Game One Hundred: Cubs (53-46) vs. Cardinals (45-52)
Game Time – 7:10pm C.T. Comcast SportsNet, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 187
Location – Busch Stadium, St. Louis
Jason Marquis (7-5, 3.92/1.27) vs. Braden Looper (7-8, 5.09/1.43)
Game #100 of the 2007 season…. The Cubs will go for the sweep tonight behind former Cardinal, Jason Marquis. The Cardinals will be looking to make a statement tonight after losing the first two games and with Marquis on the mound. Albert Pujols was held hitless in the first two games and it will be hard to keep him quiet for 3 games. So while the offense had a good game on Wednesday night, it all starts with Jason Marquis. Jason Marquis will get his third shot of the season against his former team and his second start at Busch Stadium. Marquis beat the Cardinals in back-to-back starts to end the month of April and is 2-0 on the season against the Redbirds. Marquis threw 7 innings of shutout ball on April 21st at Wrigley and allowed just 7 hits, struck out 5 and did not give up a free pass. On April 27th in St. Louis Marquis gave up 3 runs on 5 hits in 6 2/3 innings with 3 walks and no strikeouts….the only start all season Marquis did not record at least one punch out.
Marquis has been inconsistent at best his last 4 starts. He threw a gem against the Brewers on July 1st at Wrigley and then had back-to-back starts he failed to get out of the 5th inning. Marquis allowed a combined 12 runs on 16 hits in 8 2/3 innings. He followed those two starts with one of his best of the season against the Diamondbacks his last time out. Marquis allowed just 2 runs on 4 hits in 7 2/3 innings with just 1 walk. The key to Marquis is him….if he gets rattled early it could be a long night for the bullpen.
Marquis has struggled on the road this season. He is 2-3 in 9 starts with a 4.20 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. Marquis is 3-0 in 5 games, 3 career starts against the Cardinals with a 2.08 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP.
Braden Looper had an unbelievable start to the season. He was 3-1 in April with a 1.91 ERA and one of his wins came against the Cubs at Wrigley. Looper held the Cubs to 1 run on 5 hits in 7 innings of work. Looper struggled in May to the tune of a 3-3 record with a 5.35 ERA in 6 starts.
After 3 starts and 2 losses in June (0-2 with a 8.82 ERA) Looper was placed on the DL on June 18th with a strained right shoulder. Looper was activated on July 2nd and is 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA in his last 4 starts. In his last start against the Braves on July 21st, Looper could not get out of the 3rd inning and gave up 7 runs on 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings.
Looper has pitched better this season at home than on the road….he is 3-3 in 8 starts with a 3.83 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Looper is 2-2 in 33 career games, 1 start, against the Cubs with 4 saves, a 2.62 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP.
- Jason Kendall – 5-10, with a double and 3 RBI’s
- Aramis Ramirez – 4-13, with a RBI
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball….