Talkin’ Cubs Live – Cubs vs. Reds – 06/06/11

Matt Garza (2-4, 3.72/1.37) vs. Mike Leake (4-2, 5.03/1.39)

Updated 3:20pm CDT – Matt Garza Activated from 15-day DL – Scott Maine Optioned to Triple-A Iowa

The Cubs “red” road trip continues tonight with the first of three against the Cincinnati Reds. Q’s squad is in need of a win after an embarrassing week of baseball. The Cubs have lost six in a row and eight of the last nine.

Matt Garza will come off the DL and make his first start since May 17. Garza last faced the Reds in Cincinnati and received a no decision after allowing three unearned runs. The Cubs are expected to option Scott Maine down to Triple-A Iowa to make room on the active roster for Matt Garza. With Garza back from the DL, Rodrigo Lopez will join Quade’s relief corps and Doug Davis will remain in the rotation. Davis is slated to face Edinson Volquez on Tuesday night.

The Reds shifted their rotation for the Cubs series. Chad Reineke was penciled in to make the start tonight but was sent to the pen and Mike Leake was moved up a day to pitch in the opener. Dusty Baker is hoping to have Edinson Volquez back for Tuesday and Baker will send Bronson Arroyo to the hill for Wednesday’s finale against Ryan Dempster.

The next three days figure to be more difficult match-ups for the overly aggressive Cubs’ offense.

Carlos Marmol should be unavailable tonight after throwing 26 pitches over 1 2/3 innings Saturday and 27 pitches in the ninth inning Sunday. If a save opportunity arises for the Cubs, look for Mike Quade to give Sean Marshall the ball.

The Cubs are 1-4 against the Reds this season (7-19 against the division in 2011) and tonight it all begins with Matt Garza … Matt Garza was placed on the 15-day DL on May 24 (retroactive to May 18) with a right elbow contusion. Garza was scratched from his scheduled start on May 22 against the Red Sox and has been on the shelf ever since. Garza did not want to go on the DL but the Cubs took all precautions with their big off-season acquisition.

The last time Garza pitched was on May 17 against the Reds in Cincinnati. The Cubs sloppy defense, including an error by Garza himself, led to another Cubs’ loss. The Cubs gave the Reds both games of the two-game set.

Matt Garza has been solid but inconsistent, basically the same way he performed for the Tampa Bay Rays.

Garza posted a 1-1 record in his last three starts before landing on the DL with a 3.18 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.

Tonight will be Garza’s third start of the season against the Redlegs … 0-1 in two starts with a 3.75 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP.

Reds Career Numbers against Matt Garza

• Jay Bruce – 1-for-6 with a home run
• Jonny Gomes – 1-for-3 with a double
• Ramon Hernandez – 3-for-14 with a walk
• Paul Janish – 1-for-5 with a double
• Fred Lewis – 3-for-14 with 2 doubles and a walk
• Brandon Phillips – 3-for-5 with a walk
• Edgar Renteria – 1-for-4 with a walk
• Scott Rolen – 6-for-21 with 2 doubles and a walk
• Drew Stubbs – 1-for-7
• Joey Votto – 1-for-4 with 2 walks

After struggling in back-to-back outings in May, the Reds sent Mike Leake to the minors to work out his issues. With all of the Reds pitching problems, Leake returned to the majors and has put together two solid starts.

Leake beat the Braves back on May 27. He held Atlanta to one run on seven hits in six innings. Leake walked three and struck out two while picking up the win. Leake is coming off a no decision to the Brewers in which he allowed three runs on seven hits without a walk and three strikeouts in six innings.

Mike Leake has not faced the Cubs this season but had three of his best outings a year ago against the Cubs. Leake is 2-0 in three career starts versus the Cubs with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP.

Cubs Career Numbers against Mike Leake

• Starlin Castro – 2-for-6 with a double
• Tyler Colvin – 3-for-6 with 3 home runs
• Blake DeWitt – 1-for-4 with 2 walks
• Kosuke Fukudome – 2-for-5 with a double and a walk
• Koyie Hill – 0-for-2
• Aramis Ramirez – 1-for-6 with a walk
• Geovany Soto – 1-for-3 with 3 walks

Follow the CCO on Twitter: @TheCCO

Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …