Game One Hundred Fifty-Two: Cubs (92-59) vs. Cardinals (79-73)
Game Time - 1:20pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: Comcast SportsNet - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 188
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Carlos Zambrano (14-5, 3.41/1.25) vs. Adam Wainwright (9-3, 3.20/1.13)
Updated 11:55am C.T. - Geovany Soto Scratched from Today's Lineup with Hand Injury
The final weekday game on the schedule for the Chicago Cubs....Lou Piniella's crew opens up the final home series of the season today behind Carlos Zambrano against their archrival St. Louis Cardinals. Big Z is coming off a 'little gem' last Sunday and one of the storylines to watch today is how Zambrano pitches on regular rest.
The Cardinals are hanging on by a thread after dropping 7 of their last 8. But this weekend figures to be similar to the series that was completed last week in St. Louis....all three games were decided by a total of three runs. The Cardinals will be without Rick Ankiel and Chris Carpenter for the remainder of the season.
Look for Kerry Wood to not be available today after throwing 33 pitches in two innings on Thursday.
Finally....A couple of quotes from Jim Edmonds and Lou Piniella:
From the Tribune: "Every year I went to spring training the last 15 years, the goal always has been to win the World Series, not to clinch your division. If we stay on that track, we'll be under control a little bit and keep that common goal, not champagne one day. Hopefully we can do it two or three or four times."
From Cubs.com: "I've been hearing a lot of stuff on the radio and TV - let's be clear about this, we still have to win two more games. Let's not get too excited until it's over." Lou Piniella: "It's been a long season, and we're getting real close to where we want to go. There's still a little work to be done, and hopefully, we'll get it done this weekend."
Carlos Zambrano became the first Cubs' pitcher to toss a no-hitter in 36 years in his last start and a win today would inch them closer to their first goal of the season. Zambrano silenced his critics and erased concerns over his health in his gem against the Astros last Sunday, but some of the experts questioned Piniella allowing his ace to throw 110 pitches after missing time with a 'dead arm.'
Lou Piniella and Larry Rothschild discussed keeping Zambrano around the 90-pitch mark but left him in for obvious reasons....and there is a difference between throwing 110 pitches and THROWING 110 PITCHES. Zambrano appeared in control of himself and displayed good mechanics with an improved arm slot. With facing one over the minimum, he pitched from the stretch only twice. There is a difference.
Today is another big start for Zambrano....and hopefully he can remain calm when he gives up his first hit since September 2nd.
Big Z is 7-1 in 15 home starts this season with a 3.08 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. The last time he faced the Cardinals at Wrigley he was shelled and served up 4 home runs in 4 1/3 innings. St. Louis was very aggressive against Zambrano that Saturday and there should be more of the same today.
On the year Zambrano is 1-1 in 2 starts versus the Cardinals with a 7.84 ERA and a 1.65 WHIP....but tossed a gem in St. Louis on July 4th with 6 shutout innings.
- Troy Glaus - 3-for-9 with a double and 2 home runs
- Cesar Izturis - 1-for-9 with a double
- Adam Kennedy - 4-for-11
- Felipe Lopez - 11-for-34 with a double, a triple and 2 home runs
- Ryan Ludwick - 2-for-3
- Aaron Miles - 8-for-30 with a double
- Yadier Molina - 6-for-25 with a home run
- Albert Pujols - 13-for-52 with 2 doubles and 5 home runs
- Skip Schumaker - 6-for-17 with a double, a triple and a home run
- Adam Wainwright - 2-for-3
The Cubs will get their second shot of the season against Adam Wainwright today. Wainwright received a no decision back on May 2nd in St. Louis and the Cardinals won the game 5-3 in the last big league game of the season for Rich Hill. The Cubs battled back to tie the game but Skip Schumaker hit a 2-run homer in the bottom of the 11th off of Chad Fox on that Friday night under the arch.
