Game One Hundred Ten: Cubs (49-60) vs. Dodgers (59-49)
- Game Time – 3:05pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: FOX Saturday Baseball – Radio: 720 WGN, XM Radio Channels 184/844
- Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Jeff Samardzija (6-9, 3.75/1.28) vs. Chris Capuano (3-6, 4.54/1.34)
Dale Sveum will turn to his staff ace to end the Cubs’ current two-game losing skid. The Cubs have really been overmatched over the first two games of the series. The Dodgers have outscored the Cubs 12-6 over the first two games and Samardzija must figure out a way to keep Los Angeles off the board this afternoon.
The Cubs’ offense will have their hands full with Chris Capuano today. Capuano has always seemed to take his game to the next level when he faces the Cubs, and Capuano has turned his season around after a rough start. Dale Sveum should load his lineup with right-handers this afternoon. Right handers are hitting .289/.330.460 while lefties are hitting .250/.277/.286 against Capuano this season.
This afternoon all starts with Jeff Samardzija …
Jeff Samardzija is coming off a very good start against the Brewers. Samardzija tossed seven innings of shutout ball and allowed just three hits. The most important stat was he walked two and struck out seven.
Jeff Samardzija finished a very inconsistent month of July with a 1-2 record in five starts with a 5.28 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP. Samardzija had two very good starts and three that were, well, not so good. How Samardzija finishes the season will have a big impact on the team moving forward.
Jeff Samardzija is 2-4 in 11 home starts this season with a 4.90 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP.
This afternoon will be Samardzija’s second career start against the Dodgers. One of the few rough starts Samardzija had in the second half last season came in Los Angeles, exactly one year ago today. Samardzija allowed five runs on eight hits with three walks and seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. For his career, Samardzija is 1-1 in three games, one start, versus the Dodgers with a 5.19 ERA and a 0.92 WHIP.
Dodgers Career Numbers against Jeff Samardzija
- Carl Crawford – 1-for-1
- Mark Ellis – 1-for-3
- A.J. Ellis – 2-for-2 with a home run
- Andre Ethier – 1-for-5
- Adrian Gonzalez – 1-for-3
- Jerry Hairston Jr. – 0-for-1
- Nick Punto – 1-for-1 with a walk
- Hanley Ramirez – 8-for-15 with two doubles
- Skip Schumaker – 4-for-13 with three walks
- Juan Uribe – 0-for-2
The Cubs will get a look at an old nemesis this afternoon in Chris Capuano. The veteran lefty has owned the Cubs in his career, especially during his days in the Brewers’ rotation. Capuano is coming off an excellent outing against the Reds. Capuano held Joey Votto and company to only three hits over 6 2/3 shutout innings. Capuano did not walk a batter and struck out four.
After just a miserable start to the season, Capuano has more than righted the ship of late and he was 1-1 in four starts last month with a 4.15 ERA and 1.15 WHIP.
One of Capuano’s best starts a year ago came at the expense of the Cubs. Capuano kept the Cubs off the board for seven innings and beat Chris Volstad. For his career, Capuano is 9-3 in 15 games, 13 starts, against the Cubs with a 3.35 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP … at Wrigley Field, 5-2 in nine games, seven starts, with a 3.45 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP.
Cubs Career Numbers against Chris Capuano
- Darwin Barney – 0-for-3
- Starlin Castro – 4-for-7
- David DeJesus – 0-for-4
- Cody Ransom – 0-for-2
- Nate Schierholtz – 2-for-6
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …