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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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The Chicago Cubs score two runs in the seventh inning and then three more in the eighth inning as they came from behind to beat the Colorado Rockies 8-4.  That is a great way to start a four game series against the Rockies!  Good teams find ways to win and that is just what the Cubs did on Thursday night.

Geovany Soto had the winning hit for the Cubs in the seventh inning when he hit a sac fly to right field and Ryan Theriot scored.  From there on, it was all Cubs as the scored three more times in the eighth inning.  It was awesome to see Micah Hoffpauir get a rbi in the eighth inning as well.

Alfonso Soriano led the Cubs with two rbi while a slew of players had one rbi each.  Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Kosuke Fukudome, Soto, Reed Johnson, and Hoffpauir all had one rbi in the game.

Jason Marquis pitched pretty good until the but ran into a tough jam in the sixth inning.  Marquis got a no decision after throwing 5 1/3 innings and allowing seven hits and three runs.  Neal Cotts came in and two runs score that were charged to Marquis.  Michael Wuertz also gave up a run out of the bullpen before Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood finished off the Rockies in the eighth and ninth innings.

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The Chicago Cubs made a couple more roster cuts on Friday as they sent relief pitcher Neal Cotts to Triple-A Iowa where he will probably stay the entire season unless he gets traded.  Cotts just doesn’t have what it takes to make the Cubs big league roster and be productive for the big league team.

Koyie Hill was also re-assigned to the Cubs minor league camp.  He is third or fourth on the Cubs depth chart at the catchers position so I wouldn’t expect him to be called up unless there are severe injuries at the catchers position.

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