Talkin’ Cubs Live – Cubs vs. White Sox – 05/20/12

Paul Maholm (4-2, 4.35/1.17) vs. Jake Peavy (4-1, 2.65/0.92)

The Cubs will shoot to avoid the sweep at the hand of the White Sox and salvage the last game of the homestand behind Paul Maholm this afternoon. After a good stretch of ball, the Cubs have lost their last five games and enter play today a season-low 10 games under .500.

The injury bug has hit the Cubs. Not only did they lose their starting and backup catcher in the same week that forced a move to bring back Koyie Hill but an injury to Blake Parker during the eighth inning of Saturday’s game might force another move. Parker left the game with tightness in his right hamstring and will be re-evaluated Sunday morning.

Steve Clevenger and Carlos Marmol will begin rehab assignments on Monday with the Iowa Cubs. The Cubs are targeting a May 25 return for Clevenger. Marmol is scheduled to throw a side session Monday, then a simulated game on Wednesday. Marmol’s first Triple-A action is scheduled for Friday.

More changes to the Cubs’ roster are expected over the next three days but the injury to Blake Parker could force them to alter their plans. Dale Sveum is dealing with a lot of injuries right now, mainly to the catching corps, but the poor play has the Cubs staring at the possibility of a winless homestand (0-4).

Today all begins with Paul Maholm … After a string of four excellent starts, Paul Maholm hit a bump in the road in his last outing against the Cardinals. Maholm barely made it through six innings and was hit pretty hard throughout the afternoon. Maholm allowed four runs on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts and received a no-decision.

Even with his rough start against the Redbirds, Maholm is 2-0 in his last three starts with a 2.37 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. Maholm has kept the ball down and pitched to his defense, two things he must do today against the Sox.

Paul Maholm is 3-1 in four starts in his home park with a 3.13 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP.

Today will mark the third time in his career that Maholm has started a game against the White Sox. The veteran lefty is 1-1 in the first two with a 3.46 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP.

White Sox Career Numbers against Paul Maholm

• Adam Dunn – 3-for-28 with seven walks
• Kosuke Fukudome – 0-for-5
• Paul Konerko – 1-for-5 with a walk
• Jake Peavy – 1-for-2
• A.J. Pierzynski – 1-for-4
• Alex Rios – 0-for-3

The Cubs get the tough task of facing a rejuvenated Jake Peavy this afternoon. As a franchise the Cubs have always struggled against Peavy and he has been very, very good this season.

Until his last outing, Jake Peavy had allowed three earned runs or less in each of his seven starts. The Tigers hit around Peavy in his last start to the tune of six runs on nine hits in 5 1/3 innings. Peavy tied a season high in walks (2) while striking out a season low four batters.

Peavy is 2-0 in four road starts with a 2.12 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP and is 1-0 in his last three starts with a 4.50 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP after beginning the season 3-1 with a 1.67 ERA and a 0.69 WHIP.

Jake Peavy is 6-2 in 11 career starts against the Cubs with a 2.62 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP … at Wrigley, 2-2 in six starts with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. Peavy beat the Cubs the only time he faced them a year ago (three runs on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings).

Cubs Career Numbers against Jake Peavy

• Jeff Baker – 1-for-3
• Starlin Castro – 2-for-5 with a walk
• David DeJesus – 0-for-11
• Koyie Hill – 1-for-8
• Reed Johnson – 0-for-4 with a walk
• Paul Maholm – 0-for-2
• Joe Mather – 1-for-1 with a home run
• Alfonso Soriano – 8-for-23 with three doubles, three home runs and four walks
• Ian Stewart – 2-for-5 with a home run and a walk

Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …

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