Talkin’ Cubs Live – Cubs vs. Cardinals – 05/21/09

Sean Marshall (2-2, 4.02/1.34) vs. Adam Wainwright (3-2, 3.83/1.40)

After scoring one run in their last 18 innings, the Cubs offense must get on track tonight…and it will not be an easy task facing Adam Wainwright.

The Cubs are not hitting and Ron Santo alluded to the fact there could be changes in the starting lineup following Wednesday’s loss. Lou Piniella needs to find a way to get his regulars to perform or mix in the likes of Micah Hoffpauir, Ryan Freel and Koyie Hill to try to score some runs today. The Cubs have wasted two excellent performances by Ted Lilly and Ryan Dempster and will need to play fundamentally sound ball tonight in order to salvage the final game of the series.

Reportedly Lou Piniella had a closed door meeting with his coaches before Wednesday’s lackluster performance…maybe it is time he has one with his team. Sean Marshall ended up with the win last Saturday in relief of a game he was supposed to start. Last Friday’s rainout against the Astros allowed Piniella to put Marshall in the pen and it ended up paying dividends for the Cubs. After a horrible ninth inning, Marshall replaced Aaron Heilman with the bases loaded, threw three pitches, retired Lance Berkman and picked up the win.

Marshall will make his sixth start of the year tonight and his third against the Cardinals. Marshall is 0-1 in his first two against St. Louis with a 4.91 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP…the Cardinals are hitting .302 against him.

Marshall has pitched better on the road than at Wrigley. He is 1-1 in two starts, four games, with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.33 WHIP.

The Cubs’ second lefty has been successful in the past against the Cardinals…and his teammates need him to step up once again tonight (2-2 in seven starts, 11 games, with a 3.79 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP).

• Rick Ankiel – 2-for-7 with a double
• Brian Barden – 4-for-4
• Chris Duncan – 2-for-5 with a home run and a walk
• Khalil Greene – 1-for-11 with a double
• Yadier Molina – 5-for-17 with a double and 2 walks
• Albert Pujols – 4-for-18 with 4 walks
• Colby Rasmus – 1-for-3
• Brendan Ryan – 3-for-12 with a double and a home run
• Skip Schumaker – 0-for-4

After a rough stretch of games, Adam Wainwright was a hard-luck loser in his last start. Wainwright was outpitched by Jeff Suppan and lost to the Brewers 1-0. Wainwright gave up only the one run on two hits in eight innings (a home run by Corey Hart in the first) with two walks and seven strikeouts.

Before his last start Wainwright was more than struggling. After a 3-0 record in five starts in April with a 2.76 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP, Wainwright is 0-2 in his last three starts with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP.

Tonight will be Wainwright’s third start of the year against the Cubs…he is 1-0 in the first two with a 3.46 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP.

• Milton Bradley – 0-for-1
• Mike Fontenot – 4-for-11 with 2 doubles
• Ryan Freel – 0-for-3
• Kosuke Fukudome – 3-for-10 with a double and a home run
• Koyie Hill – 0-for-3
• Micah Hoffpauir – 1-for-5
• Reed Johnson – 2-for-3
• Derrek Lee – 4-for-19 with a double and 5 walks
• Aaron Miles – 0-for-1
• Alfonso Soriano – 4-for-18 with a double, a triple and 4 walks
• Geovany Soto – 3-for-8 with a double and a walk
• Ryan Theriot – 7-for-24 with 2 doubles and a walk

Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball….