Talkin’ Cubs Live – Cubs vs. Diamondbacks – 07/22/08

Jason Marquis (6-5, 4.44/1.43) vs. Yusmeiro Petit (0-1, 3.06/0.74)

Game number 100….Lou Piniella’s crew will try to score a few runs and pick up a win tonight behind Jason Marquis. If the Cubs have thoughts of returning to Chicago on Wednesday night after a .500 road trip, it must start with a win tonight. The Cubs are 1-3 in the first 4 games and other than a big 9th inning on Sunday in Houston, the offense has looked horrible since returning from the All-Star break. Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee must start hitting on the road in order for the Cubs to win more than one at a time away from Wrigley Field.

Micah Owings was scheduled to start tonight’s game but Bob Melvin used him in the 8th inning on Monday. Instead the Cubs will face Yusmeiro Petit for the fourth time in his young career. Petit dominated the Cubs a year ago today at Wrigley Field….this is not the break the Cubs’ offense needed. Jason Marquis is coming off a gem at Wrigley in his last start on July 11th against the Giants. Marquis threw 7 innings of shutout ball and allowed just 3 hits while walking 2 and striking out 4….but received a no decision because Matt Cain was just as dominating. For the second time this month Marquis will have more than 10 days off between starts. Lou Piniella mentioned after Marquis’ last outing that the rest did him good, so maybe Marquis will turn in a similar performance tonight.

Marquis needs to start his second half out on a positive note. His struggles in the second half throughout his career have been discussed at length.

After winning his 5 previous decisions, Marquis posted back-to-back losses before the no decision against the Giants. He is 0-1 in 2 starts this month with a 1.29 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP. On the road this season, 3-2 in 8 starts with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP.

Marquis is 2-4 in 9 career games, 8 starts, against Arizona with a 3.30 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP….at Chase Field, 0-2 in 5 games, 4 starts, with a 3.41 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP.

• Chris Burke – 5-for-28 with 2 doubles
• Tony Clark – 1-for-5 with a double
• Orlando Hudson – 1-for-10 with a home run
• Conor Jackson – 2-for-8 with a double and a home run
• Augie Ojeda – 0-for-2
• Mark Reynolds – 1-for-3
• Chris Snyder – 2-for-8
• Chad Tracy – 1-for-14
• Chris Young – 3-for-6 with 3 home runs

Yusmeiro Petit will make his second start of the season and tenth appearance for the Diamondbacks….his other start came against the Brewers on July 2nd. The Diamondbacks lost the game 4-3 but Petit allowed only 1 run on 2 hits in 6 innings without a walk and 4 strikeouts. Petit throws a lot of strikes and in 17 2/3 innings this season, he has struck out 11 and walked only 1.

Petit is 1-0 in 3 career games, 2 starts, against the Cubs with a 3.27 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP. His win came at Wrigley on July 22nd of last year….Petit threw 6 shutout innings and gave up only 3 hits, struck out 5 and did not allow a walk.

• Henry Blanco – 1-for-2 with a double
• Mark DeRosa – 0-for-2
• Mike Fontenot – 1-for-4
• Derrek Lee – 1-for-2 with a home run
• Aramis Ramirez – 0-for-5
• Alfonso Soriano – 4-for-6 with 3 doubles
• Ryan Theriot – 0-for-5

Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball….