So that was the player Jim Hendry was trying to trade for all off season.  Brian Roberts led the Orioles with three hits and a rbi and as the Orioles defeated the Cubs 7-5 and snapped the Cubs 14 home game winnings streak.

The Cubs attempted a ninth inning rally and had the bases loaded with zero outs but Ronny Cedeno, Kosukue Fukudome, and Henry Blanco all struckout to end the game.  They were swinging at some very bad pitches for some reason.  You have to be more patient at the plate in that situation.

Jim Edmonds was the guy that got the Cubs back into the game as they were down 7-1 until he hit a three run home run in the seventh inning.  Aramis Ramirez then followed that with a two run single in the eighth inning to put the Cubs within striking distance but that was as close as they would get.  Fukudome did hit his sixth home run in the season as well.

Starting pitcher Sean Marshall struggled on the mound in the fourth and fifth innings as he only lasted 4 2/3 innings after giving up seven hits and four runs.  Marshall did strikeout seven batters but the fourt and fifth inning really hurt up.  Michael Wuertz wasn’t much better as he allowed two hits and three runs to score in only one inning of action.

The Cubs will now try to start another winning streak on Wednesday night.  Hopefully they can tie the series up at 1-1 with Ted Lilly on the mound.

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Chicago Cubs fans, time is running out for you to enter the State Farm Call Your Shot promotion. It only takes a couple of minutes to sign up, and one you see the prize list, you will definately want to sign up!

What could be better then taking a free trip for four people to New York City for the All Star game? Staying in a great hotel, getting spending money, free tickets to the game and even a broadway show is exactly what you will get if you are selected as the grand prize winner of the Call Your Shot Promo. Take two minutes right now and enter the promo!

The grand prize winner will also get the chance to pick a spot to which two of the Home Run Derby players must compete to try to hit a ball. If the first player hits the ball to the called spot, the promotion ends. If either player succeeds, the fan receives a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid vehicle and a 2009 season-ticket package for any team.

Additionally, 10 fans will win first place prizes consisting of a $300 MLB.com gift card and 25 second place prize winners will receive $100 MLB.com gift cards.

Remember, time is running out and you have nothing to lose! Also, remember to vote for your favorite Cubs players to be in the All Star game!

The Chicago Cubs had a 3-1 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning but Carlos Marmol and Scott Eyre both sucked it up and the Cubs ended up giving up seven runs in the inning and losing 8-3.  It was the first time in the past four days that Marmol was on the mound pitching so he was well rested but clearly didn’t have his usual control.  He walked two batters and hit two batters before being pulled out of the game.

Eyre on the other hand came in with the bases loaded and quickly gave up a grand slam which blew the game wide open.  He then gave up a triple, double, and a sac fly before finally recording an out.  Jon Lieber then came in and finished up the game by throwing 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

Starting pitcher Sean Gallagher didn’t pitch that bad at all.  He did get out of a bases loaded jam in the second inning with only giving up one out but that was really his only mistake of the game.  He lasted six innings while giving up four hits and one run.  It’s too bad Gallagher wasn’t able to get the win.  Oh well I guess Marmol was due for a loss…

Kosuke Fukudome, Ryan Theriot, and Mike Fontenot all had a rbi for the cubs.  Derrek Lee did go 3-4 to kind of get out of his slump.

Cubs Blog

Carlos Zambrano was pretty wild on Wednesday night as the Chicago Cubs lost to the Tampa Bay Rays for the second straight night.  Big Z took the loss as the Cubs lost the game by the score of 5-3.

It was unsure if Zambrano just didn’t get settled in, or if he had some sort of arm problem.  He did leave the game after pitching 6 2/3 innings.  He tried to talk his way into staying in the game but that didn’t happen as Lou Piniella brough in Neal Cotts who ended up walking his only batter.

Michael Wuertz was then brought in to record the final out in the seventh inning and he also pitched the eighth inning without letting a run score.  It was  good job by Wuertz, but Cotts has been sucking it up and needs to be sent back down to the minors if you ask me.

Ryan Theriot had two rbi for the Cubs while Kosuke Fukudome had one rbi.  It should be noted that Fukudome will be the lead off man every game until Alfonso Soriano returns to the lineup.  Geovany Soto hit a solo home run to start the top of the ninth but the Cubs couldn’t get another run to tie the game and extend it into extra innings.

Jim Edmonds left the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with soreness in his left foot.

Cubs Blog

The Chicago Cubs almost tied up the game in the top of the ninth inning as Reed Johnson bunted with two outs and Kosuke Fukudome on third base.  However, Rays stud third basemen Evan Longoria bare handed the ball and bounced it to first base where Willy Aybar snagged it to secure the victory.

The Cubs had scored one run earlier in the ninth on a passed ball to make the game 3-2. They had a chance to score another run on another wild pitch but Fukudome decided to stay at third base which was probably the correct choice.

Neal Cotts took the loss for the Cubs as he gave up the game winning home run to Longoria in the game.  It seems that Cotts always gives up at least one run in the game every time he pitches.  Does it seem that way to you?

The Cubs will have their ace Carlos Zambrano on the mound on Wednesday night so I expect them to get a victory and even the series at 1-1.

Cubs Blog

Hello everyone, I wanted to let you know about a great promotion that Major League Baseball as well as State Farm Insurance are putting on. State Farm is giving away some great prizes and all you have to do is go to the Offical State Farm Call Your Shot website and register through June 24th. If you are the lucky winner we have listed out what the winner will all receive below.  Now tell me if that isn’t one of the best prizes for a baseball family! Make sure you take a few minutes to register, you could be the winner!

• All-expense paid trip for four to the All-Star Game and State Farm Home Run Derby
• First class hotel accommodations in New York
• Tickets to a Broadway show
• $1,000 MasterCard gift card

The grand prize winner will also get the chance to pick a spot to which two of the Home Run Derby players must compete to try to hit a ball. If the first player hits the ball to the called spot, the promotion ends. If either player succeeds, the fan receives a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe hybrid vehicle and a 2009 season-ticket package for any team.

Additionally, 10 fans will win first place prizes consisting of a $300 MLB.com gift card and 25 second place prize winners will receive $100 MLB.com gift cards.

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Jim Edmonds hit a game tying home run in the bottom of the ninth inning and then Reed Johnson was hit by a pitch in the 11th inning with the bases loaded as the Chicago Cubs came back to beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2.  It was awesome to see Edmonds be productive at the plate and keep the Cubs in the game.

Carlos Zambrano got the start for the Cubs and pitched seven innings while giving up eight hits and two runs.  Zambrano gave up a two run home run in the second inning to Jeff Francoeur but that was all the Braves would get.

The Cubs bullpen did a great job as Scott Eyre, Carlos Marmol, Neal Cotts, and Kerry Wood all contributed.  Wood was the one who got the win and is now 3-1 on the season.

The Cubs will now travel to Canada to take on the Blue Jays this weekend.  It could be a tough road trip for the Cubs, hopefully they will keep on winning!

Cubs Blog

Once again the Chicago Cubs defeated the Atlanta Braves in a night game at Wrigley Field.  The Cubs beat the Braves 7-2 on Wednesday night behind a complete game by Ryan Dempster.  It was the first complete game by a Cubs pitcher this season as he threw 119 pitches to finish the game.

However any celebrating the Cubs wanted to do, they won’t be doing it tonight as Alfonso Soriano was hit on the left hand and actually broke a finger on his hand.  Soriano will miss atleast two weeks but expect it to be three or four weeks.  Micah Hoofpauir would be our guess to be called up to take Soriano’s spot on the roster.

Kosuke Fukudome had three rbi all on a three run home run in the first inning to lead the Cubs at the plate.  Ryan Theriot and Jim Edmonds both had two rbi each in the game as well for the Cubbies.

The Cubs will go for the three game sweep of the Braves on Thursday afternoon from Wrigley Field.

Cubs Blog

Kosuke Fukudome delivered the game winning rbi single for the Chicago Cubs in the ninth inning as the Cubs defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers by the score of 5-4.  Fukudome also got the Cubs scoring started in the second inning when he hit a solo home run which was his fourth of the season.

Besides getting two rbi from Fukudome, Ryan Theriot, Aramis Ramirez, and Mark DeRosa all had one rbi in the game.  DeRosa’s rbi came on a solo home run in the fourth inning.  The Cubs should have done more damage in the game but they left 20 runners on base.

Starting pitcher Ryan Dempster didn’t have his best stuff going and ended up getting a no decision in the game.  He was pulled after just 5 1/3 innings as he gave up five hits and three runs.  One of those hits however was a Jeff Kent solo home run.

Neal Cotts and Carlos Marmol got the Cubs into the eighth inning where Bob Howry gave up the lead as Kent hit his second solo home run of the game.  Howry would get lucky however as Fukudome picked him up and scored a run in the top of the ninth inning, and then Kerry Wood came in to record his 17th save of the season.  Wood is really racking up the save as of late!

The Cubs will continue playing the Dodgers through the weekend.  Cubs Blog

The Chicago Cubs used the long ball to win their ninth straight game as they beat the San Diego Padres 9-6 at Petco Park.  Petco is not a park where you usually see home runs hits, but the Cubs hit three long balls in the game.

Alfonso Soriano had a three run shot in the eighth inning, Mark DeRosa hit a two run shot in the fifth inning, and earlier in the fifth inning Geovany Soto connected for his tenth home run as he went deep to center field.  Soto would have had another home run in the game as well in any other ball park but it was caughty right at the wall in deep center field.

Soriano led the Cubs with three rbi while DeRosa had two rbi.  Soto, Ryan Theriot, Derrek Lee, and Aramis Ramirez all had one rbi in the game.

On the mound it was Jason Marquis pitching five innings and picking up the win.  Marquis sure didn’t have his best stuff, and I think he was glad he was pitching in the big park as he got hit kind of hard.  Four hits and three runs were charged to Marquis as he improved his record to 3-3.

The Cubs used six relief pitchers for the final four innings of the game as Piniella is trying to not have each pitcher throw to many pitchers as they have been used a lot lately.  Kevin Hart who had just been called up threw the worst as he gave up two hits and three runs while walking two.  Hopefully it was just a case of nerves after being called back up to the big league team.

Michael Wuertz, Scott Eyre, Neal Cotts, Bob Howry, and Kerry Wood all seen action out of the bullpen.  Wood recorded his 16th save of the season in the game.  It would be great to see the Cubs starting throw a complete game or atleast seven or eight innings so the bullpen can get some rest…

As we mentioned Kevin Hart was called up and Micah Hoffpauir was sent down.  It was simply the case of the Cubs needing a fresh arm in the bullpen. Hoffpauir will more then likely be called up when the Cubs travel to Toronto.

Cubs Blog