Game One Hundred Forty-Seven: Cubs (58-88) vs. Dodgers (77-68)
Game Time – 1:20pm C.T. WGN TV, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 188
Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Wade Miller (0-1, 12.00) vs. Hong-Chih Kuo (1-4, 4.46)
Today is the last Thursday game of the year for the Cubs and Wade Miller is scheduled to make his 2nd start of the season. Miller looked very awkward on the mound in his first start last Saturday in Atlanta and he credited his struggles with lack of pitching….it was his first start in over 2 weeks and his first start in the Majors since August 8th of last year. The Cubs need Miller to finish the season in the rotation so they can gauge whether or not he will fit into their plans for next season. A win today will give the Cubs their first series win in a month….it will be a tall task against the lefty Hong-Chih Kuo. Greg Maddux was scheduled to start today’s game but the Dodgers replaced him with Hong-Chih Kuo….Maddux will pitch on Friday in L.A. against the Padres. Kuo has had two Tommy John surgeries and will make only his 2nd start of the season. Kuo threw 1 inning of shutout ball against the Cubs on April 19th….he gave up a walk and struck out 1. Kuo has made 23 appearances this season for the Dodgers out of the pen and is coming off a tremendous start last Friday against the Mets. He held the Mets scoreless for 6 innings, gave up just 3 hits, walked 3 and struck out 7 to earn his first Major League win.
Derrek Lee should be back in the lineup but do not be surprised to see Dusty run out a bunch of lefties against Kuo….lefties are hitting .291 while righties are hitting just .188 this season.
Let’s Talk Cubbies Baseball….