Game Seventy-Nine - Cubs 8 Brewers 2
WP - Ted Lilly (8-6) LP - Mike Burns (1-2) Save - None
The Cubs took care of business against the Brewers on Sunday and won their second series in a row. Ted Lilly proved why he will be representing the Cubs in the Mid Summer Classic next week in St. Louis. The Cubs improved to 11-6 in Lilly's outings as he dominated the Brewers with another quality start. Lilly earned his first victory since June 9 against the Astros ... the 99th win of Lilly's big league career.
While Lilly was busy mowing down the Brewers offense, the Cubs offense performed to expectations against former Cub farmhand Mike Burns. Derrek Lee pounded his 15th homer of the year, a two-run shot in the first that gave the Cubs a 2-0 lead. Jake Fox added his fourth home run in his last 11 games, a two-run bomb in the fifth that ended up on Waveland. Fox finished the afternoon 2-for-4 with a double (his sixth), a home run (his fourth), two runs scored and two RBI.
Kosuke Fukudome jump-started the Cubs offense with a triple to start the game on the first pitch from Mike Burns. Fukudome put together one of his better games in the last few weeks, offensively. Fukudome was 2-for-4 with a double, a sacrifice fly, two runs scored and a RBI. Fukudome and Ryan Theriot were a combined 4-for-9 with three runs scored and a RBI ... the top of the Cubs lineup really set the stage.
Milton Bradley continued to show improvement on Sunday. While his 1-for-3 effort with a walk and a run scored does not jump off the page, it was his leadoff walk in the fourth that led to the two-run inning. The Cubs were up by a slim one-run margin (2-1) before Bradley walked, advanced to third on Jake Fox's double and scored on Geovany Soto's sacrifice fly.
The Cubs hit with runners in scoring position on Sunday and even manufactured a run in the sixth. They finished the afternoon 5-for-9 with two sacrifice flies ... Mike Fontenot delivered a huge two-out RBI single to center that capped the scoring in the fourth inning.
Lou Piniella's crew did what they had to this weekend against the Brewers. A split in the four-game series would not have helped and they knew winning the series was key to a strong finish to the first half. The Cubs won for the eighth time out of ten games at Wrigley ... and after hitting a season-low last Sunday on the South Side, finished the week with a 5-2 record.
The Cubs climbed a game over .500 once again this season. Ted Lilly notched his eighth win ... but Lilly's record could easily be four or five wins better than the 8-6. Lilly has been on the wrong end of three shutouts and has given up more than three runs once in his last eight starts with only three wins to show for his effort.
'The Bulldog' appeared to be struggling with his command in the first inning. Corey Hart led off the game with a single to left on a 0-2 pitch. Lilly went right after J.J. Hardy and for some reason Hart attempted to steal second. Geovany Soto gunned him out and Lilly struck out Hardy on the next pitch ... Lilly went from runner on first and no outs to two down on two pitches. The Brewers really helped him out ...
After Hart's baserunning gaffe, Lilly worked around a two-out single by Mike Cameron in the second and disposed of the Brewers rather quickly in the third.
Lilly's only mistake came in the fourth with two outs and on a 1-2 pitch to Prince Fielder. The Brewers' first baseman hit a low liner that ended up just over the basket in straight away center. Casey McGehee, who had a great series, followed with a long single over Alfonso Soriano's head in left. Lilly struck out Mike Cameron looking to end the inning.
Following McGehee's single, Lilly sat down six in a row. He struck out the side in the fifth and at one point five of the seven outs Lilly recorded were strikeouts.
Ryan Braun reached on a two-out single to left in the sixth. Prince Fielder followed with a single to right, Braun advanced to third and scored on McGehee's single to left ... it was his sixth RBI of the series. With runners on first and second with two outs, Mike Cameron swung at a 1-2 offering from Lilly ... and missed to end the inning.
The Brewers tried to get back into the game in the seventh. Down by a score of 8-2, Jason Kendall reached on a bloop double to right. Bill Hall struck out, Lilly's ninth but pinch-hitter Mat Gamel singled to left and chased Lilly from the game.
Aaron Heilman came in and induced an inning ending double play (6-4-3) off the bat of Corey Hart on a 0-1 pitch ... Andres Blanco made a great turn following the stop in the hole by Ryan Theriot.
Ted Lilly's line: two runs on nine hits in 6 1/3 innings with nine strikeouts and no walks
Aaron Heilman pitched a scoreless eighth and Carlos Marmol retired the Brewers in order in the ninth with two strikeouts to end the game.
Kosuke Fukudome appears to be the Cubs' new leadoff hitter for the immediate future against right-handed starters. Kosuke did his job on Sunday and must continue to provide the Cubs with a solid bat at the top of the lineup. Fukudome led off the game with a triple and was on board for Derrek Lee's second home run of the series.
After going down in order in the third, Milton Bradley led off the fourth with a walk ... after an impressive at bat. Jake Fox doubled to left on a 1-1 pitch, his sixth of the year. With the infield back, Alfonso Soriano (2-for-4 with two left on base) popped out to shallow left. Bradley and Fox could not advance.
