mark DeRosa - 4-for-13 with a home run
- Jim Edmonds - 5-for-11with 3 doubles and 2 home runs
- Kosuke Fukudome - 2-for-4 with 2 doubles
- Derrek Lee - 4-for-22 with a double
- Felix Pie - 2-for-6
- Aramis Ramirez - 7-for-23 with 3 doubles and 2 home runs
- Alfonso Soriano - 8-for-24 with 2 doubles and a home run
- Geovany Soto - 1-for-4
- Ryan Theriot - 3-for-14 with 2 doubles
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Edmonds - CF
DeRosa - 2B
Soto - C
Fukudome - RF
Harden - P
Let's go Cubs!!!
I thought I had a shot at seeing them clinch in NY next Thursday but with the slide that Milwuakee went on, they probably will this weekend. Better for the Cubs, and I'll be able to relax and enjoy the game regardless of the outcome.
Git 'er done!!
Harden is starting off like Marquis did. Come on Harden let's go.
Jimmy Ballgame!!
EDMONDS!!!
Come on Cubs, Bush is a stiff that you should be pounding.
ARAMIS!!!!
Harden needs to cut down on the walks.
Ray Durhma has been a MAJOR pain in the ass this series.
Hey guys!!!
Fuku preserved the lead with that decoy play....no doubt about it. Good to see something good happening to him, let's see if he can get it going.
Come on Bullpen, lets have a better outing than yesterday.
DeRo is hitting .149 for September. Yikes.
115 pitches just to get through 5 innings? hmm...that no good at all. need to work on maximizing that pitch count.
Man, seven walks in less that 6 full innings. Not a good stat.
Wow, DeRo is having a nightmare today. And Smardjia (sp?) has been shit lately too.
If it seems like Samardzija has stunk lately, its because he has. He's allowed at least 1 base runner in 9 of his last 10 appearances
Yep, really can stand Durham.
SOMEBODY THROW A FREAKING STRIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you Randy.
What I would give for one of those 5 or 6 runs innings right now.
Todd Coffey threw FIVE damn pitches that inning.
Well, if there is any good news to come out of this game, it is Wells has been able to come in and get outs.
Gagne threw 4 pitches....only 3 hits all day.
We had a chance to put these guys away!!
God forbid we make it easy!!
So let me get this straight, either the Cubs' pitchers throw a 1 hitter or they lose. That's encouraging.
SOTO GAME TYING 3-RUN BLAST IN BOTTOM OF 9TH WITH 2 OUTS!!!!!
HOOOOOLYYYYYYY CRAAAAAP!!!!!!!!
GEO GEO GEO GEO!
SOTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
BRING ON THE TENTH!
NEVER SAY DIE!
Dat's what I'm talkin' 'bout.
See, I knew if I insulted the offense, they would respond. WOW! 4 runs after 2 out and nobody on. Amazing!
I love the fact that it was Torres that gave up the homerun.... isn't he the one who said the Brewers would catch the Cubs.HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Tough inning coming up for Woody right here. Go get em' Kerry!
Man, I missed it all driving home from work (stupid work)!!
Great job Wood!! Man he looked good!!!
When he throws like that....NOBODY can touch him. That was pretty!
I am an idiot, I turned the game off in the 8th.
I am not sure about the first pitch, but the second pitch was not a strike.
Hey nick. Both pitches were pretty bad but it goes both ways because the strike zone has been wide all day.
Damn watch for the squeeze.
So, would yall believe I just got in?
I figured Id check the CCO first to see what happend.
We're still playing!!!
Whoa. Ive read the comments. Unbelievable.
Welcome to crazy land.
I get in just in time to see Kerry get out of THAT jam!
Wow!
Wow! good recovery!
What looked like another bad game has turned out to be a great one. Let's Hang Them!
Way to get outta that Wood!! How about a run now!!
I wasn't sure how the ump has been calling them today, followed on Gameday most of the day, so the zone has been pretty wide today huh
Did Harden have a bad outing, yall?
Good job by Woody to get out of it....but Piniella must stop using him for 2 innings in a row. Just not as effective.
Matt....too many walks for Harden, 38 pitches in the first inning. 3 walks in the 1st alone.
Nick if the umps had any kind of consistency, ball 4 to Ward should have been strike 3. Guess we'll take it though.
He struck out 7, but walked six or seven two. by far not his best.
A test of Lee's clucth ability right now...
D-Lee passed with flying colors!!!!!!!!
YESSS!!!
Two!!!
Magic number is 2!
D. LEE!!!
Nice hit.... Dunno why hes standing so far outside the plate (ala a late-career Sosa) but nice clutch hit...
GG...
YES!! YES!!! YES!!!! DERREK LEE WITH A CLUTCH HIT....
All 5 runs with 2 outs.... NOW THAT'S CLUTCH!!!
DLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! Great comeback today!!!!!
Looking back to the top of the 9th inning...If Wuertz doesn't give up that run, we'd have won in the bottom of the 9th....BUT, at the same time, if Soriano doesn't get that out at Home Plate, we'd have lost in the bottom of the 9th
Now, let's clinch this thing at home against the Cards.
Wow what a game, I'm glad my heart is in good shape, that was a game of alot of emotions. I went from mad at the early bad play, to happy about the come back, to nervous about the extra innings, to exstatic (sp) about the win! I need a beer.
Something tells me that Cincy will let this clinch drag out two games, since they seem to only decide to play when its not beneficial to anyone but themselves. But a clinch on the weekend would be the best clinch of all.
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
If we can win the next two against the Cards...I say let the Brewers win in Cincy...so that when the last pitch is thrown on Saturday afternoon on FOX...we can celebrate on the field. Otherwise, if we win tomorrow and the Brewers lose at night...the celebration will be in the clubhouse...not on the field. I think there is definitely something special about celebrating right after the last pitch is thrown...like a walk-off or a nail biting save...or a no-hitter!
I agree....clinch it Saturday on National television!! I was secretly rooting for the Brewers to win a game for that to happen--especially because I am in Atlanta till Saturday and didnt want to miss the exciting clincher...
Went to the Braves-Phillies game last night and saw Turner Field for the first time. Nice Stadium!! Love how in their parking lot they left the cement outfield wall of the OLD stadium in tact...and have the small section of outfield fence in tact where Hank hit his then-historic homer.
As for tomorrow....GO CUBS....and GO REDS.... let the Cubbies clinch on the field Saturday!!
I hope the Cubs clinch Saturday also...they deserve a great weekend night on the town to celebrate a well-fought and played season.
I was rooting for Wuertz. He has good stuff and the ability to be very good but he has to be one of the biggest head cases in the NL. Throw the freakin ball to Lee on the bunt play. His move was incomphrehensible for a major league professional. Plus he pitched scared throwing ball after ball in the dirt...get some cojones Wuertz and live up to your potential. Unfortunately Pinella cannot add him to the playoff roster.
What is great about this win is it was emotional.
Also a game that they deserved to lose.
With all the chance's the Brewer's had to cash in,they just would not take it and the Cubs found a way to win again!