Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
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| SP | *Ted Lilly | SP | Jeff Karstens |
| 12-7, 4.25, 148 K, 56 W, 161 IP | 2-2, 2.25, 11 K, 8 W, 28 IP | ||
| LF | Alfonso Soriano | CF | *Nate McLouth |
| SS | Ryan Theriot | 2B | Freddy Sanchez |
| 1B | Derrek Lee | C | #Ryan Doumit |
| 3B | Aramis Ramirez | 1B | *Adam LaRoche |
| CF | *Jim Edmonds | RF | Jason Michaels |
| 2B | Mark DeRosa | LF | *Brandon Moss |
| RF | *Kosuke Fukudome | 3B | Andy LaRoche |
| C | Geovany Soto | SS | Jack Wilson |
| P | *Ted Lilly | P | Jeff Karstens |
The Cubs open a three-game set at PNC Park, concluding their 9-game stretch against the Reds, Nationals, and Pirates before they resume play against Major League opposition. (Yes, I'm tempting fate: Friday's smug game preview was just a preamble to an ugly 13-5 loss to the Nats, but 30 games over .500, I'm feeling smug all over again.)
Coming off a tough luck defeat in which he held the Reds hitless for the first 5 innings and wound up yielding just 2 hits in 7 IP, Lily has reduced his ERA to a season-low 4.25.The lefty has given the Cubs Quality Starts in 8 of his last 10 turns, and that defeat to Cincinnati was his first after five consecutive W's.
This will mark Lilly's fourth start of the year against the Bucs. He's 1-0, 5.63 in the three previous starts, with a butt-ugly 8.38 ERA in his two outings at PNC.
Karstens, who landed in Pittsburgh as part of the deal that sent Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte to the Yanks, makes his fifth start as a Pirate. In his first, back on 8/1, he blanked the Cubs over six innings. His second time out, he was even better, carrying a perfect game into the eighth inning at Arizona, before eventually closing out a 2-0 complete game win. His last two starts have been much more ordinary—16 hits and 7 ER in 13 IP—and more like what you'd expect from a guy who has fanned just 11 men (and walked 8) in 28 innings.
The Cubs have won 11 of the 15 meetings between the two clubs this year, including 4 of the 6 played in Pittsburgh.
Lastly, on Sunday, Mark DeRosa became the first Cub since Fred McGriff (2001) to homer in four consecutive games. If DeRo connects tonight, he'll join Sosa ('98) and Sandberg ('89) as the only Cubs since 1956 to go long in five straight.
| Sandberg (1989) |
Sosa (1998) |
McGriff (2001) |
DeRosa (2008) |
|
| Patsy #1 |
Andy McGaffigan | Livan Hernandez | Jim Brower | Josh Fogg |
| Patsy #2 |
Dennis Martinez | Jim Parque | Wil. Rodriguez | John Lannan |
| Patsy #3 |
Bryn Smith | Carlos Castillo | Shane Reynolds | Garrett Mock |
| Patsy #4 |
O'Neal/Mulholland* | James Baldwin | Tim Redding | Jay Bergmann |
| Patsy #5 |
Larry McWilliams | LaTroy Hawkins | — | ??? |
*Sandberg homered twice against the Phillies on 8/10/89 and eventually wound up with 6 HR in 5 games. What a stud.
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#1 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
fwiw, Lieber set to make 2 rehab starts with Peoria this week.
#2 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
since the ted lilly fan club is missing iwill
give it a shot
6and two thirds 3 earned runs 1 unearned
no decision and the game will go extra innings
#3 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
The Flying LaRoche Brothers!
/drumroll followed by circus music
#4 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
I made the mistake of tuning in to ESPN1000 over the internet. OMG, Mac, Jurko & Harry are annoying. I sometimes forget important facts like that in my quest for a Cubs fix.
DeRo interview in a few minutes, if I can hold out that long...
#5 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
DeRo on his recent homer prowess: "...to be honest, I've been guessing right a lot"
:-)
-----
EDIT: And then over to WGN, just in time to hear Ronnie and Gerald Perry laugh about Ted Lilly's prowess with the bat. Priceless.
#6 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
I was never such a huge fan to begin with, but my MJ&H Are Dead To Me moment came a few weeks ago. Mac was claiming, unconvincingly, to be pro-Cub-success, as follows: "No, no, I'm glad the Cubs are doing well, and I hope they get to the World Series, so they can get swept."
Dead. To. Me.
#7 Why is Lee back batting 3rd?
when we have DeRo having a .373 1.219 7HR 22RBI August.
I ask you, ....rhetorically.
#10 Re: Why is Lee back batting 3rd?
Dammit Lee! Stop getting hits!
#11 Re: Why is Lee back batting 3rd?
Maybe because the Cubs are 16-6 in August with Lee batting #3.
DeRosa is on a hot streak. That's great. But he had an awful July, and is not a #3 hitter. If Lou simply adjusted his order everyday to go with the hot hand, it would be a disaster.
Don't fix something that ain't broke.
#21 Re: Don't fix something that ain't broke.
I wouldn't have brought it up if it weren't broke.
Lee is clearly not 100% and hasn't been for a while now.
DLee since the All-Star break .234 .304 .331 .635
But like I said, it was a rhetorical question. DLee
bats third because DLee bats third.
#22 Re: Don't fix something that ain't broke.
Since August 5th Lee is hitting .300 - .382 - .400 - .782 with hits in 12 of 16 games. He basically had a bad 2-3 week stretch from July 18th-August 4th. You don't move a guy in the order because of that. It's a mararthon not a sprint.
#8 most painful triple ever
by Edmonds....
didn't help that he gawked at it for awhile.
#26 Re: most painful triple ever
so it would've been an inside the parker if he didn't stop to gawk??
#27 so it would've been an inside the parker if he didn't stop to ga
Edmonds didn't gawk, he watched it for a split second. It's been a long time since he had a hit. Triple all the way.
#29 Re: most painful triple ever
To me it looked more like he was starting to coast for the stand-up double, but then the ball caromed away from the center fielder and he thougt "Oh, shit! Now I've gotta hustle to third." He definitely wasn't going 4, but maybe he could have gotten 3 a little more smoothly.
#37 Re: most painful triple ever
He gawked at it when he first hit, about a quarter to half way down the first base line before he realized it wasn't going out. Then put on the "afterburners" when he saw it bounce away from McLouth to get the triple. Not that big a deal...just the same shit he did with the Cardinals but no one cares because he's a Cub now.
#9 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
Aramis sure repaid the five Pirates fans in the crowd for their boos.
#12 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
Did Theriot come out because he was hurt, or is Lou just resting guys with a big lead?
#13 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
Lou's resting the regular guys and getting the bench guys some time in the game.
#18 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
The team could use a few more like that during September to keep rested for the playoffs.
#14 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
Whatever Lou told Fuk through the translator, it's working tonight. 3-4, a double, sacrifice fly and 4 RBI.
#16 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
I am loving watching Fukudome look so sharp. Even with his recent struggles, he's still one of my favorite players on this team. Keep it up whirlybird!
#15 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
5-2 in the doormat (Cincy, WAS, PIT) stretch. 7-2 would be very nice.
Pitching matchup sure looks favorable tomorrow. Hope Z can get it together.
#17 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
From Cubs Mail Bag!!
Didnt Zambrano do this a few years back?
Who was the last switch-hitter for the Cubs to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in the same inning? I say it was Mark Bellhorn, but a buddy of mine says no Cubs switch-hitter has ever done that. A free dinner rides on the answer.
-- Charlie P., New Johnsonville, Tenn.
On Aug. 29, 2002, Bellhorn homered from both sides of the plate for the Cubs in Milwaukee in the fourth inning. Enjoy your meal.
#20 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
Shit!!! it says same inning.
My bad
#19 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
Nice win today.
Edmonds and Fukudome looking sharp. I sure wouldn't want to face our lineup on a day when we're firing on all cylinders.
There's not a starter that I don't think can contribute offensively on any given day. I sure hope Fukudome can put it back together again. We're on track to have six starters finish the year with over 20 HRs and all 8 starting position players have over .340 OBP. Add our terrifying trio of starting pitchers, Lily as our #4, and Wood, Marmol, Samardzija, Marshall, and (maybe) Lieber out of the pen. Hot damn. I think this team's got a real shot at it!
Nothing like pounding the 90 pound weakling in the division with your #4 starter going 7 strong to make things look rosy.
#23 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
It's the dude's first year in the big leagues. He's not used to playing more than 140 games/year. He's allowed to slump, imo.
#25 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
Well he started slumping well before game #140. I bet he has a newfound respect for Ichiro, right about now.
#24 Re: Game 131 Thread / Cubs @ Pirates (1 of 3)
Suntimes article about the bottom third of the Cubs order:
As impressive as DeRosa's and Soto's numbers are, consider this: The Cubs' No. 7 spot in the order was hitting a major-league best .310 with 20 homers and 83 RBI (entering play Monday).
No. 8: .293 with 11 and 64.
And perhaps most impressive of all: The pitchers' spot, No. 9, was hitting better (.227-8-52) than four American League teams -- Kansas City (.226), the Los Angeles Angels (.226), Baltimore (.225) and Oakland (.218).
#28 A Stefani September: Lieber. Angel. Music. Hoff-power
this tidbit in the S-T:
The Class AAA Iowa Cubs are back in the playoffs for the first time in four years, and one small ramification at the big-league level is that a few anticipated September roster additions might stay with Iowa through its playoff series.
The exceptions: Pitchers Jon Lieber (foot) and Angel Guzman (elbow) are expected to be activated from the DL when rosters expand, and lefty hitter Micah Hoffpauir, who's having a monster season, is expected to join the big club right away.
http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/11264...
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