Game Fifty-Six: Cubs (25-30) vs. Astros (21-35)
Game Time – 1:05pm CDT
Coverage – TV: WGN TV – Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channel 186
Location – Minute Maid Park, Houston
Randy Wells (3-3, 4.40/1.35) vs. Brett Myers (3-3, 3.04/1.39)
Can the Chicago Cubs win two games in a row? Lou Piniella’s offense showed signs of life Saturday night but all is for not unless the Cubs can build on the one-game break out. It will not get any easier this afternoon … the Cubs will face an old nemesis in Brett Myers.
Following Saturday’s win, Lou Piniella said Tyler Colvin would be in the lineup most of the time. Piniella said he just has to move him around. In other words, Kosuke Fukudome has not been benched. Look for Alfonso Soriano to get a day off this afternoon. Soriano has not hit Brett Myers and is just 5-for-24 with a walk against the right-hander.
It all begins with Randy Wells … and just winning a ballgame. Randy Wells bounced back from his 16-pitch start against the Cardinals and put together five innings of shutout ball last Monday in Pittsburgh. Wells was okay, nothing special but he at least made it through five innings. Wells walked three, struck out three and gave up three hits in five innings.
Randy Wells must be glad it is a new month. Wells is coming off a winless May that included two of the worst starts of his big league career. After a 3-0 April and a 3.45 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in five starts, Wells was 0-3 in six starts last month with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP.
Wells has pitched alarmingly better on the road than at Wrigley. Wells is 2-1 in six road starts with a 3.15 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP … teams have hit just .258 against him. At home, Wells is 1-2 in five starts with a 6.00 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP … teams have hit nearly 50 points higher at .307. Wells’ last win came on April 30 against the D’Backs at Wrigley.
The Cubs need Randy Wells to step up this afternoon.
Wells is 2-0 in three career starts versus Houston with a 0.00 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP … Wells has not allowed an earned run to the Astros in 20 2/3 innings.
Today will be Randy’s first career start at the Juice Box.
Astros’ Career Numbers against Randy Wells
- Lance Berkman – 1-for-5 with a walk
- Geoff Blum – 3-for-8
- Michael Bourn – 4-for-9 with a walk
- Jeff Keppinger – 0-for-4
- Carlos Lee – 2-for-9
- Jason Michaels – 0-for-1 with a walk
- Hunter Pence – 1-for-5 with 3 walks
- Cory Sullivan – 1-for-3
Brett Myers has dominated the Chicago Cubs throughout his career and it figures to be more of the same today. Myers is coming off a good outing against the Nationals (one run on four hits in seven innings) and struck out a season-high 10 batters.
Myers has been excellent at Minute Maid (2-0 in six starts with a 2.93 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP) and has pitched much better than his 3-3 record.
Brett Myers was 2-1 in five starts last month with a remarkable 2.65 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. The Phillies thought he was done and it appears they were wrong.
Today will be Myers’ tenth career starts against the Cubs. He is 7-3 in 14 career games, nine starts, with a 2.63 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP.
Cubs Career Numbers against Brett Myers
- Jeff Baker – 2-for-3
- Marlon Byrd – 2-for-8 with a home run and a walk
- Mike Fontenot – 0-for-2
- Kosuke Fukudome – 1-for-7
- Koyie Hill – 0-for-1
- Derrek Lee – 15-for-29 with 4 doubles, a triple, 3 home runs and 3 walks
- Xavier Nady – 3-for-11 with a home run and a walk
- Aramis Ramirez – 8-for-28 with 2 doubles and 2 home runs
- Alfonso Soriano – 5-for-24 with a walk
- Geovany Soto – 2-for-6
- Ryan Theriot – 3-for-8
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …