Game One Hundred Fifty-Three: Cubs (92-60) vs. Cardinals (80-73)
Game Time - 2:55pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: FOX Saturday Baseball - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 188
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Ted Lilly (15-9, 4.13/1.25) vs. Joel Pineiro (6-6, 5.24/1.49)
Updated - 1:25pm C.T. - According to a report from Bruce Levine on Satuday afternoon, Chad Gaudin is back with the Cubs and will be available out of the pen on Sunday.
Today is simple.... if the Cubs win they are the NL Central Champs for 2008.
Game on!
The last time Ted Lilly took the mound he tried to match Carlos Zambrano pitch-for-pitch. Hopefully Lilly does not follow Big Z's lead once again. Ted Lilly pitched a gem in his last outing against the Astros. He took a no-hitter of his own into the 7th inning and ended up allowing only a single hit in 7 complete.
Lilly has been very good in his last two starts after being shelled in Cincinnati on September 5th. Lilly has won his last two games but has not posted a win at home since August 2nd (at Wrigley this season, 6-5 in 14 games with a 4.45 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP). Lilly was 3-2 in 6 starts last month with a 3.35 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. In his last 3 games, 2-1 with a 3.18 ERA and a 0.82 WHIP.
Lilly will make his fifth start of the season today against the Cardinals. He is 2-0 in the first 4 with a 2.54 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. Lilly must not give the Cardinals any help today. If the wind is blowing out, walks will have a big impact on the outcome.
Cardinals' stats versus Lilly this season:
- Troy Glaus - 0-for-9
- Cesar Izturis - 5-for-10 with a double
- Adam Kennedy - 3-for-10
- Jason LaRue - 0-for-1
- Felipe Lopez - 1-for-6
- Ryan Ludwick - 2-for-11 with 2 doubles
- Albert Pujols - 4-for-10 with a double and a home run
- Brendan Ryan - 1-for-6
- Skip Schumaker - 1-for-11
The Cubs will get their first look of the season today at Joel Pineiro. Lou Piniella's former starter has been in and out of the Cardinals rotation this year and showed glimpses last season against the Cubs how good he can actually be on the mound. Pineiro posted a 2-1 record in 3 starts against the Cubs with a robust 7.04 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP.
The Cubs must be patient at the plate today and make Pineiro work. He doesn't walk a lot of batters but he does give up his fair share of hits. In 135 2/3 innings this season. Pineiro has given up 171 hits, 21 home runs and 31 free passes.
Pineiro is 4-5 in 16 road starts this season with a 5.84 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP....during the day, 0-2 in 7 starts with a 6.23 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP. In his last 2 starts, 0-1 with a 11.00 ERA and a 1.89 WHIP with a .389 OBA.
Pineiro is 2-2 in 4 career games against the Cubs with a 5.84 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP.
- Henry Blanco - 1-for-6
- Mark DeRosa - 3-for-12 with a home run
- Jim Edmonds - 0-for-2
- Reed Johnson - 4-for-12 with a double and a home run
- Derrek Lee - 5-for-7 with 2 doubles and a home run
- Ted Lilly - 1-for-4 with a double
- Aramis Ramirez - 3-for-7 with a home run
- Alfonso Soriano - 14-for-42 with 4 doubles and 3 home runs
- Ryan Theriot - 3-for-8 with 2 doubles
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
I'm jacked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The last time the Cubs won back to back division titles... 1907-08. hmmmmmmmm.
Man I wish this game was a 1:20 start!
I'll take 2:55...I get off of work at 4 and coming home to watch the Cubs clinch would be very nice.
Kinda bumed they moved it to Fox(it was supposed to be WGN)
I hope they say after the game to see the Madness!
Go Cubbies!!!!
Today's lineup:
Soriano - LF
Theriot - SS
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Soto - C
Edmonds - CF
DeRosa - 2B
Fukudome - RF
Lilly - P
LETS GO CUBS IM GOING NUTS OVER HERE FOR THIS GAME TO START
Good scoop by Lee on the throw from Theriot.
Sitting here in NJ watching the Brewers/Reds game on Fox. Nice job, Fox. MLB audio with Pat and Ron aint cutting it.
Soriano with the big 2-out single!!!
Great clutch hit by Soriano...hopefully relaxes the team. Now time for Lilly to have a shut down inning.
Big DP....Pujols with no one on base is always the way to face him (the last comment brought to everyone by Captain Obvious)
Just wanted to let you know that you all are very cool Dudes! [I get sentimental on clinching days]
CCO ROCKS!!!
GREAT PLAY BY RAMIREZ AND LEE!!
NICE squeeze Lilly......wooo hooooo 5-0!!!!!!!!
I have champagne chilled!!!!!
SQUEEZE!!!!
This has been a nice, calming pitching performance thus far by Lilly. Hopefully he can close the deal.
If it had to be on Fox...kind of cool to bring in former Cubs announcer Josh Lewin to do the game.....
5-0 cubs in the sixth. Today is the clincher.
Hmmm...so much for closing the deal.
Offense just has to get bsck to work.
Where did that pitch miss to Kennedy?
OK...lets get a couple insurance runs...and get the pen in.....Shark for the 7th....Marmol for the 8th.,..and Woody for the 9th.... 9 MORE OUTS!!!!
Who missed the sign on the hit & run? Fukudome or Soto?
fukudome missed it and had a shity at-bat per normal
nice rebound inning for lilly come on offense let tack on some runs
Nice Job Lilly!!! 6 OUTS LEFT CUBS FANS!!!!!!!!
I blame Fuku for the missed sign, since he also missed that last pitch completely, too. Maybe he needs his eyes checked.
We are going to have to win in the playoffs without Fuku it looks like. I expect a 2nd-year rebound from him next year though.
3 TO GO!!!!!!!!!
Funny as hell that the Red used pitcher Micah Owings to pinch hit to drive in 2 runs to take the lead!!
LET'S GO OFFENSE, LET'S GO (clap, clap, clap, clap, clap)!!!!!
Let's go Woody (clap clap clap clap clap)!!!!!!!
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!
Party at Neil's House!
The First Step is Complete!!! Count those chickens....the Chicago Cubs are the 2008 National League Central Division Champions!!!
Yes sir!
Good stuff.
NL CENTRAL!!!!
YESSSSSSSS!
Congratulations to the Chicago Cubs, National League Central Champs.
And congrats to all the CCO following, you guys are simply the best.
Now, lets all get some rest over the next week, and then, HELLO PLAYOFFS!
Congratulations to the team and every Cubs fan in this world...
congratulations to all of the CCO.
First step is done, on to the playoffs.
Once again I love you all, this is like a house here at the CCO!!!Congrats to all.
Neil's dog will have some free time around the house!! What 13 days??!!
Hey all, sorry I wasn't able to post....had a big birthday celebration, but i was thinking about all of you! It was a great game, and I'm so happy, but this is just the first step.
You know how teams and fans act when they've been to the playoffs before? Celebration for sure, but not all out stupidness....and that's what it feels like now. Okay, we've done this one thing, but we've got some serious business to take care of.
I like it. We're maturing!