Game One Hundred Forty-Nine: Cubs (77-71) vs. Cardinals (69-77)
Game Time – 7:10pm C.T. Comcast SportsNet, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 187
Location – Busch Stadium, St. Louis
Game 2 – Final from Game 1 – Cubs 3 Cardinals 2
Sean Marshall (7-7, 3.92/1.35) vs. Joel Pineiro (5-4, 4.79/1.35)
After the comeback victory in the first game of the doubleheader, the Cubs have the tall task of winning two games on the same day. Tony LaRussa’s team will be in must win mode once again tonight and the chess match between him and Lou Piniella should be very interesting to watch. But for the Cubs, it all starts with Sean Marshall. Sean Marshall will be making his first start since August 31st against the Houston Astros. Marshall left in the 4th inning of that game after giving up 4 runs, 1 earned, on 5 hits in 3 2/3 innings but he walked 4. Marshall has pitched just an inning since, out of the pen in Pittsburgh. He gave up 2 hits and a walk in an inning and a third. Marshall has been very good this season….and not-so-good. He was 0-2 with a 2.70 ERA in 2 starts but his best month was June when he was 4-1 with a 3.82 ERA in 6 games. Marshall struggled in August, 2-3 with a 6.18 ERA in 6 games, and forced Jim Hendry to make a move for Steve Trachsel. Marshall has a lot of talent and figures to be in the Cubs rotation for the next several years. He needs to give his team a solid start in game two and earn is first win since August 24th in Arizona.
Marshall will face the Cardinals for the second time this season. He beat the Redbirds at Wrigley on August 18th. Marshall worked 5 innings and gave up 2 runs on 5 hits with a walk and no strikeouts. Marshall is 1-0 in 3 career starts against the Cardinals with a 4.60 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. In 9 starts on the road this year, Marshall is 4-2 with a 3.27 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. Marshall will make his second career start in Busch Stadium….he threw 6 1/3 innings on June 2, 2006 and gave up 2 runs on 8 hits with a walk and 4 strikeouts but did not receive a decision, the Cubs won the game 5-4.
Joel Pineiro will face the Cubs for the second time in less than a week. Pineiro lost to Ted Lilly last Monday at Wrigley. Pineiro has been very good for Tony LaRussa since coming over from the Red Sox at the trading deadline. His loss to the Cubs was by far his worst start of the year. Pineiro gave up 6 runs on 8 hits in 3 1/3 innings.
Pineiro was 3-2 with a 3.71 ERA in his first month in St. Louis. In 6 starts he gave up 15 runs, 14 earned, on 35 hits in 34 innings.
The Cubs will have a tougher time at the plate tonight. They must be patient against Pineiro and make him work. After spending most of the season in the Red Sox bullpen he has thrown a lot of pitches since coming to the Cardinals.
Pineiro is 1-1 in 2 starts this season against the Cubs with a 9.72 ERA and a 1.80 WHIP. The Cubs are hitting .395 against him.
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball….