Game Seventy-Eight: Cubs (48-29) vs. Orioles (39-36)
Game Time – 7:05pm C.T.
Coverage – TV: Comcast SportsNet – Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 187
Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Ted Lilly (7-5, 4.71/1.34) vs. Brian Burres (6-5, 5.24/1.52)
Lou Piniella’s crew will try to get back on track tonight behind Ted Lilly. After a tough loss on Tuesday, the Cubs should be out to prove that Tuesday’s loss was a blip on the home radar screen. The Cubs offense will unfortunately face another pitcher they have no history against in southpaw Brian Burres. Since the opener against the Blue Jays on June 13th, the Cubs have faced 8 different starters for the first time.
The keys to a win tonight is patience at the plate and Ted Lilly putting his team in position to win the game….and most importantly keeping the Orioles from leaving the yard. Ted Lilly is coming off a good start against the White Sox last Friday. He gave up 3 runs on 7 hits in 6 2/3 innings with 8 strikeouts and 3 walks….but served up 2 more long balls. Lilly has gotten in the bad habit of elevating his change-up and the results have been….9 home run in his last 6 starts (35 2/3 innings) and for the year, 16 home runs in 16 starts (91 2/3 innings).
Lilly must keep the ball down tonight and if he is going to let the balls fly out of the park….they must be of the solo variety.
Lilly is 4-2 in 8 starts at Wrigley this season with a 4.89 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP….9 of the 16 home runs have come at home.
Lilly will see several familiar faces in the Orioles dugout tonight. ‘The Bulldog‘ is 6-2 lifetime in 14 games, 12 starts, versus the Orioles with a 3.95 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP.
- Alex Cintron – 1-for-1 with a double
- Ramon Hernandez – 6-for-12 with a double, 2 home runs and 5 walks
- Aubrey Huff – 3-for-22
- Nick Markakis – 1-for-3 with a double
- Kevin Millar – 13-for-41 with 2 doubles, a home run and 11 strikeouts
- Melvin Mora – 3-for-25 with a double and 12 walks
- Jay Payton – 7-for-16 with a triple and a home run
- Brian Roberts – 3-for-22 with 2 doubles
The Cubs will get their first look a lefty Brian Burres. The Orioles southpaw has pitched rather well on the road this season and is coming off a solid performance at home against the Astros. Burres held Carlos Lee and company to 3 runs on 7 hits in 5 2/3 innings with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks. The Cubs will have plenty of opportunities tonight if they do not swing and miss early in the count. Burres has walked 27 batters in 80 2/3 innings this season with only 39 strikeouts.
Burres is 2-1 in his last 4 starts with a 8.55 ERA and a 2.05 WHIP….but on the road this season, 2-3 in 7 starts with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP.
The only Cub that has faced Burres before tonight….Reed Johnson.
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball….