Talkin’ Cubs Live – Cubs vs. Dodgers – 08/21/09

Randy Wells (9-5, 3.01/1.20) vs. Randy Wolf (7-6, 3.43/1.14)

With the Cubs’ season hanging on by a thread, Randy Wells will try to right the ship tonight in his first career start at Dodger Stadium. Tonight is a rematch of a game back on May 28 at Wrigley. Randy Wolf beat Randy Wells 2-1 nearly three months ago.

Lou Piniella’s crew enters play tonight seven games back of the Cardinals in need of a win. Sam Fuld should be in center tonight with the southpaw Wolf on the mound for the Dodgers. Geovany Soto is expected back behind the plate and Alfonso Soriano should be benched in favor of Jake Fox. While the move of sitting Soriano is unlikely, the Cubs need to remove the automatic out from their lineup …

Tonight it all starts with Randy Wells and a lot of patience against Randy Wolf. Randy Wells received two extra days rest in between starts. Wells was slated to pitch in the finale on Wednesday in San Diego but Lou Piniella went with Rich Harden in order to give Wells a little break … Wells has thrown 113 2/3 innings this season and the Cubs are trying to be very careful with the rookie right-hander.

Wells is coming off a win against the Pirates. He was the beneficiary of 17 runs in the Cubs’ thumping of the Pirates. Wells allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings with two walks and three strikeouts. He is 2-1 in his last three starts with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. Teams are beginning to catch up with the young right-hander. After holding teams to a .230 batting average in June, opponents hit 42 points higher in July (.272) and are up to .284 against Wells in his last three starts.

Tonight will be Wells’ tenth road start of the year. He is 4-2 in the first nine with a 2.98 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP.

The Dodgers beat Randy Wells the last time they faced him at Wrigley on May 28, 2-1. Wells allowed two runs on eight hits in seven innings with a walk and seven strikeouts.

• Casey Blake – 0-for-3
• Andre Ethier – 1-for-3 with a double
• Rafael Furcal – 1-for-2 with a walk
• Orlando Hudson – 0-for-3
• Matt Kemp – 1-for-3
• James Loney – 2-for-3
• Russell Martin – 1-for-3
• Juan Pierre – 2-for-4
• Randy Wolf – 0-for-3

Randy Wolf has been a thorn in the Cubs’ side for the last several years … despite a 4-7 record in 16 career starts with a 4.45 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP. Wolf shutdown the Cubs at Wrigley on May 28 and dominated them at Wrigley last season in an Astros’ uniform. The Cubs offense has a hard time with the crafty lefty and is usually very aggressive at the plate against him. Until they change their approach, the Cubs will continue to lose games to Randy Wolf.

The veteran southpaw has won his last two starts and the Dodgers have posted a win in his last three outings. The last time Wolf lost a game was on August 1 to the Braves in Atlanta. Wolf is 2-1 in his last four starts with a 3.45 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP … Wolf is coming off a 9-3 win over the Diamondbacks. He allowed three runs on five hits with no walks in 7 2/3 innings. Wolf struck out a season-high ten batters.

• Jeff Baker – 0-for-2
• Milton Bradley – 1-for-8 with a home run and a walk
• Mike Fontenot – 0-for-2
• Kosuke Fukudome – 0-for-1 with 2 walks
• Derrek Lee – 11-for-40 with 4 doubles, a triple and 4 walks
• Aaron Miles – 1-for-3
• Aramis Ramirez – 5-for-22 with a double, a home run and a walk
• Alfonso Soriano – 5-for-20 with 2 home runs and 2 walks
• Geovany Soto – 4-for-11 with a double and a walk
• Ryan Theriot – 3-for-14 with a walk
• Randy Wells – 0-for-2

Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball….