Talkin’ Cubs Live – Cubs vs. Dodgers – 05/05/12

Chris Volstad (0-3, 6.11/1.39) vs. Chris Capuano (3-0, 2.73/1.21)

Happy Cinco de Mayo … Dale Sveum’s team will shoot to make it two in a row over the Dodgers this afternoon behind Chris Volstad. Matt Garza was scheduled to start today’s game but was pushed to Sunday. Garza was sent home Friday with flulike symptoms. Volstad is pitching on normal rest in need of a good outing today.

Chris Volstad has shown he can retire Major League hitters over multiple innings but he has yet to put together a complete start this season. The Cubs need for him to step up this afternoon and keep up with his rotation mates, who have been very good of late (Cubs are 7-5 since April 21).

Will Bryan LaHair get a start against the southpaw this afternoon with Jeff Baker spelling Ian Stewart in the starting lineup?

Today all starts with Chris Volstad … Over his past two outings, Chris Volstad has thrown nine shutout innings, the problem is in each of those starts he has completed six innings of work and has allowed a total of eight earned runs in the other three innings, four in each start. Volstad received a no decision in his last outing against the Phillies. The Cubs scored three runs in the top of the eighth and took him off the hook. Volstad has not posted a win since July 10, 2011 and the Cubs are 0-5 in his five starts this season.

Volstad is 0-2 in three starts at Wrigley this season with a 6.75 ERA and a 1.38 WHIP. Volstad must keep the ball down or Matt Kemp and company will take their recent frustrations out on him.

Chris Volstad makes his seventh career start against the Dodgers this afternoon. He is 3-3 in the first six with a 4.46 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP … last season, 1-0 in one start with a 2.57 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP.

Dodgers Career Numbers against Chris Volstad

• Chris Capuano – 0-for-1
• Andre Either – 3-for-12 with a double and two walks
• Tony Gwynn, Jr – 1-for-9 with a walk
• Jerry Hairston, Jr – 5-for-14 with a double and a walk
• Matt Kemp – 5-for-17 with a home run
• Adam Kennedy – 3-for-15 with a double and a walk
• James Loney – 5-for-16 with a double and a walk
• Juan Uribe – 0-for-3

Chris Capuano owned the Chicago Cubs during his time with the Milwaukee Brewers and put together a good outing against the Cubs last season in New York. The Cubs were rumored to be interested in signing the veteran lefty over the off-season but Capuano decided to sign a multi-year deal with the Dodgers.

Capuano has been very good for the first place team and his coming off a 6 2/3 inning start against the Nationals in which he did not allow a run and surrendered only three hits with two walks and nine strikeouts. For as good as Capuano has been at Dodger Stadium, in two road starts this year he has two no decisions with a 5.06 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP.

Chris Capuano is 8-3 in 14 career games, 12 starts, against the Cubs with a 3.65 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP … last season, no record in one start with a 1.29 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP (two runs, one earned, on five hits with a walk and six strikeouts in seven innings). Capuano is 4-2 in eight career appearances, six starts, at Wrigley with a 4.05 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP.

Cubs Career Numbers against Chris Capuano

• Jeff Baker – 0-for-4
• Starlin Castro – 2-for-4
• David DeJesus – 0-for-1
• Blake DeWitt – 1-for-1 with a home run
• Reed Johnson – 1-for-7 with a double
• Alfonso Soriano – 2-for-8 with a double and a home run
• Geovany Soto – 1-for-2 with a walk
• Ian Stewart – 0-for-4

Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …

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