Game One Hundred Fifty-Seven: Cubs (82-74) vs. Pirates (59-97)
Game Time - 1:00pm C.T.
Coverage - TV: WGN TV - Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 183
Location - Wrigley Field, Chicago
Ted Lilly (12-8, 3.02/1.06) vs. Charlie Morton (4-9, 5.01/1.53)
Somewhere Ernie Banks is smiling ... LET'S PLAY TWO! The Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates have a full day of baseball ahead of them with a day-night doubleheader that begins at 1:00pm C.T.
Game One is the make-up from the delayed rainout back on August 16. After three hours the game was finally called and the Cubs headed west on the trip that would end their season. Rich Harden was scheduled to face Ross Ohlendorf in the finale of the three-game series on a Sunday afternoon seven weeks ago.
The Cubs could be without Aramis Ramirez for the rest of the season. The Cubs have discussed shutting Ramirez down but the slugger wants to play. Cold weather on Tuesday night to go along with the sore shoulder were the reasons given for Ramirez being out of the lineup.
Kevin Gregg is the latest Cub to be officially shutdown for the year. An MRI on Monday revealed cracked cartilage in his rib cage. Gregg wanted to pitch and the Cubs said no. Gregg blamed the amount of innings early in the season for his problems in August. He admitted he told Lou Piniella he would take the ball despite the fact he knew he was not 100%.
Today it all starts with Ted Lilly, for the last time this season, and just winning a ballgame ...
Ted Lilly will make his last start of the year this afternoon ... and his first start in 12 games. Lilly put together a very good outing his last time out against the Cardinals. Lilly received a no decision (sixth time in 26 starts this season Lilly did not receive a decision) in a 3-2 Cubs loss but Lilly held the Cardinals to two runs on five hits with no walks and six strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings ... his longest outing since September 2 against the Astros.
Lilly has done his job this season and many feel he took over the ranking as the Cubs' number one pitcher with his consistent and calm performance throughout the year.
Ted Lilly could easily be shooting for win number 18 or 19 today. Lilly was on the wrong end of four shutouts, he took the loss in each of those, and has posted six no decisions ... since the break Ted Lilly is 3-2 in eight starts with a 2.65 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP.
This afternoon will be Lilly's 13th start at Wrigley this season. He is 8-1 in the first 12 with a 1.60 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP ... just 10 walks in 84 1/3 innings to go along with 71 strikeouts.
Lilly is 1-1 in two starts against the Bucs this year with a 2.77 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP.
- Ronny Cedeno - 0-for-3
- Ryan Doumit - 5-for-15 with a double and a walk
- Garrett Jones - 0-for-3
- Andy LaRoche - 2-for-8 with a home run and 3 walks
- Andrew McCutchen - 0-for-6 with a walk
- Lastings Milledge - 1-for-8
- Brandon Moss - 5-for-8 with 2 doubles and 3 walks
- Steve Pearce - 2-for-4 with a double
- Ramon Vazquez - 0-for-3
- Delwyn Young - 0-for-5 with a walk
Charlie Morton has shown a lot of improvement since he last faced the Cubs on August 14. The Cubs' offense jumped all over Morton to the tune of 10 runs on seven hits in one inning of work. The Cubs won the game 17-2 and Morton has not been the same since ... but in a positive way for the Pirates.
Morton is coming off a loss to the Reds (four runs on six hits in seven innings) but it was the second straight outing he completed seven innings of work.
Charlie Morton is 1-3 in his last four starts with a 5.04 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP.
This afternoon will be Charlie Morton's second outing of the year against the Cubs. He is 0-1 with a 90.00 ERA ad a 10.00 WHIP ... for his career, 0-2 in two starts with a 37.80 ERA and a 5.40 WHIP.
- Jeff Baker - 0-for-1
- Jake Fox - 1-for-1 with a double and a walk
- Kosuke Fukudome - 1-for-3 with a home run
- Sam Fuld - 2-for-2 with a triple
- Koyie Hill - 1-for-1 with a triple
- Derrek Lee - 2-for-3 with a walk
- Aaron Miles - 0-for-3
- Aramis Ramirez - 1-for-2
- Geovany Soto - 1-for-1 with a double
- Ryan Theriot - 1-for-2 with a walk
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