Game One Hundred Fifteen: Cubs (48-66) vs. Rockies (55-58)
Game Time – 8:05pm C.T. Comcast Sports Net, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 188
Location – Coors Field, Denver
Rich Hill (2-4, 6.69) vs. Aaron Cook (7-10, 3.95)
Which Rich Hill will take the mound tonight for the Cubs? Will it be the pitcher that has won his last 2 games and finally showed signs of becoming a successful Major League pitcher, or will it be the rookie that struggled to throw strikes above the Triple-A level? Rich Hill has looked very good his last 2 games and is coming off an impressive start against the Pirates. Hill pitched 7 innings and gave up just 1 run on 5 hits and struck out 9, but tonight he is not at Wrigley, he is in the thin air of Colorado. Tonight’s match-up is against one of the last two teams (Phillies) the Cubs have yet to face this season….the Colorado Rockies. Aaron Cook will take the hill for the Rockies after losing his last decision in San Francisco on Sunday. The Giants scored 5 runs on 9 hits in 5 1/3 innings. Like so many Major League pitchers this season, Cook will give up the free pass. In July he pitched 39 innings and surrendered 13 walks while striking out just 14 but most-importantly he gives up a lot of hits, 47 over that same time frame. Cook is 2-6 in his last 14 starts.
The Cubs need to put up some early runs and allow Hill to settle in. If they can be patient against Cook they will have plenty of opportunities to plate runs and the more they can score early and often will give Hill the comfort zone he must have to succeed.
Let’s Talk Cubbies Baseball….