On a 0-1 pitch from Mike Burns, Geovany Soto flied out to deep center. Bradley tagged and scored while Fox moved up ninety feet. The Brewers then decided to pitch to Mike Fontenot with two outs and Ted Lilly on deck. Fontenot lined a single into center on a 1-1 pitch and plated Fox with the Cubs fourth run of the game.
Kosuke Fukudome led off the fifth with a single to center on a 0-2 pitch. Lou Piniella called for the hit and run and Theriot delivered a bloop single into right. Kosuke advanced to third on the play. Derrek Lee followed with a single to left on the first pitch ... just past a diving J.J. Hardy. Kosuke scored.
With Bradley at the plate, Mike Burns uncorked a wild pitch. Theriot advanced to third but Jason Kendall threw out Derrek Lee at second. Bradley eventually struck out looking for the second out of the inning.
Jake Fox stepped in and launched a 1-0 pitch from Mike Burns onto Waveland Avenue ... 7-1 Cubs.
The Cubs final run came in the sixth after Mike Fontenot led off the inning with a double to left off of southpaw Chris Narveson. Ted Lilly sacrificed him to third and Kosuke Fukudome drove him in with a sacrifice fly to center on the lefties first pitch.
Sunday was a solid, convincing win against the type of starting pitcher they should handle game in and game out.
The Cubs welcome the Braves to Wrigley for the first of three on Monday night. Randy Wells will face Jair Jurrjens.
Subscribe
OK, the 3 guys I would move one way or another:
1 Kevin Hart goes to Iowa. Enough said.
2 David Patton goes on the DL for 60 days, that way he can come back in September when rosters are expanded, and the cubs get to keep him since they are in love with him.
3: Since Fukudome is leading off, It would make sense to send Fuld to Iowa.
I like this
Guzman > Hart
Johnson > Fuld
Ramirez > Samardzija
11 pitchers 6 bench players
This really could happen as Pinella said he would do 11 pitchers and 6 bench players untilll the all-star.
Totally agree on who you said will go down. I think that's exactly what they'll do. Hart for sure,...
I have a feeling they'll figure they won't need Fuld with Reed coming back....
and Smardzjia is overrated and should have never beeen brought up in the first place.
I think Lou has really warmed up to Fox (finally)
Hart must go; Szmardzija needs to work on the CURVE ball; and I really think Hoffpauir needs some swings to get it together again. He rusted on the bench.
We shall see, and it shall be interesting.
Jason Marquis made the All-Star team...ahahahahahahahahahahahahaha....he just wasn't what the Cubs needed so he had to be shipped off...hahahahahahahahahahahaha...the trade at the time looked like a crap for crap player trade...ahahahahahahahaha...where's Vizcaino now?...hahahahahahaha...who clearly got the best of that trade? Not Hendry!...hahahahahahahahaha...Marquis made the All-Star team..hahahahahahaha!
Don't tell me you weren't happy to see him go. Hindsight is always 20-20.
I don't hear you complaining about Felix Pie or Rich Hill Do I?
i am rich is doing good and pie is OK
I wasn't happy to see Marquis go at the time for the garbage we got in return. And Rich Hill I hated to see go, too. And check your reasoning. Just because a person hates one trade does not mean that he would hate the next trade, either. Evidently you like JHendry, and we do not. Right now the evidence is on our side that JHendry has wrecked the Cubs for this year, don't you agree? What trade did he make in the 2008 offseason that has panned out for the Cubs?
Great post.
Ryno....I'm sure Marquis joins you in laughing at the trade decision. But it had nothing at all to do with Vizcaino. The trade had to do with saving the differential of about $6 mil in their contracts. That deal (and Woody's and DeRo's) was about having their dollars for covering $18 mil of built-in contract increases, resigning Demp and signing Bradley.
I am one of those who thought Marquis was expendable. I wanted Abreu and was OK with Bradley. I feel worse about getting Bradley than I do about losing Marquis.
I know this will never, never, never happen.
But really, if we didn't have to concern ourselves with playing the guys are making the most money, here's what the lineup should be.
It makes my blood boil, cause everyone knows that Bradley and soriano are absolutely worthlesss players right now....at the bat and in the field.
Fuld - CF
Riot - SS
Lee - 1B
Aram - 3b
Fox - LF
Soto - C
Reed / Fuk - RF
Blanco / Fonty- 2B
Just notice how much better our defense would be, not too mention the offense....and more speed, less k's (no sori / bradley = addition by subtraction)
And yes, I'll go back to sleep now, cause I know I'm dreamin.
ugggggh !!!
Aaron, what do you think ?
Hate to add to your nightmares...but don't forget about Miles...also soon to come off the DL.
Never happen.
A dream.
Makes sense though.
hey guys i was at the game today! awsome! lilly was great and marmol and hielman were great milton did ok but was booed alfonso still sucks and jake fox is a beast!
Happy for you Grant...you picked one of the best games of the season to go to.
Just want to share some thoughts...
What a weird season...I have more anxiety
over which players are going to be sent down...then excitement of getting one of our stars back.
Look around the league...almost every team around the league has players with
huge long term contracts that are underperforming...and blocking young
talent from truly contributing.
They were going nuts in NY when AROD wasn't producing...he's got 9 more years
on his gigantic guaranteed no trade contract.
Soriano drives me nuts...but he is a nice guy...works hard...and does all HE
can to be better...so it isn't his fault.
It's just the way he is...and the ridiculus way baseball is set up to do business.
Selig,the owners, and the players union
need to address this...it is leading to an inferior product on the field.
JH is just a product of his industry...
that overindulged...not recognizing
that beer and ice cream together...might give you a bellyache...
JH and Lou...make the right decisions today.
100% agreed on the wierd season...and I like many am really gripping to see who gets shipped today. The moves that are made here are important. I LOVE the fact that the team actually has some MO starting to build and the wrong changes here could be devastating to that MO (something JH and Lou seem obsessed to do this season).
I am all for the Soriano to the DL, I think it makes the best baseball sense. Something is not right with him. He is not running at all in the field, making boneheaded outfield routes (you know the 4 steps in Oh Crap it's sailing feeling, and he is not running on the bases. 1st AB yesterday he singled and barely made it and proceded to jog to 2b on a ground ball fielders choice.
I further find it hard to believe that whatever is causing this obvious of issues is also, with no doubt, affecting his swing... it is weak!
Also, Fontenot or Blance should be the other position player move. Either one I would be OK with, and I am starting to lean more towards fontenot being the AAA guy. I agree with the previous poster that Blance ios stepping up in the clutch (especially defensively).
Kevin Hart is a no-brainer to go for the pitching staff. I think it is great that there is so much to think about... The ICub-infusion seemed to help!!!
Go Cubs Go...waiting with baited breath to see what moves are made!!!!
I know Neil will have the full article up later today, but MarketWatch.com is reporting that the sale of the cubs to Ricketts is finalized. Apparently the Tribune is reporting it as well. It still has to go to the bankruptcy court and baseball for final approval....but at least we're getting there.
The Chicago Tribune is reporting the Tribune and Ricketts Family have finalized their deal on the sale of the Cubs.
It has been sent to MLB offices for approval and still has to wind through bankruptcy court for approval.
That is wonderful news!!!! I doubt the Bankruptcy thing is going to drag very long, and I am also assuming that MLB will NOT in any way shape or form drag their feet, especially in lieu of all the delays to this point. This is a huge development!!!
Yeah, I saw that too...here you go:
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/07/cubs-sales-deal-finalized.html
You have to think this was done so soon to be able to provide flexibility at the deadline. We were all expecting August supposedly. I would have to think that with his HORRIBLE offseason, and the way the other free agents are playing that were signed for less years and less money than what Hendry gave Bradley and Miles....you'd have to think Hendry's days with the organization are numbered. It was already rumored that Tom Ricketts has somebody else in mind for the job, and is as disappointed in Hendry as we all are right now. I think the article I saw was written back in June. I guess the gist of the article was that Ricketts would assess the situation when the sale was finalized, and then make the call, but it was rumored that he intimated to those around him that he was not pleased at all with the job Hendry was doing...and rightfully so.
If Hendry were to option Fox to AAA at this point, I think that'd be the nail in the coffin for him. Pretty much every contract that Hendry has doled out in free agency the last 3 years has turned into complete garbage, and the only reason he's gotten a pass, is because we were in the playoffs the last 2 years. From the draft to free agency to trades, Hendry has been made to look like very elementary by his colleagues. Lack of foresight and ingenuity have led us to the point we're at right now----mediocre, and we have nobody but Hendry to blame. If he'd just done his research, he would've made more calculated decisions with minimal risk, and we'd probably be well over .500 at this point.
Hudson
Theriot
Dunn
ARAM
Lee
Soriano
Fukudome
Soto
That's all it would've taken, and this team would've been so much better. Hendry took his sweet time getting the Bradley deal finalized....by that point, Hudson and Dunn were still available, so he has no excuse there. All it would've taken was a couple of phone calls to see what it'd take to sign them. In fact, it almost seemed like other guys like Hudson, Dunn, and Abreu were all kind of waiting to see if the Cubs would call before signing with other teams...but I digress...
Aaron...no matter how this season plays out...With the sale of the Cubs...it's going to be fascinating watching the organizational moves as Ricketts settles in.
Today...it is good to be a Cubs Addict.
I agree, it is a good day, now they just have to make the right roster moves!
Now that we are going to have an owner...
how about....Soriano to the Hanshin Tigers...or some other Japanese Team.
They pick up his salary and we get future considerations for the next big star....Japan can coach him in the fundamentals...and I'm sure he would do as well...if not better than Tuffy Rhodes.
IT'S ABOUT TIME RAMIREZ!!! Play ball...2 months with a dislocated shoulder? I had the same done to me, type 2 disloctation, while I was in college. NO, I didn't dive for the ball, I was slammed into a wall. I was out for 2 weeks, poopped it back in, reat and beer with a little rehab and I was throwing, SIZE!! I knmow I wasn't worth millions, but much to my team. Let's go...play ball!!! JESUS! How much are you REALLY worth Aramis??? WE'll see!