4/25 CHC@STL; 3:10PM, TV: FOX, RADIO:WGN

[ryno4ever]

Chicago Cubs (8-7)
vs.
St. Louis Cardinals (12-5)
April 25, 2009
… Busch Stadium …
Game No. 16
Road Game No. 8
LHP Sean Marshall (0-0, 4.50)
vs.
RHP Mitchell Boggs (0-0, 4.50)

[ryno4ever]

IT WASN’T IN THE CARDS: The Chicago Cubs last night lost to the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-3, to begin their six-game, two-city trip through St. Louis and Arizona … the Cubs have now lost three games in a row, their first three-game losing streak within the month of April since the 2007 campaign … in 2008, the Cubs did not endure their first three-game losing streak of the year until June 17-19.

OFFENSIVE DROUGHT: The Chicago Cubs last night scored only three runs after scoring just one run the day before and being shut out on Wednesday … the Cubs last night went 3-for-17 with runners on base, including a 1-for-10 showing with runners in scoring position.

20 (IN) 20 VISION: After enjoying three off days during the first two weeks of the campaign, the Cubs today are now five games into a stretch of 20 games in a row without a day off … the Cubs next rest on May 11.
The Cubs began this 20-game stretch by dropping two of three games to the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley, capping a rain-shortened eight-game, 11-day homestand vs. Colorado (1-1), St. Louis (2-1) and Cincinnati (1-2) with a 4-4 record.

THINGS HAVE BEEN MOSTLY ALL RIGHT: Through their first 15 games of the season, the Cubs have faced 14 right-handed starters, a trend that will continue this weekend against Mitchell Boggs and Todd Wellemeyer … the Cubs have faced only one left-handed starter this year – Houston’s Wandy Rodriguez in the second game of the season on April 7 … the Cubs are scheduled to face 15 right-handed starters in a row by the end of the weekend.

The Cubs this year are 8-6 vs. right-handed starters and 0-1 vs. Rodriguez … the Cubs join the Mets as the lone club in the National League to face only one left-handed starter this season, as the Mets faced their first southpaw of the campaign last night … conversely, the Cardinals have faced seven lefties this season, tied with several teams for most in the National League.

11TH HEAVEN: Alfonso Soriano brings a 10-game hitting streak into tonight’s contest, during which he is batting .341 (15-for-44) with a .442 on-base percentage … last night Soriano batted in the third spot in the line-up for the first time since May 20, 2007 and responded with a double to continue his tear … here’s a look at Soriano through his first 15 games in each of his three seasons with Chicago:

Thru 15 G Avg. AB R H 2B HR RBI BB SO OBP SLG OPS
2009 .313 64 16 20 5 5 9 9 16 .397 .625 1.022
2008 .164 67 8 11 1 3 6 4 14 .211 .313 .524
2007 .267 60 8 16 8 0 1 2 13 .302 .400 .702

TWO OUTS? SO WHAT…: Aramis Ramirez’ 11 two-out RBI are second in the majors, one behind of Boston’s Mike Lowell (12) … the Cubs have 31 two-out RBI thus far, 11th-most in the majors – Toronto leads with 52 RBI in that situation.

In the club’s last seven games, 13 of Chicago’s 30 runs scored have come with two outs in a frame … all told, the Cubs have scored 31 of their 70 runs with two outs in an inning (44-percent).

TWO OUTS? BEAR DOWN: Cubs pitchers have limited the opponent to a .150 batting average (9-for-60) with runners in scoring position and two – the lowest mark in the National League … the Dodgers are second with a .179 mark.

Kevin Gregg (0-for-4), Carlos Marmol (0-for-4) and Angel Guzman (0-for-5) have held opponents hitless with runners in scoring position and two outs.

INHERITANCE: Cubs relievers have stranded 25 of 30 inherited runners, and their 83.3-percent success rate ranks third in the majors, trailing only the Philadelphia Phillies (95 percent) and Toronto Blue Jays (85.7 percent).

OUTSTANDING OUTFIELD: Cubs outfielders have combined to bat .291 (50-for-172) with 10 homers, 23 RBI, a .401 on-base percentage and a .535 slugging percentage … the .535 slugging mark and .401 on-base percentage both rank third among major league outfields … the 10 homers are third in the National League, just two behind the leading Dodgers (12) … Cubs outfielders have drawn 28 walks, tied for third in the league.

CUBS RECORD
2009 Overall: ...........................................8-7
At Wrigley Field: ...................................4-4
On the Road: .......................................4-3
Home Series:.......................................1-1-1
Road Series: .......................................2-0-0
All-Time Since 1876: ..................10,090-9,530
At Wrigley Field (since 1916): .....3,886-3,403

CUBS VS. ST. LOUIS
The Cubs and Cardinals will play each other 16 times this regular season, including six games in April … the Cubs took two of three games last weekend at Wrigley in a rain-shortened series … the Cubs return here in a few weeks for three more games May 19-21 and the Cardinals’ return to the Friendly Confines July 10-12 (4 games, including a day-night doubleheader on July 12) … of their 16 games against each other, 13 come prior to the All-Star break

2009 Overall: ............................................2-2
At Wrigley Field: ....................................2-1
At Busch Stadium: .................................0-1

2008 Overall: ............................................9-6
At Wrigley Field: ....................................4-2
At Busch Stadium:..................................5-4

All-Time Since 1892: ....................1,148-1,080
At Wrigley Field: .............................476-416
At Busch Stadium (since 2006): ...........15-13

UPCOMING MILESTONES
Milestone...............Player (Number Needed)
200 Starts.............................Ryan Dempster (1)
200 Extra Base Hits..................Reed Johnson (3)
100 Victories.......................Carlos Zambrano (3)
5,000 At-Bats........................Alfonso Soriano (2)

ABOUT THE RECORD
Chicago is 8-1 when playing errorless ball, and 0-6 when committing an error … the Cubs are 6-1 when holding a lead entering the seventh inning and are 5-1 when scoring first.

COMEBACK KIDS
Four of Chicago’s last six wins have been of the come-from-behind variety, including their last three victories.

GOOD CONTROL
Ted Lilly leads the National League with a 6.50 strikeout to walk ratio:

Rank Player Ratio
1. Ted Lilly, CHI 6.50
2. Johan Santana, NYM 6.17
3. Josh Johnson, FLA 5.80
4. Dan Haren, ARI 5.20

MOST RUNS SCORED, N.L., IN 2009
Rank Player Runs
1. Albert Pujols, STL 19
2. Alfonso Soriano, CHI 16
Orlando Hudson, LAD 16
4. Manny Ramirez, LAD 14
RaulIbanez,PHI14

[ARamfan]

Here in Ariz we're supposed to get this game on FOX, but the TV listing says Yankees/Red Sox game! Makes no sense with all the Chicago people out here! So, I'll probably be listening to the wgn radio broadcast, since it's blacked out for mlb.tv video too.

[ryno4ever]

Chi Cubs

R. Theriot ss
K. Fukudome rf
A. Soriano lf
D. Lee 1b
M. Fontenot 3b
R. Johnson cf
G. Soto c
A. Miles 2b
S. Marshall p

St. Louis

B. Ryan 2b
C. Rasmus cf
A. Pujols 1b
R. Ludwick rf
Y. Molina c
C. Duncan lf
K. Greene ss
B. Barden 3b
M. Boggs p

[ryno4ever]

Why is it blacked out for you on mlb? Because it is fox?

[ryno4ever]

Lou's Pregame with Ronnie warned us that we may see many "surprises" today due to the very thin bench, that we may see Soriano play some second base, and Koyie Hill some third base, and Big Z as a pinch hitter.

[ARamfan]

Originally Posted by ryno4ever Why is it blacked out for you on mlb? Because it is fox?

Yeah, fox has the rights to all Sat. games and this is what they do!

[ryno4ever]

Here we gooooooo..... They are giving Kudos to Theriot saying how he has become a very good every day player "scrappy, grinder", etc.

[ryno4ever]

theriot flies out to deep center.

[ryno4ever]

Rammy will not go on the DL, but be off 3 to 5 days....