Talkin’ Cubs Live – Cubs vs. White Sox – 06/12/10

Carlos Silva (8-0, 2.93/1.06) vs. Mark Buehrle (3-6, 5.40/1.49)

Updated – 11:30am CDT – Mitch Atkins Recalled from Triple-A Iowa

Updated – 2:05pm CDT – James Russell Optioned to Triple-A Iowa

To say the weekend started out on a negative note would be pointing out the obvious. How will the Cubs respond today to another embarrassing loss? The Cubs have lost eight of 11 and have looked bad doing so. Not only have the Cubs continued to not hit with runners in scoring position, but the defense has also gone south … along with their pitching. Too many walks, too many longballs and too many loses.

Lou Piniella’s crew enters play today seven games under the mediocre mark … that is the lowest under Piniella since 2007.

The last time Carlos Silva faced the White Sox he was lit up in Mesa. Carlos Quentin hit a pair of home runs in two at bats against Silva. But that was then and that game did not count.

Silva has been the Cubs stopper and one of the biggest surprises of the season. Can he keep it up today or will his baseball luck finally run out?

Following today’s game versus the White Sox, there will be exactly 100 games remaining for the 2010 Chicago Cubs.

The Cubs were 2-4 against the Sox last season and have lost four straight to the South Side. Will the Cubs continue to be embarrassed by the Sox? It all starts with Carlos Silva this afternoon … and just winning a ballgame. Talking about a turnaround. Carlos Silva is the first pitcher in the history of the game to begin a season 8-0 after finishing his last one with a 8.00 ERA (Silva posted a 8.60 ERA in 2009).

Carlos Silva is one of the few feel good stories over the first 61 games this season. Silva has allowed only one earned run in his last two starts (14 innings) and held the Cardinals and Pirates to just six hits.

Silva has shown the knack for finding a rhythm early and working quickly. And today should be another big challenge for Silva.

This afternoon will be Silva’s seventh start of the year at Wrigley. He is 4-0 with a 2.82 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP … the Cubs are 10-1 in his 11 starts.

Carlos Silva has beaten the Sox just four times over the years. He is 4-10 in 19 career games, 17 starts, with a 5.52 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP.

White Sox Career Numbers against Carlos Silva

• Mark Buehrle – 0-for-2
• Andruw Jones – 1-for-9 with 2 walks
• Paul Konerko – 12-for-43 with 2 doubles, a home run and 3 walks
• Mark Kotsay – 4-for-24 with a double
• Juan Pierre – 1-for-4 with a walk
• A.J. Pierzynski – 8-for-27 with a double and 2 home runs
• Carlos Quentin – 1-for-3 with a walk
• Alex Rios – 3-for-19
• Omar Vizquel – 4-for-8

For those looking down the schedule, Carlos Silva is in line to pitch the first game in Seattle on June 23.

Mark Buehrle grew up a Cardinals fan and loves sticking it to the Cubs … and usually does. Buehrle, like Jake Peavy, has not been very good this season. But it is the Cubs’ offense and they have a habit of making bad pitchers look like Cy Young winners. So Buehrle should have a lot of fun at the Cubs’ expense once again.

Buehrle has been rocked his last two times out. He is 0-1 with a 12.96 ERA and a 2.88 WHIP … 12 earned runs on 20 hits with four walks and six strikeouts in 8 1/3 innings. The Indians knocked him out in the third after six runs on eight hits … and the Rangers roughed him up the start before to the tune of six runs on 12 hits in 5 1/3.

Today will be Mark Buehrle’s 12th career start against the Cubs. He is 4-4 with a 4.58 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP … last year Buehrle posted a win in his only start versus the North Side (five runs, three earned, on six hits in 5 2/3 innings).

Cubs’ Career Numbers against Mark Buehrle

• Marlon Byrd – 2-for-12
• Mike Fontenot – 0-for-3
• Kosuke Fukudome – 1-for-5 with a walk
• Derrek Lee – 6-for-13 with 2 doubles, a home run and a walk
• Xavier Nady – 1-for-8 with a home run and a walk
• Carlos Silva – no official at bat – one walk
• Alfonso Soriano – 7-for-32 with a double, 2 home runs and a walk
• Geovany Soto – 1-for-5 with a double
• Ryan Theriot – 2-for-9 with a walk

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