Game Forty-Five: Cubs (20-24) vs. Padres (26-20)
Game Time – 9:05pm C.T. Comcast Sports Net, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 186
Location – PETCO Park, San Diego
Jason Marquis (5-1, 2.76/1.01) vs. Chris Young (5-3, 2.89/1.26)
The Cubs will try to salvage the last game of the series tonight behind Jason Marquis and unfortunately for the Cubs offense it will not get any easier. The Cubs have managed just 2 runs in two games and will face a very tough right-hander in Chris Young tonight. Jason Marquis has had a good start to the season but has not posted a win in his last two outings after winning his previous five in a row. Lou Piniella needs Marquis to be the stopper tonight and put an end to the 3-game losing streak. Jason Marquis is the only Cubs’ pitcher to earn a victory over the Padres in the last two seasons. After being swept in the season series last year (0-7, the first time in the history of the Cubs’ organization they were swept in a season series), the Cubs have won just once in four tries this season and the win came on April 16th at Wrigley with Marquis on the mound. The Padres scored just 1 run on 3 hits against Marquis in 6 innings of work. Marquis walked 4 (a season high and the last time he has walked more than 3 in a single game) and struck out 5 (also a season high, Marquis has totaled 5 strikeouts in 4 different starts)….the victory against the Padres was his first as a Cub and started his streak of 5 in a row.
The Cubs will not get a break tonight with Chris Young taking the hill for the Padres. After a “slow” start to the year (2-2 with a 4.33 ERA in April), Young has been a different pitcher in May. After starting the month with 8 innings of 3-hit shutout ball against the Nationals he has posted a 3-1 record in 4 starts with a 1.38 ERA. Young has allowed more than 1 earned run only once (8 runs, 4 earned, in 26 innings). Look for Lou Piniella to stack his lineup with left-handers….lefties are hitting .257 this year against Young while righties are hitting just .188 and all 3 of the home runs Young has allowed this season have been hit by lefties.
Young is 1-0 in 2 career starts against the Cubs with a 3.29 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP.
- Jacque Jones – 3-14, with a home run and 2 RBI’s
- Aramis Ramirez – 2-5, with a double and a RBI
- Alfonso Soriano – 2-6, with a double, a home run and 2 RBI’s
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball….