Game One Hundred Two: Cubs (59-42) vs. Marlins (53-48)
Game Time – 7:05pm C.T.
Coverage – TV: Comcast Sports Net – Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 174, 186
Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Carlos Zambrano (10-4, 2.98/1.26) vs. Scott Olsen (6-4, 3.84/1.29)
Updated – 5:27pm C.T. – Kerry Wood Placed on the 15-day DL
Updated – 6:42pm C.T. – Wood’s DL Trip Retroactive to July 14th will be available to come off DL on Tuesday – Cubs will announce additional roster move on Friday
According to a report from the Sun Times, the Cubs placed Kerry Wood on the 15-day DL and have not announced an additional roster move. The Sun-Times is speculating Jeff Samardzija will get the call possibly on Friday.
Home sweet home, Chicago…. First game of second half at home for Lou Piniella’s crew. The Cubs will get their first look of the season at the Florida Marlins. The Cubs have not beaten the Fish since 2006 and have a history of struggling against this organization. This is a big 4-game series for the Cubs and it starts tonight behind Carlos Zambrano.
The Cubs must not over overlook the very dangerous Florida Marlins with the trip to Milwaukee just around the corner. While the Marlins have trouble catching the ball, they can simply hit the cover off of it. Zambrano must throw strikes and not give the Marlins any help.
The Cubs will also receive their first look at former Cub, Luis Gonzalez, in a Marlins uniform. Tonight will be Carlos Zambrano’s 20th start of the season and expect to see Henry Blanco behind the plate. Lou Piniella said Geovany Soto told him on Wednesday he was getting a little tired. Piniella said during his pre-game show that Henry Blanco would start in the opener against the Marlins. Carlos Zambrano is coming off his fourth loss of the year last Saturday in Houston. Zambrano walked 6 batters and that was the difference in the game. Zambrano could not control either the movement on his pitches or himself and appeared to get more and more agitated as the game progressed.
Zambrano did hit his 14th career long ball in the loss….the most all-time for a Cubs’ pitcher.
Zambrano is 2-1 in 3 starts since coming off the DL on July 4th….5 runs on 11 hits in 20 1/3 innings with 13 strikeouts and 8 walks. a 2.21 ERA and a 0.93 WHIP. Zambrano must throw strikes tonight….the Marlins offense does not need any help scoring runs.
Big Z is 5-0 in 10 home starts this season with a 2.25 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP….opponents have hit .231. Zambrano is 9-3 in 13 starts at night with a 2.63 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP.
Zambrano is 3-1 in 7 starts against the Fish with a 2.54 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP….and did not face the Marlins a year ago.
- Luis Gonzalez – 5-for-16
- Hanley Ramirez – 0-for-4
- Mike Jacobs – 0-for-2
- Dan Uggla – 0-for-3
Scott Olsen is one of the many very good arms in the Marlins’ system. Olsen is coming off a win against the Phillies in which he allowed 4 runs, 3 earned, on 8 hits in 5 innings. Olsen did not record a strikeout for the second time this season and walked 2.
Olsen has won his last two starts (2-0 in last 3 starts with a 6.00 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP, opponents have hit .307) and has not posted a loss since June 17th in Seattle….the Marlins are 3-2 in his last 5 starts.
Olsen has never lost to the Cubs, he is 1-0 in 4 starts with a 3.80 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP….tonight is his second career start and appearance at Wrigley.
- Henry Blanco – 0-for-2
- Ronny Cedeno – 1-for-3
- Mark DeRosa – 0-for-3
- Jim Edmonds – 1-for-1 with a home run
- Reed Johnson – 1-for-3 with a double
- Derrek Lee – 2-for-6 with a double and a home run
- Aramis Ramirez – 4-for-9 with a home run
- Alfonso Soriano – 2-for-10 with a double and 3 walks
- Geovany Soto – 1-for-3
- Ryan Theriot – 0-for-2
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball….