Game Two – National League Division Series
Cubs (85-77) vs. Diamondbacks (90-72) – Best of Five – D’Backs Lead Series, 1-0
Game Time – 9:00pm C.T. TBS, WGN Radio, XM Radio Channel 174/184/188
Location – Chase Field, Phoenix
Ted Lilly (15-8, 3.83/1.14) vs. Doug Davis (13-12, 4.25/1.59)
Lou Piniella’s crew must bounce back tonight with a solid victory against Doug Davis and head back to Chicago with the series tied, 1-1. The Cubs will have plenty of chances to put runs on the board if they are patient enough at the plate. A couple of early runs should loosen up a team that appeared very tight in Game One. While the offense must find the bats they ended the regular season with, it all starts in Game Two with Ted Lilly. Ted Lilly has been called the “Stopper” but his nickname is the “Bulldog“. Lilly had a good first-year with the Cubs and must turn his regular season success into a post-season win. Lilly threw 2 perfect innings against the Reds in his tune-up for October on Sunday. He is 2-1 with a 3.48 ERA in 6 starts in September with a very impressive strikeout to walk ratio….more than 5:1, 28 strikeouts to 5 walks.
Lilly was a hard-luck loser in Arizona the only time he faced the D’Backs this season. Lilly gave up 2 runs on 4 hits in 6 innings without a walk and 8 strikeouts. Doug Davis beat him as the Cubs’ struggles with lefties continued.
Ted Lilly 6-3 with a 3.76 ERA in 15 starts on the road with a 1.16 WHIP. Lilly is 0-2 in 4 games, 2 starts, in his career against the D’Backs with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP.
The Cubs will get another shot at the ‘Crafty-Lefty‘ Doug Davis. Davis had one of his best outings of the season against the Cubs on August 25th. Davis surrendered just 1 run on 6 hits with a walk and 8 strikeouts. The Cubs must be patient against Davis tonight, he will make mistakes and give up a lot of walks. The Cubs went to the plate “hacking” at Davis the last time they faced him and must change their game plan tonight. Davis had a 8:1 strikeout to walk ratio against the Cubs, was by far his best of the year.
Davis has struggled a little of late but is coming off a solid outing. Davis was 1-1 in his last 5 starts with a 5.33 ERA. Davis is 7-5 in 13 career starts against the Cubs with a 3.39 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP.
‘The Big 3’ must step up tonight and lead their team to victory in the biggest game of the year for the Cubs.
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball in October….