Recap Game 19

Mets – 1

Cubs – 7

Carlos Zambrano and John Maine were locked in a pitchers duel through six innings, but the Cubs were able to get to the Mets’ bullpen in the bottom of the eighth to put tonight’s game away.  Zambrano continued his strong start to the season he has struck out 27 batters and walked only five.  Big “Z,”  advanced his record to 3-1 with a 2.67 E.R.A..  At the plate the Cubs continued their hot hitting with a big eighth inning.

The Cubs platted the first runs of the game on the strength of their three and four hitters.  Derrek Lee lead off with a single to center followed by and Aramis Ramirez home run.  Ramirez is starting to heat up with the rest of the Cubby bats, homering in each of the last two games, he is 6-9 over the last three games with three walks, and has been hit by a pair of pitches.  The Mets then cut the lead in half scoring a run on a Jose Reyes double play ball, the Cubs conceded the run in order to turn the double play.

Then in the bottom of the eighth inning with Kerry Wood warming in the pen, the Cubs put the game out of reach.  Lee reached on an error to open the inning and Ramirez was hit by a pitch.  Kosuke Fukudome then singled to left, after a ten pitch at bat, to load the bases with no outs.  Mark DeRosa then struck out while clearly swing for the fence; and Geovany Soto was out on the infield fly rule.  Ronny Cedeno, then had a strong seven pitch at-bat which ended with a sharp single to center scoring Lee and Ramirez.  Chasing pitcher Aaron Heilman in favor of Jorge Sosa.  Felix Pie, a defensive replacement in the top of the inning, greeted Sosa by taking a low fastball out of the yard to put the Cubbies up 7-1 and close out the scoring on the night.  Kerry Wood, came into pitch the ninth, even though it was no longer a save situation; and retired the Metropolitans in order on five pitches.

Numbers and Notes:

W: Carlos Zambrano (3-1, 2.67 E.R.A., 5H, 4K, 2BB, 1R)

L: John Maine (1-2, 3.57 E.R.A., 5H, 6K, 1BB, 2R)

Most Valuable Cub: Ronny Cedeno.  Cedeno only went 1-4 but that one hit was a big one.  After falling behind in the count 1-2 Cedeno fouled off three pitches before lining a single to center driving in two and putting the game away.  Had Cedeno not hit safely the New Yorkers would have escaped a bases loaded no out situation without surrendering a run.  Instead, Cedeno, pushed the lead to 4-1 in the Cubs favor and kept the lead alive for Pie’s three run homer.

Number of the Night: 3 – Over the last 3 games the Cubs have score 33 runs; the last 3 of which came on Pie’s (a 3 letter last name) 3 run homer which came on the 3rd pitch of the at-bat.  The Cubs used 3 pitchers, who induced 3 double plays, and stranded 3 runners.  Lastly, the Cubs will go for their 3rd series sweep of the season tomorrow.

Shortstop Ryan Theriot, was a last minute scratch due to back spasms making way for hero-of-for-day Ronny Cedeno to start.  Theriot had been hitting .481 over the last week and is on a seven game hitting streak, he is listed as day to day.  Tomorrow sees the last game of the two game set with the Mets.  Ted Lilly (0-3, 9.16) faces Nelson Figueroa (1-0, 3.16).  The Cubs improved to 13-6 and are a half game ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals; the Mets fell to 10-8 and are a game and a half behind the Philadelphia Phillies.

Weekcap 4/14-4/20

Last Week

Record: 5-1

The Cubs found their swagger at the plate last week putting up 52 runs over six home games against division rivals the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates.  The Cubs opened an eight game home-stand in style last Tuesday with 9-5 victory over the Reds their former manager Dusty “Dude Man” Baker.   The Cubs pick up where they left off the next day with a 12-3 victory.  The boys in blue were not able to complete the sweep however losing 9-2 allowing Baker to get his first win against the team he managed to a 322-326 record from 2003-2006.

After the Reds left town the lowly Pirates came in for a three game set which was more of a formality than any actual contest.  The home team put three “W’s” on the board in impressive fashion, beating Pirate “ace” Ian Snell 3-2 on Friday.  Then they posted thirteen runs each of the next two days with a 13-1 victory on Saturday and a 13-6 on Sunday to complete the Cubs’ second sweep of the Pirates this season and third in a row.

Notes and Numbers

The Cubs bats were red hot over the last week as they doubled up opponents 52-26.  The 26 runs given up works out to a 4.33 E.R.A. Overall the Cubs’ starters turned in their best week of the young season.  That said Ted Lilly still needs to get back on track.  Lilly gave up five runs in his six innings of work in his only start last week; the only good news is that he managed to lower his E.R.A. (9.16).  Lilly probably should have been pulled after the fifth at which point he had given up only three runs.  Rich Hill got back on track with six innings of three hit, one run, ball against the Pirates on Friday.

Reed Johnson has been on a tear at the plate hitting .450 last week with a pair of doubles and four runs scored.  Kosuke Fukudome has continued his strong start going 6-19 with five walks, a triple, double, and six runs scored.  Fukudome only has four outs to the outfield, compared to 13 hits, this season. Ryan Theriot, on a seven game hit streak, hit .481 last week.

Cub of the Week: Derrek Lee 9-20, 3HR, 8R.B.I., 7R,

Next Week

The Cubs finish out the home-stand with a pair against the Mets, and are lucky enough to avoid ace Johan Santana.  Then go on a five game road trip with a pair in Colorado and three in Washington’s new stadium.  A 5-3 record this week is not out of the question the way that this team has been hitting the ball.  The Cubs’ hot bats should do some damage in the thin air of Colorado.  Thankfully Ted Lilly is slated for Tuesday and will not pitch in Colorado.