Game Fifteen: Cubs (5-9) vs. Braves (10-4)
Game Time – 6:35pm C.T. WGN TV, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 184
Location – Turner Field, Atlanta
Rich Hill (2-0, 0.64/0.57) vs. Mark Redman (0-2, 12.96/2.16)
For the second time in a week the Cubs will ask Rich Hill to put an end to a losing streak. Hill has been outstanding in his first two starts and has allowed just 1 run in 14 innings, his 0.64 ERA is tops in the league. Tonight’s game will feature a battle of southpaws with Bobby Cox sending Mark Redman to the hill in search of his first victory of the season. Hill is just one pitch away from not allowing any earned runs this season (home run to the Brewers’ Corey Hart) and while the Cubs cannot expect Hill to keep putting up the numbers he has thus far, Piniella needs another 7 to 8 inning performance to give his bullpen some much-needed rest….especially with the day game on Friday against the Cardinals. Hill gave up his first free passes of 2007 (4) against the Reds last Saturday and he will get a big test tonight against a very good Braves lineup that posted 7 more walks against Zambrano and company on Wednesday night.
Rich Hill will be making his second career start against the Braves. He is 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP at Turner Field last season. In 5 2/3 innings he has given up 2 runs, 1 earned, on 6 hits, walked 2 and struck out 6.
Mark Redman was an All-Star last season for the Kansas City Royals but could not find a team to sign with in the off-season. When Mike Hampton went down in spring training, the Braves signed Redman on March 9th and with Hampton out for the season the Braves are needing a good year from him….and in his first two starts of the season he has been less than spectacular. In just 8 1/3 innings this season (Mets and Marlins) Redman has allowed 12 runs on 15 hits. The Marlins scored 7 runs on 6 hits in 2 2/3 innings back on April 13th.
Redman has started 5 games in his career against the Cubs and is 2-2 with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP (10 earned runs on 27 hits in 33 1/3 innings, 23 strikeouts and 8 walks).
The Cubs need to end the skid tonight before heading back to Chicago for a 6-game homestand against the Cardinals and Brewers.
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball….