Talkin’ Cubs Live – Cubs vs. Giants – 08/30/11

Matt Garza (6-10, 3.68/1.31) vs. Ryan Vogelsong (10-4, 2.54/1.25)

Can the Cubs make it two in a row over the Giants? The Cubs put a lot of runs on the board against Tim Lincecum on Monday and will face a pitcher tonight they have not had much success against this season … two of Ryan Vogelsong’s 10 wins have come against the Cubs this season.

Matt Garza is coming off a bad outing and will look to bounce back against a Giants team that has their back against the wall. San Francisco enters play tonight five games back of the D’Backs with only 27 games left to play. The Giants have dropped three of the last five games against the Astros and Cubs.

In other news … Andrew Cashner completed his third rehab outing with the Tennessee Smokies in impressive fashion on Monday night. Cashner struck out the side on 16 pitches, 11 for strikes, and appears to be headed for Triple-A Iowa. The plan is for Cashner to throw a couple of relief appearances for the I-Cubs and if all goes well he could rejoin the big league team on Friday.

Randy Bush and Oneri Fleita will reportedly meet on Friday to discuss possible September call-ups. Rosters can expand beginning Thursday (September 1). The Cubs 40-man roster currently stands at 37 players but with Cashner expected back as early as this week and the 30 days on the disqualified list for Carlos Zambrano coming to an end soon (eligible to return to team on September 12), the Cubs have only one open spot on the big league roster. Bryan LaHair is expected to be added to the 40-man and called up. Without any additional roster moves, the Cubs would not be able to call-up any players currently not on their Major League roster.

Over the last eight games, the Cubs are 11-for-74 with runners in scoring position and have left 67 runners on base … and tonight it all starts with Matt Garza. Matt Garza is coming off a rare bad outing and will look to bounce back in his first career appearance against the San Francisco Giants. Garza allowed six runs, three earned, on eight hits with two walks and six strikeouts in five innings. Garza struggled with his command and emotions in the short time he was on the mound.

For as good as Garza has been he has struggled on the road this season. Garza is just 2-5 in 11 starts outside of Wrigley this season with a 5.07 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP.

Matt Garza is 2-2 in his last five starts with a 2.40 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP … since the break, 2-3 in nine starts with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP.

Tonight will be Matt Garza’s first game of his career against the Giants.

Orlando Cabrera (2-for-12 with a walk), Mark DeRosa (2-for-3 with a home run), Aubrey Huff (3-for-15 with a double, a triple, a home run and two walks), Jeff Keppinger (2-for-4 with a double), Cody Ross (1-for-9 with a walk) and Miguel Tejada (7-for-20 with a double, two home runs and two walks) are the only players on the Giants active roster that have faced Matt Garza.

The Cubs will get their third shot of the season at Ryan Vogelsong … two of Vogelsong’s 10 wins have come at the expense of the Chicago Cubs this season. Vogelsong has put together an excellent year and he’s one of the reasons the Giants are still in the mix out West.

Ryan Vogelsong has not faced a team other than the Astros since August 14 … and Houston beat him both times. The Giants offense could not bail out Vogelsong in either of the outings.

Vogelsong is 2-3 in his last five starts with a 3.55 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP.

For as good as Vogelsong has been this season, he’s been even better at AT&T Park. Vogelsong is 6-3 in 13 games, 12 starts, in his home park this year with a 1.98 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP.

Vogelsong is 3-4 in 13 career games, seven starts, against the Cubs with a 6.28 ERA and a 1.70 WHIP … but this year, 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA and a 1.64 WHIP.

Cubs Career Numbers against Ryan Vogelsong

• Darwin Barney – 2-for-3
• Marlon Byrd – 2-for-11
• Tony Campana – 1-for-2 with a walk
• Starlin Castro – 2-for-6
• Blake DeWitt – 2-for-6
• Koyie Hill – 1-for-7 with a home run
• Reed Johnson – 0-for-1
• Carlos Pena – 1-for-4 with a home run and 2 walks
• Aramis Ramirez – 6-for-15 with 2 home runs and a walk
• Alfonso Soriano – 2-for-6 with a walk

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