Game Sixty-Six: Cubs (30-35) vs. Padres (38-27)
Game Time – 1:20pm C.T. WGN TV, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 186
Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Ted Lilly (4-4, 3.96/1.07) vs. David Wells (3-3, 4.76/1.38)
The Cubs open a 3-game series today against the first place San Diego Padres and this will be a good test for a Cubs team that is 3-1 on their current homestand. The Cubs took two of three from the Mariners without the benefit of a home run and the only long ball in the last four games has come off the bat of Carlos Zambrano. A report on Cubs.com stated Michael Barrett will get the start behind the plate today despite the fact the Cubs are 5-1 with Koyie Hill in the starting lineup, since June 1st the Cubs are 8-6.
Ted Lilly will look to get back on track after being ejected from last Sunday’s game in Atlanta. Lilly was fined for his actions but not suspended and for the Cubs to continue their climb back to the .500 mark, Lilly must give the Cubs a solid outing today. The Cubs have struggled against the Padres over the past two years and are 2-3 in 5 games against the Friars this year. The Cubs and Padres split a 2-game series at Wrigley in the middle of April but the Cubs lost two of three in San Diego last month.
Ted Lilly has to keep the ball in the yard today. Before his short outing against the Braves, Lilly had given up 6 home runs in two outings (12 innings) and had lost the command that made him so successful in the first six weeks of the season. Today will be the first time Lilly has faced the Padres this season and is 2-0 in 2 career starts (3 games) against the Friars with a 2.70 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. Lilly last faced San Diego back in June of 2004 and won the game 3-2.
- Geoff Blum – 3-8, with a double and a RBI
- Mike Cameron – 7-20, with a double, a home run and 4 RBI’s
Ted Lilly is 2-3 with a 3.26 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP in 7 starts at Wrigley this season (2-1 with a 5.04 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP on the road) with 5 of the 10 home runs he has allowed this season coming at the Friendly Confines.
One of David Wells’ three wins this season came at the expense of the Cubs. Wells held the Cubs to 1 run on 5 hits in 7 innings of work back on May 23rd in San Diego while striking out 5 and walking 2. Since his outing against the Cubs he has won just once in three attempts and has not pitched past the 6th inning. Wells is 2-3 with a 7.31 ERA in 6 starts on the road this season.
- Michael Barrett – 3-14
- Mark DeRosa – 4-8, with a double and 2 RBI’s
- Cliff Floyd – 2-6, with a home run and a RBI
- Alfonso Soriano and Derrek Lee are a combined 0-9 in their careers against Wells
Angel Pagan will get the start in right today with Wells on the mound according to a report on Cubs.com.
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