Game One Hundred Forty-Nine: Cubs (76-72) vs. Brewers (74-75)
Game Time - 7:05pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WCIU - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 187
Location - Miller Park, Milwaukee
Tom Gorzelanny (5-2, 5.29/1.15) vs. Braden Looper (13-6, 4.89/1.46)
Updated 4:48pm C.T. - Tyler Colvin Called up from Double-A Tennessee and Reed Johnson Activated from the 15-day DL.
Tyler Colvin is in Monday's starting lineup.
Updated - 5:49pm C.T. - Thomas Diamond designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Tyler Colvin.
The Cubs will make their last trip of the year to Milwaukee after the two teams split a four-game series at Wrigley Field last week. The Cubs have won eight of the first 14 games of the season against the Brewers ... and the next three days will have an impact on where the Cubs finish in the division. The Brewers have won five straight that includes the final two against the Cubs and a sweep of the Astros.
The Cubs enter this series with Milwaukee just three games up in the loss column with 14 games remaining on their schedule.
Tyler Colvin is expected to join the team tonight and should make his Major League debut. The Sun-Times reported Colvin will be in the starting lineup for the final two weeks of the season. Colvin had a good year in Double-A playing for Ryne Sandberg. The lefty hit .300 with a .324 OBP and a .524 slugging percentage (an .859 OPS) in 84 games for the Smokies with 14 home runs, 13 doubles and seven triples.
Tom Gorzelanny will make at least two of Rich Harden's last three starts of the year. After Harden struggled in his last outing, the Cubs said he would be skipped tonight and possibly his turn in the rotation when the Cubs are in San Francisco.
Tonight is all starts with Tom Gorzelanny and just winning a ballgame ...
Tom Gorzelanny will make his first start tonight since August 20 in Los Angeles. Gorzelanny has done an okay job since being acquired from the Pirates before the deadline. Gorzelanny has a lot of talent and figures to be in the mix for a starting spot with the Cubs next season.
Gorzelanny's last appearance came against the Brewers in Thursday's finale. Gorzelanny gave up two runs on one hit and one walk in 2/3 of an inning ... both runs credited to Gorzelanny came on a bases loaded double by Mike Rivera off of Esmailin Caridad.
Tom Gorzelanny is 3-3 in nine career starts, 12 games, against the Brewers with a 4.95 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP ... at Miller Park, 1-2 in four career starts with a 7.97 ERA and a 2.11 WHIP.
- Ryan Braun - 8-for-17 with a double, 3 home runs and 5 walks
- Mike Cameron - 4-for-16 with 6 walks
- Craig Counsell - 0-for-1
- Alcides Escobar - 1-for-1
- Prince Fielder - 6-for-24 with a double and a walk
- J.J. Hardy - 8-for-21 with a double, a home run and 3 walks
- Corey Hart - 5-for-24 with a double, 2 home runs and a walk
- Jason Kendall - 2-for-10 with a walk
- Braden Looper - 0-for-1 with a walk
- Felipe Lopez - 1-for-6 with a walk
- Casey McGehee - 0-for-1
The Cubs will get their second look in less than a week at Braden Looper. Looper continued his dominance against the Cubs last week in Chicago and it will be very tough for the Cubs' offense once again tonight. Looper has the Cubs' number and the Brewers give him a ton of run support.
In his last outing, Looper gave up five runs on nine hits with three walks and three strikeouts in five innings against the Cubs.
Braden Looper is 4-3 in 16 starts at Miller Park this season with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.
It is not too often a pitcher tallies 13 wins with an ERA just south of five ... but Braden Looper is one of the exceptions to the rule.
- Jeff Baker - 0-for-1
- Andres Blanco - 1-for-1
- Mike Fontenot - 4-for-16 with a double and 2 walks
- Jake Fox - 1-for-4
- Kosuke Fukudome - 6-for-21 with a double and a home run
- Tom Gorzelanny - 0-for-2
- Koyie Hill - 0-for-4 with a walk
- Micah Hoffpauir - 1-for-6 with a double
- Derrek Lee - 9-for-31 with a double, a home run and 3 walks
- Aaron Miles - 1-for-1
- Aramis Ramirez - 8-for-28 with a home run and 5 walks
- Bobby Scales - 1-for-3
- Geovany Soto - 6-for-16 with a double and a home run
- So Taguchi - 0-for-1
- Ryan Theriot - 8-for-26 with 2 doubles and 3 walks
Let's Talk Cubs Baseball....
Tyler Colvin is in the starting lineup tonight and will make his big league debut...
YES!!! Another kid who should show some heart. I am not sure how he will play, but a much better option than Milton Bradley.
Tonight's lineup:
Theriot - SS
Fukudome - RF
Lee - 1B
Ramirez - 3B
Hoffpauir - LF
Baker - 2B
Colvin - CF
Hill - C
Gorzelanny - P
Also, Samardzija will make the start on Wednesday and not Ted Lilly.
Is something wrong with Lilly?
I would have thought next on the list for replacements would have been
Wells.
I hope Colvin does well...
Out with the old...in with the new.
Lilly has tendonitis in his left shoulder. Is supposed to miss only one start
Also, another thought rambling around...
although Harden may not be with the Cubs next year...depending on the offers he gets...he should consider converting to the pen...he seems to be a 5 inning pitcher these days...It could prolong his arm and career...with his stuff he could be a lights out type of guy in the pen...we'll see.
This could be it for me tonight. I've been trying help a long-ago partner get through a terrible business situation, move his recently deceased 90 year old mom's estate along and prep for his operation which happened a couple of hours ago.
My recent new acquaintance, Archie M's son has a football game tonight. He was a Phi Beta Kappa at Tennessee and is another older keeper for his team.
And, I'm tired--after last night's epic Cubs- Cards game. So here's hoping a few of the young guys keep boosting our hopes that next year won't be such a disappointment. I do expect that Lee will show up.
Jim, I wish you and your partner the best
We'll keep you and yours in prayers...JimK.
DLEE! RBI #104 and #105
The Rookie with a RBI in his first big league at bat
Milton would have walked and left it up to Hill to drive home the runner from third.
Nice start...Now if Gorzo can shut them down.
OK Gorzo...now let's tack on...Milwaukee's offense is scary.
DLEE!!!!!
34th Homer and 2 more RBI, just tied his career high ... 107
Back-to-back jacks .... #14 for Aramis!
Wow...an offensive explosion to start the game...I think this is the second one this season.
Haven't been putting my two cents worth in for a while, but since school started and I'm a teacher, my life changed. To be honest, it's really been somewhat of a relief for my nerves and bloodpressure to back off following the Cubs so closely during the final days of this most disappointing season. Naturally, I'm glad to see Micah H. get back up and begin to hit a bit since he's a hometown guy, AND the demise of Bradley was a welcome relief. The near future of the Cubs certainly has its share of unknowns...all the more interesting!
I have still beeen reading the thoughts of all you posters, albeit maybe a day after a game. Great stuff as always, AND a major thank you, Neil, for your continued diligent work. So glad I discovered this website back in spring training.
Charles, great to hear from you ... and thank you for your kind words
Charles, great to hear you're still amongst us...I was wondering about you.
Nice patience by Colvin
Just read ....
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-22-mitchell-sep22,0,173918.story
Great article Neil...thanks.
If Dawson had any knees...and would have come just a Tad earlier in his career...he might have been the greatest Cub. He is still one of my favorites.
Heilman with a 4-pitch walk up by six runs...bases loaded one-out
Well-timed 4-6-3 double play. Heilman out of trouble...
Was rooting for Colvin to get a hit there...not to be...
But not a bad game...1 for 3, single, walk, sac fly, and groundout.
Colvin did his job, plus had a nice strong throw in from center .... it was an outfielder's throw.
So what happended? Just kidding. I'll read the recap. I did just hear that my man only needed a triple for the cycle. It sounds like Gorzelanny had a good outing. The AAA level has been very good to us this year: Wells, Gorzo, Baker, Blanco, Fuld, Fox, Hoffpauir, etc. A couple of the big people really put the team behind the 8 ball.
Nice inning for Justin Berg
It's really good to see Lee finishing up strong. He's one of the "good guys" on this team.
NATION REPRESENT!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!!