Game One Hundred Five – Cubs 7 Rockies 8
WP – Jorge De La Rosa (4-3) LP – Carlos Silva (10-5) Save – None
Sunday may have been the start of a new month, but it was the same old Cubs on the field. For the third time in his last four starts, Carlos Silva could not complete two innings of work … and Sunday was even worse. Silva left with one out in the first inning with what was described as an “illness”.
Carlos Silva was taken to a Denver hospital with an abnormal heart rate. Reports after the game indicated Silva is okay but will be monitored overnight in the hospital. After the game, George Ofman reported the Cubs have not determined when Carlos Silva will return to Chicago or when he will pitch again.
The Cubs offense came within a run and a tremendous catch by Dexter Fowler of tying the game in the ninth. The Cubs scored six of their seven runs in the last three innings and plated three in the ninth. Marlon Byrd tripled home a pair but Fowler took away at least an extra base hit, and possibly a game-tying homer, from Alfonso Soriano for the second out. With the Cubs down by a single run, Jeff Baker struck out swinging to end the game.
The Cubs played their Major League leading one-run game (37) and lost their big league leading 24th one-run game (13-24).
For the first time this season, the Cubs lost their fifth game in a row and in the process fell to a season low 13 games under .500 … the first time since the end of the 2006 season a Cubs team has been that many games under the mediocre mark.
The Rockies completed the sweep and made the Cubs look very old and slow in the process. Sunday marked the second time this season the Cubs were swept in a three-game series (Pirates, May 4 – May 6 in Pittsburgh).
Jorge De La Rosa picked up his first win since April 25 and improved to 3-0 in his career against the Chicago Cubs.
The Cubs bullpen was not only taxed and should force a roster move before Monday’s game, but they were very bad in relief of Carlos Silva. James Russell (four runs, two earned, on two hits with a walk and a hit batsman in 2 2/3 innings) and Carlos Zambrano (two runs on four hits with two walks and a strikeout in two innings) allowed the Rockies to keep tacking on … and both Russell (46 pitches, 30 for strikes) and Zambrano (53 pitches, 30 for strikes) struggled with their command.
Cubs pitching walked seven and hit a batter Sunday afternoon … four of the seven free passes, along with the hit batsman came around to score.
Andrew Cashner had a better outing but still struggled with his command. Cashner walked a pair, including Manny Corpas in his inning of work. Carlos Marmol retired all three in the eighth and struck out Carlos Gonzalez swinging on a nasty, off-speed slider.
Blake DeWitt had a solid Cubs debut Sunday afternoon. Aramis Ramirez’s thumb injury forced DeWitt into the starting lineup and he responded with a good game in the field and at the plate. DeWitt was 3-for-4 with a RBI double in the second.
Alfonso Soriano had a horrible day at the plate while the game was still in question. Soriano had two big chances early and came up empty. Soriano struck out swinging with the bases loaded in the first and hit into a 6-4-3 double play with two on to end the third.
In typical Soriano fashion, he launched his 19th homer of the season in the eighth to cut the Rockies lead to 8-4. Then was possibly robbed of a game tying two-run homer in the ninth by Dexter Fowler. Fowler made a leaping catch and appeared to take away at least extra bases from Soriano. Byrd scored the Cubs seventh run on Soriano’s sac fly. Soriano finished the game 1-for-4 with a home run, a sacrifice fly and two RBI … Soriano left five on base.
Marlon Byrd notched another multi-hit game. Byrd tripled in the ninth and cut the Rockies lead to 8-6. Byrd finished the day 3-for-5 with a triple, a run scored and two RBI.
The Cubs finished the six-game trip with a 1-5 record and fell to a season-low 13 games under .500 (46-59). Lou’s crew will enter play Monday just a half game ahead of the Houston Astros for fifth place in the central … Has Carlos Silva’s lack of conditioning finally caught up with him? Silva appeared to be short of breath just 11 pitches into the game and was taken to the hospital with an abnormal heartbeat. Silva will be monitored overnight and should be placed on the DL Monday.
The Cubs had a big chance to put runs on the board in the first inning. Derrek Lee reached on a two-out single and Troy Tulowitzki booted a grounder off the bat of Geovany Soto.
Ian Stewart took away extra bases and saved a run with a diving stop on a ball hit down the line by Marlon Byrd. Byrd reached on the infield single to load the bases.
Alfonso Soriano struck out swinging on a 1-2 pitch to end the inning.
The Rockies took advantage of a sick Carlos Silva in the first inning. Jonathan Herrera walked with one out and Silva appeared to wince on ball four. Mark O’Neal and Larry Rothschild went out and took a look. Silva remained in the game … but not for long.
Carlos Gonzalez singled to right center and advanced to third on Troy Tulowitzki’s ground rule double to right center. Herrera scored on the play … 1-0 Rockies.
O’Neal and Rothschild made their way to the mound again after Tulowitzki’s shot and Rothschild lifted Silva.
James Russell came in and jumped out in front of Jason Giambi 0-2 but Giambi worked the could to 3-2 before hitting a sac fly to the wall in right. Gonzalez scored … 2-0 Rockies.
The Cubs made it a 2-1 game in the third. Jeff Baker reached on a hustle double to center off the glove of De La Rosa. Blake DeWitt made his Cubs debut and hit a ringing double off the wall in right. Baker scored the Cubs first run of the game.
James Russell hit for himself and could not get a bunt down. Russell struck out in his second at bat of the season. Tyler Colvin popped out and Starlin Castro grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
The Rockies blew the game open in the second … with a little help from Derrek Lee.
Chris Iannetta walked and advanced to second on a single by De La Rosa. Russell then hit Dexter Fowler on a 1-2 pitch to load the bases. Jonathan Herrera singled to left on a 0-2 pitch … Iannetta scored, 3-1 Rockies.
Carlos Gonzalez stepped in with the bases loaded and one out. Gonzalez ripped a grounder down the first baseline. Lee made a good play stopping the ball but tried to throw to second and the ball hit Herrera in the back. De La Rosa and Fowler scored … 5-1 Rockies.
Troy Tulowitzki then grounded out to DeWitt behind the second base bag. DeWitt broke to cover second, made the play to first but Gonzalez was safe at second as Herrera scored.
With the Rockies up 6-1, Jason Giambi flied out to right to end the inning. The Rockies scored four runs on two singles, two walks, a hit batsman and an error.
Carlos Zambrano took over in the fourth and worked around a pair of singles. But Z was not as fortunate in the fifth. Zambrano struggled once again and is clearly a shell of his former self.
Jason Giambi walked to start the fifth. Then Zambrano issued a four-pitch walk to Seth Smith. Chris Iannetta flied out to center but Ian Stewart singled off the wall in right. Giambi scored … 7-1 Rockies.
Jorge De La Rosa sacrificed Stewart to second then Fowler singled to left and plated Smith with the Rockies eighth run.
With the Cubs down 8-1, Tyler Colvin walked with two outs in the seventh … the Cubs first baserunner since the fourth. Starlin Castro singled to center. Derrek Lee then delivered a single to right to plate Colvin. De La Rosa departed up 8-2.
Manny Corpas came in and gave up a single to Soto on his first pitch. Castro scored and the Cubs were down five at 8-3.
Alfonso Soriano made it an 8-4 game in the eighth with a solo shot to left … his 19th of the season.
Huston Street took the hill in the ninth and issued back-to-back walks to Derrek Lee and Geovany Soto. With one out and two on, Marlon Byrd tripled to right. Lee and Soto scored … 8-6 Rockies.
Marlon Byrd tagged and scored the Cubs’ seventh run when Dexter Fowler made a tremendous catch to take away at least extra bases from Soriano.
It’s a Way of Life!
Randy Wells will face Yovani Gallardo in the first of three against the Brewers Monday night at Wrigley.