Game Seventy-Six: Cubs (28-47) vs. Brewers (38-39)
Game Time – 7:05pm C.T. WCIU, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 186
Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Carlos Zambrano (6-3, 2.83) vs. Zach Jackson (1-0, 4.67)
Updated – 5:35pm C.T. with Roster Moves – Geovany Soto Recalled, Scott Williamson Activated – Tony Womack and David Aardsma Optioned to AAA Iowa
O.K. just when you thought this team could not get any worse….they prove you wrong again. The Cubs look to just put some runs up tonight against the Brewers and rookie left-hander Zach Jackson. The Cubs anemic offense is at it again and cannot seem to score any runs as of late….they have only scored three times in the last four games and they have had their opportunities. The Cubs have to figure out the Brewers, if not for this year, for the years to come because this team will be good for a long time. Can Carlos Zambrano end their current 4-game losing streak? The Cubs play 7 of their next 13 games against the Brewers before the All-Star break. The Brewers have humiliated the Cubs this season and Monday was just salt on an open wound. The Cubs are now 12-21 at Wrigley this season and have lost their last 8 in a row at home. The Cubs have been out hit, out homered and just outplayed all season, so why should Wrigley be any different?
Monday night was just horrible. They finally get Derrek Lee back and they still find ways not to score. The 6th inning on Monday was just impossible to believe. Zambrano has probably been the best pitcher in baseball over the last 7 weeks. In his last 4 starts Zambrano has allowed only 4 runs on 16 hits in 28 2/3 innings of work, however the Brewers and Chris Capuano did beat Zambrano on the last day of April. That start against the Brewers was the last time Zambrano did not pitch past the 6th inning and is the most runs he has allowed in any start this season. In his last 10 starts, he has only given up 4 or more runs once and has held his opponent to 1-run or less six times.
Until the Cubs learn how to string together some hits, it will not matter….how good the starting pitcher performs is irrelevant at this point, they have to start scoring runs. A rookie left-hander making his fourth career start and has never faced the Cubs….not a recipe for winning this season. Can you say Chris Sampson?
Let’s Talk Cubbies Baseball…..
Roster Moves – The Cubs recalled catcher Geovany Soto from AAA Iowa on Tuesday afternoon and activated Scott Williamson from the DL. To make room on the roster the Cubs optioned infielder Tony Womack and pitcher David Aardsma to AAA Iowa. Here is the official release.