To fill Wood’s role, the Cubs traded for Kevin Gregg on Thursday as well. The Cubs will be sending Jose Ceda to the Florida Marlins in exchange for Gregg. Gregg wasn’t that great last year in the closers role so I hope he a setup mane for Carlos Marmol. Marmol needs to be the closer of this team in my opinion.

What do you think Cubs fans?

Aramis Ramirez and Jim Edmonds also hit solo home runs in the game. The offense took a while to get going, but when they did it was a great scene!

Kerry Wood ended up with the win and worked his way out of a huge jam in the top of the 12th inning. Wood is now 5-4 on the year. Cubs starting pitcher Rich Harden only pitched five innings but only allowed one hit. The reason he only lasted five innings was because he walked six batters and struck out seven and his pitch count was very high.

Jeff Samardzija struggled out of of the pen once again as he gave up two run. Neal Cotts also allowed one run in relief.

The team found a way to win and that is exactly what they needed to do. I’m pretty sure we will see the Cubs clinch the division this weekend against the St. Louis Cardinals!

Cubs Blog

On Wednesday night, the game was all about Ted Lilly who tossed eight innings and only gave up one run. Lilly was awesome down in St. Louis and he improved his record to 14-9.

Kerry Wood had some trouble in the ninth inning as he gave up a two-run home run to Ryan Ludwick but then he retired the next batter to secure the save and the cubs victory. Wood needs to have some 1-2-3 innings out there to take off all this pressure!

At the plate for the cubs, Alfonso Soriano, Felix Pie, and Aramis Ramirez all had one rbi each. The other run for the Cubs came via a Felipe Lopez error in the second inning. The Cubs scored all four of their runs in the second inning and then held on for the victory.

The Cubs and Cardinals play one more game on Thursday night. Hopefully the Cubs can win again and win this series down in St. Louis.

Cubs Blogging

The Cubs got on the scoreboard with a rbi groundout by Ronny Cedeno. The ball was hit slow enough to third base that Reed Johnson was able to score as he took off on contact. The throw was never made to home as the Pirates third basemen elected to just get an out at first. On the very next pitch, Henry Blanco laid down a squeez bunt and Mark DeRosa scored without any troubles.

Jason Marquis pitched seven shutout innings and did not allow a walk as he earned his ninth victory of the season. Marquis was awesome and kept the Pirates guessing all afternoon long. Once again it was Carlos Marmol pitching in the eighth inning and Kerry Wood finishing things off in the ninth as the Cubs went on to win.

Cubs Baseball Blog

Aramis Ramirez hit another three run home run and finished the game with four rbi. Kosuke Fukudome also had four rbi in the game as he went 3-4. JIm Edmonds, Henry Blanco, and Ted Lilly all helped out at the plate as they each had a rbi as well. The Cubs batters took four walks and struck out five times in the game as they were very productive.

Lilly pitched seven innings to get the victory. Lilly gave up seven hits and three runs while striking out seven Pirates to get the victory and improve to 13-7 on the season. Bob Howry gave up a single in the eighth inning but did not allow a run and then Kerry Wood pitched the ninth inning to finish up the game.

The Cubs will try to win the second game of the series Tuesday night. Go Cubs!

Cubs Baseball Blog

Big Z pitched seven strong innings to get the victory and improve to 13-5 on the season. Z gave up six hits and the one run which came on a solo home run. Zambrano struckout four batters but was also a little wild as he walked four others. he clearly showed his emotion out on the mound today and luckily it didn’t come back to hurt him. Big Z also hit his fourth home run of the season as he went deep in the third inning.

Carlos Marmol gave up a solo home run to Joey Votto in the eighth inning and then Kerry Wood closed the door in the ninth to record his 26th save of the season.

Besides Zambrano’s solo home run, Mark DeRosa stayed hot with a solo home run of his own in the second inning. The Cubs also scored a run in the first inning when Derrek Lee grounded into a douple play. It seems that Lee can’t hit the ball out of the park but sure can ground into the dp’s!

Cubs Baseball

Ted Lilly didn’t have his best stuff as he was charged with four runs but it was good enough to get the win and improve to 12-6 on the year. Bob Howy had some trouble as he allowed a three run home run that got the Braves back within four runs. Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood then finished up the Braves in the final two innings.

Aramis Ramirez hit a three run home run to lead the Cubbies at the plate with three rbi. Alfonso Soriano added a two run shot of his own as well. Geovany Soto had another great game at the plate as he had three walks and two rbi. Mark DeRosa, Reed Johnson, Daryle Ward, and Ryan Theriot all had one rbi each as well.

The Cubbies will try to make it nine in a row on the road Friday night as they take on the Florida Marlins. Big Z will be taking the mound for the Cubs.

Cubs Baseball Blog

Right now I’ll just give you a short recap of game one of the double header against the Braves.  The Cubs bats were swinging and knocking in runs as they crushed the Braves 10-2.  Jason Marquis tossed 5 1/3 innings to pick up the win.  Marquis didn’t pitch too badly as he gave up six hits and two runs, but his pitch count really got up there and that is why he only lasted a little over five innings.  Marquis had to work out of jams quite a few times and that is why the pitchcount was so high.

Neal Cotts, Jeff Samardzija, and Bob Howry all seen action out of the bullpen.  All three pitched great and allowed the team to save Kerry Wood and Carlos Marmol for the second game which will kick off at 6 p.m. central time.

Geovany Soto led the offense by going 3-4 with four rbi.  Soto had a two run double in the second inning and then added a two run home run in the ninth inning.  I would expect to see Soto sit out the second game and Henry Blanco to get the start.  Jim Edmonds also had a good game at the plate as he had three rbi in the game.  Aramis Ramirez, Mark DeRosa, and Ryan Theriot all added one rbi each as well.

Let’s go get game two and hopefully see a Brewers loss later tonight. GO CUBS!

Cubs Baseball

Giants ace, Tim Lincecum, kept Cub’s bats at bay as the Giants prevented the sweep with a 4-2 victory over the Cubs on Sunday afternoon.  Lincecum showed again why he is on the NL All-Star team and a CY Young candidate.  Lincecum threw 8 innings giving up 1 run on 6 hits.  He added to his league leading total of strikeouts by whiffing 9 Cub’s batters. 

The Giants started their scoring in the 3^rd inning when Lincecum helped his own cause by tripling in Omar Vizquel for the game’s first run.  A two out single from Ray Durham would give the Giants 2 more runs in the inning and a 3-0 lead.

The Cubs would plate a run in the 4^th inning on a double from the hot-hitting Cub’s centerfielder Jim Edmonds.  He has proven to be a very valuable and low-risk midseason pickup for Jim Hendry.  The Cubs needed another left-handed batter in their lineup and Edmonds has proved very serviceable.   

The Giants would take a 4-1 lead to the 9^th inning after an RBI triple from Fred Lewis.   The Giants then went to closer Brian Wilson for a chance at a league leading 25^th save.  Edmonds would walk and score leaving a pinch hit chance for Geovany Soto with one out and two on.  Representing the tying run, Soto struck out on a called third strike.  Cub’s shortstop Ryan Theriot, who had extended his hitting streak to ten games earlier, ground out to in the game.   Ryan Dempster was credited with his first loss at home this year giving up four earned runs, seven hits, and striking out six.  Dempster now falls to 10-4 on the season.

Special Notes:  Cub’s reliever, Carlos Marmol, will replace Cub’s closer Kerry Wood in the All-Star game due to a minor blister that Kerry wants to give a chance to heal. 

Cub’s fans got exactly what they expected out of newly acquired pitcher, Rich Harden, but it would take an 11^th inning RBI single from Reed Johnson to secure the Cubs second straight victory.  Harden was effective through 5 1/3^rd innings giving up five hits while striking out ten batters and giving up no runs.  It was the third time in his career that Harden had double-digit strikeout totals and the second this year.  He would leave to a standing ovation in the 5^th inning with a smile on his face that was shared throughout the electric crowd on hand at Wrigley. 

The Cubs would give Harden plenty of run support early led by Jim Edmonds 2-run homer in the 3^rd and then a two-run double in the 4^th.  He would finish the day 2-4 with four RBI’s and 2 runs.  The Cubs would then take a 7-0 lead into the 8^th inning before Giant’s catcher, Bengie Molina, doubled in Ray Durham for the Giant’s first run.  They would score once more to make it 7-2 heading into the 9^th inning. 

In the 9^th, with a five run lead, Lou Piniella gave the ball to Carlos Marmol, who has struggled of late.  After a lead-off double to Giant’s shortstop, Ivan Ochoa, things would begin to unravel for Marmol.  After another single and two Cub’s misplays in the infield, the game was quickly tied 7-7.  Cub’s closer, Kerry Wood was unavailable in the game due to a blister so Lou went with Sean Marshall in the 10^th.  Marshall pitched two solid innings before leading off with a single in the 11^th.  Then, with Mark DeRosa at 2^nd and Mike Fontenot at 1^st, Reed Johnson hit a one out, game-winning single which scored Derosa on a very close call at home plate. 

Expect the presence of broomsticks in Wrigley for the series closer Sunday afternoon as the Cubs look for the sweep.  They will be facing Giant’s ace and All-Star, Tim Lincecum (10-2), who has looked like a Cy Young winner despite pitching for a team below .500.  The Cubs will bring Ryan Dempster to mound who has yet to lose in Wrigley Field this season.

Special Note….  Cubs shortstop, Ryan Theriot, went 3-4 on Saturday extending his hitting streak to nine games and upping his batting average to .322 on the year.