Game Nine: Cubs (5-3) vs. Pirates (3-8)
Game Time – 6:05pm C.T. on Comcast SportsNet, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 185
Location – PNC Park, Pittsburgh
Sean Marshall (0-0, 8.31) vs. Victor Santos (1-1, 4.66)
The Cubs hit the road on Good Friday to take on the Pittsburgh Pirates. Sean Marshall gets the start and will look to start the road trip with getting his first career Major League victory. The Cubs have announced that Jacque Jones will not play in this 3 game series and Aramis Ramirez is likely to play. Aramis has a .317 career average against his former team with 12 home runs. The Cubs must get a win from another member of the starting rotation, other than Greg Maddux. Cubs’ starters are 2-3 this year.
Look for Todd Walker and John Mabry to make starts on Friday against the right-handed Santos. With trips to Los Angeles and St. Louis on the horizon, a sweep of the Pirates would be a GREAT way to start the road trip.
Side Notes – Happy Birthday to Greg Maddux, the right-hander and future Hall of Famer turns 40 today and Maddux was awarded the ‘Stay Hot Award’ on XM Radio on Thursday morning after winning his 320th career game on Wednesday. Michael Barrett was on XM talking about Maddux and Barrett said that Maddux threw the best fastball on Wednesday that he has thrown since being back in Chicago….apparently the personal trainer is working out.
Let’s Talk Cubbies Baseball….