Wainwright spent most of the season on the DL and has been very effective since his return....except for his last start. Wainwright had not allowed more than 2 earned runs in his first 4 starts back from the DL but after pitching an 8-inning gem against the Marlins, he was shelled in his last start. The Pirates knocked Wainwright out of the game after 4 innings and 6 runs on 9 hits. With the Cardinals barely alive in the NL Wild Card race, today could be Wainwright's last start of the season if he struggles again.
Wainwright is 3-2 in 8 road starts this season with a 4.10 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP.
The Cardinals' former closer is 0-3 in 14 career games, 5 starts, against the Cubs with a 6.44 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP....at Wrigley, no record in 6 appearances, 1 start, with a 7.36 ERA and a 2.18 WHIP.
- Henry Blanco - 2-for-2 with a double
- Ronny Cedeno - 2-for-6
- Mark DeRosa - 1-for-7
- Mike Fontenot - 2-for-3
- Kosuke Fukudome - 0-for-3
- Derrek Lee - 3-for-14 with a double
- Felix Pie - 2-for-5 with a double
- Aramis Ramirez - 7-for-19 with 3 doubles and a home run
- Alfonso Soriano - 2-for-11 with a double and a triple
- Geovany Soto - 2-for-3 with a double
- Ryan Theriot - 6-for-16 with 2 doubles
- Carlos Zambrano - 1-for-5
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
Update - 11:55am C.T. - According to multiple reports, including one from the Daily Herald, Geovany Soto has been scratched from today's lineup with a hand injury. Soto's hand has been a problem all season and according to Bruce Miles "it bothered him" before the home run in the 9th inning on Thursday.
Will update when more information becomes available....
I love reading those two quotes. Keep the eyes on the prize and stay focused.
Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Edmonds - CF
DeRosa - RF
Fontenot - 2B
Blanco - C
Zambrano - P
Hope Soto is ok. That kid is money! I want him to get the Cub's rookie homerun record but if rest is what his hand needs then you know he would sacrifice that to be fresh in the playoffs.
The Cubs website said Soto's X-Rays showed it was just joint irritation, and will be day to day.
Well Z doesn't have to worry about a no hitter or shutout so let's just settle down and get the win!
This is the third game in a row where are starters have had problems in the first. We need a double play now more than ever.
That was only Kennedy's second HR of the year. Is the wind blowing out today.
Anyone watching the game, are Z's pitches missing by much?
Come on!!!! What the F. We have to continue to play ball, especially for the fans who are just as excited. Let's stick to St. Louis and celebrate after beating them.
Good God he's getting ROCKED!
This is getting out of hand.
Tonights gonna be a blast at work....frik'n Cardinal fans
ya know the media, the Astros fans, and the Cards fans are gonna have a field day with this performance...i'll act like i didn't know the game was already going on and pretend not to know what's happened
3BB's, 7 runs, 6 hits in two innings, OUCH!
Buuuut, it is not over yet.
I left school to come home and watch this?
My gosh, make it stop.
I hate the Cardinals.
Cory, call in sick tonight.
Before this game Kennedy had 1 homer and 30 rbi's all year....baseball is a funny game
Nick, if this keeps on all of us will be sick...
I wouldn't be lying Nick!
That and he wants to be traded, because LaRussa said he would not be a starter anymore this year. I Wish LaRussa would have stuck to his word.
What really sucks is we're all gonna have to listen to a-holes in the media, card's and Brewer's fans, etc on how Lou wrecked Z's arm by letting him finish the no-hitter.
Yep, and in all reality, Z just doesn't pitch good against the Cards.
How many more walks are we going to give up? Now we are walking the pitcher!?
Hey guys...relax, stick around, eat something, have a couple of beers and wait til' the 9th
with two down... :o
I hate the Cardinals.
Just a bad day. I would rather see Lou empty his bench at this point. Give the regulars a breathier with no days off before the end of the season.
Never give up,never surreneder!
Mitch Williams once said something like "Sometimes you get. And sometimes you get got." Well it appears today we're getting got.
Oh well, we'll get 'em tomorrow.
Today just kinda reinforces why yesterday was so important in taking "2" off the magic number. Going into the weekend with the clinch number of 2 v. 4 sure helps to just chalk this one up.
Still have Lilly and Dempster for the weekend, so good things still to come.
Bryan...excellent point and David F. way to throw out 'The Wild Thing' reference.
It is time for the bench to show what they've got.
It's time to get Howry in there to see if he can "straighted things out" and "turn it around".
Well, hopefully the Reds can win tonight, that way we can get the em tomorrow!
Its a safe time to bring in Howry. It looks more and more every time like Lou is in fact going to use him in the playoffs.
Hi all,
was there something wrong with Zambrano, or have the Cards all of a sudden figured him out? This is his second straight bad outing against them
I know on Howry, I actually want him to get shelled, so Lou finally gives up on it already.
Apprarently, its all or nothing with Z now
Duas...my thoughts, questions, concerns exactly. I am very interested to hear Piniella's comments after the game.
Not trying to make light. The Cubs must win games, and nothing is clinched....but as the cliche goes, "Every team wins 60 and every team loses 60. It is the other 42 that makes the difference."
Well if the score holds up (12-4 with 1 out in the 9th) today will be the Cubs' 60th loss of the year. The last NL team to post their 60th defeat.
The Angels are the only team left in the majors and they have dropped 59.
comeback time?
Lou is coming off as a major douche...
Anyone catching the postgame?
He's a major jerkbag, right now..
And Z sounds all over the place.
I just don't think he had the heart to pitch today after all thats gone on..
Matt...I am listening. I think it is a case of two hotheads. Both Z and Piniella.
Please explain your thoughts.
No, you hit the nail on the head Neil.
Two hot-heads.
But Lou really came off wrong to me when some media guy suggested that maybe someone else should have started today.
Lou replies, "Like who"
Me and the writer say in unison:
"Marshall."
Apparently Z didnt get in til really late yesterday from his grandmother's death. We all know how emotional Z is about baseball. How emotional do you think he is about family? I can guarantee its even more so emotional.
With the division all but wrapped up and what Z is going through I don't think he should have been pitching. And I think Lou really came off a bit cold.
Matt if Z had not tried to leave the mound early it might have been different. You gotta remember Lou is as old school as they come and I am surprised those two have gotten along as well as they have over the past two years.
I am sorry about Z's grandmother and I thought I heard it earlier in the week but saw no mention in the mainstream media. Z should have not been on the mound today and I agree with you about his emotion...can't even imagine what it is like when it comes to his family.
With that said, if Z could not go (he said he had trouble in warmups) he should have told Piniella.
With all due respect to Zambrano and his loss, I am glad from a baseball standpoint his shoulder is okay. It should be an interesting start for him on Wednesday in New York.
Oh definitely. I know what ya mean.
The walking off the mound was a bad move. And Z admitted it. I believe he said he would talk it over with Lou, too.
So, Im sure everything will be fine between the two. I think its pretty neat that those two get along -- considering their personalities!
This short outing may be a blessing in disguise...
kept him to 45 pitches..... Infact -- Z, Harden and Dempster should both be kept to 80-85 pitch counts in their next start... The Bum end of our bull-pen -- the Howries, Guzmans and Wuertz's need to be used like country mules in these meaningless games.
save the 'true' bullpen of Marmol, Wood, Shark and maybe Cotts/Wells...
Can someone please explain to me the situation on the mound? I have no idea what happened...
Duas...Piniella came out to make a change (replace Z with Marshall) after the walk to Glaus. Z started off the mound before Piniella made it out. Piniella pointed at the mound and made him return until he reached the mound to take the ball.
Hope that made sense...will be better in the recap.
So, the magic number will be "1" by morning.
Reds up 8-0
Let's clinch with the fans!
Neil...yes, that makes sense. Thank you very much.