Game One Hundred Eighteen: Cubs (49-68) vs. Astros (57-60)
Game Time – 7:05pm C.T. Comcast Sports Net, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 186
Location – Minute Maid Park, Houston
Carlos Zambrano (12-5, 3.54) vs. Roy Oswalt (9-7, 3.27)
Happy Birthday Juan Pierre!! Tonight’s game starts the last series of the season against the Astros and it should be a heck of a pitching match up….Carlos Zambrano vs. Roy Oswalt. Carlos Zambrano will look to get back on track after losing his last two in a row. After be named the NL Pitcher of the Month, Zambrano has had trouble getting anyone out and is 0-2 with a 7.59 ERA in his last two games. Zambrano is 2-0 in 3 games against the Astros this season with a 1.28 ERA (2 earned runs in 23 innings). He is now the elder statesman of the starting rotation and will he be able to lead by example? The Astros will have a different look tonight after they DFA’d Preston Wilson over the weekend. Wilson had been a thorn in the Cubs side, remember he broke up Zambrano’s no-hitter, but he was not producing for the Astros and when that happens most clubs cut ties with those that do not perform. Message to Jim Hendry, please take a cue from the Astros and DFA Neifi Perez and Glendon Rusch as soon as possible.
Roy Oswalt is reportedly unhappy with the Astros’ management after the rumors surfaced that they were looking to move Oswalt at the trading deadline. Oswalt is still pitching well for the Astros and the last time he lost was against the Cubs on July 18th. Oswalt is 1-2 in 3 games this season against the Cubs with a 3.60 ERA.
The Cubs are 4-8 this season against the Astros despite having a winning record against the Central Division, 32-27. A couple of wins would go a long way in helping the Astros stay out of the playoffs, and unfortunately that is was this season is reduced to….the spoiler role.
Let’s Talk Cubbies Baseball….