Game Time: 7:05 PM ET
TV: WGN
Pitching Matchup:
Cubs- Carlos Zambrano (4-2, 3.44 ERA)
Tigers- Edwin Jackson (6-4, 2.39 ERA)
Lineups:
Cubs
1. Alfonso Soriano, LF (.224, 14 HR, 30 RBI, .721 OPS)
2. Ryan Theriot, SS (.284, 6 HR, 26 RBI, .761 OPS)
3. Milton Bradley, RF (.247, 5 HR, 16 RBI, .746 OPS)
4. Derrek Lee, 1B (.286, 11 HR, 36 RBI, .854 OPS)
5. Micah Hoffpauir, DH (.261, 5 HR, 19 RBI, .750 OPS)
6. Geovany Soto, C (.225, 5 HR, 19 RBI, .694 OPS)
7. Kosuke Fukudome, CF (.266, 5 HR, 22 RBI, .818 OPS)
8. Mike Fontenot, 3B (.232, 6 HR, 26 RBI, .703 OPS)
9. Andres Blanco, 2B (.245, 0 HR, 6 RBI, .612 OPS)
Tigers
1. Curtis Granderson, CF (.263, 17 HR, 41 RBI, .836 OPS)
2. Placido Polanco, 2B (.263, 3 HR, 26 RBI, .690 OPS)
3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B (.333, 14 HR, 44 RBI, .951 OPS)
4. Marcus Thames, DH (.302, 5 HR, 12 RBI, .952 OPS)
5. Don Kelly, LF (.417, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 1.045 OPS)
6. Brandon Inge, 3B (.274, 16 HR, 47 RBI, .892 OPS)
7. Magglio Ordonez, RF (.273, 2 HR, 22 RBI, .690 OPS)
8. Gerald Laird, C (.223, 2 HR, 16 RBI, .643 OPS)
9. Ramon Santiago, SS (.278, 4 HR, 21 RBI, .763 OPS)
This is the Cubs' 1st game at an AL park this year, and the beginning of a 3-game series at the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers. This is going to be a really tough series, and the Cubs are going to need to swing the bats well which has been a huge problem on the road this year. They'll be facing good pitching and an offense that can score with anybody.
Tonight's a great pitching matchup, with Carlos Zambrano going up against Edwin Jackson. Zambrano's had awesome stuff of late, really as good as his stuff has looked in a few years. Jackson's been one of the best pitchers in the AL after being acquired from the Rays in the offseason. He has terrific stuff and is finally looking like the pitcher people thought would be a star when he came up with the Dodgers.
Top of the 1st
Temperature at 86 degrees to start the game. Cubs sporting their blue tops, Tigers in all whites.
Jackson's 1st couple pitches way upstairs, 2-0 on Soriano. Laird dropped both of them. Fastball with good zip in for a strike, 2-1. Dumps a single into right-center on another fastball.
Very high again, almost hit Theriot in the face, 1-0. Fastball with a lot of movement inside called a strike, 1-1. A little bit further inside this time, 2-1. Good hit and run spot here. Well, Jackson almost hits Theriot in the face again, 3-1. Theriot was showing bunt for some reason. Soriano runs, Theriot grounds a single into left but Soriano can't advance to 3rd with the play right there. 1st and 2nd, no outs for Milton Bradley.
Bradley is a .443 career hitter at Comerica Park. Fastball just misses upstairs, a 50/50 call there. Jackson's wildness may have been the reason it was called a ball. Now a fastball strike, 1-1. Fastball outside again, Jackson's pitches are almost moving too much. Now high and away again, 3-1. Bradley needs to shrink the zone here as Jackson's been all over the place. Ball 4 inside.
Bases loaded with no outs for Derrek Lee, who comes in with a 19-game hitting streak and a 29-game on-base streak. Fastball looks inside but called a strike. Gameday has it right on the corner, so a fair call apparently. Now a ball, 1-1. Bounces a fastball foul, 1-2. This is where the Cubs have been struggling all year. 2 weeks ago you knew for sure the Cubs wouldn't score here, let's hope that isn't the case again. Fastball just a bit inside, 2-2. Crowd groans, close pitch. Somehow he gets a piece of a slider way low and away, grounds to short and they get the force out at 2nd, but Lee beat the play at 1st. I thought he'd be out for sure. 1st and 3rd, 1 out, 1-0 Cubs.
1-2 on Hoffpauir. Swings and misses at a changeup, 2 outs.
1st and 3rd still for Soto. Takes a hanging curve for a strike. Grounds to short, they get the force at 2nd, inning over.
Just 1 run with the bases loaded and no outs and your 4-5-6 hitters coming up is considered a failure, but sadly, I'm quite happy to even score 1.
Bottom of the 1st
Granderson has 17 bombs. Takes a fastball for a strike. Zambrano working ridiculously fast as he often does. Granderson doubles down the right field line on a 1-1 count.
A cutter that looks pretty good called a ball on Polanco, now a foul ball, 1-1 count. Wow, he's getting squeezed, 2-1 now. Polanco drives one into left-center, an RBI triple. Tigers tie it, 1-1.
Miguel Cabrera pops one down the right field line, Lee makes a nice running catch, fires back home, and Polanco doesn't advance. Maybe he could've scored, but not worth chancing with 1 out.
Good strikeout candidate here in Thames, Zambrano needs 1. Swings through a fastball, now pops out to Lee just like Cabrera did. 2 down.
Don Kelly takes a strike. Fastball outside, 1-1. Home plate umpire says Kelly fouled this pitch off on a check swing, I didn't see it, 1-2. Now a pitch inside, 2-2. Changeup low, full count. Kelly pops out to Fontenot.
So each team had a runner at 3rd(in the Cubs case also 1st and 2nd) with no outs, and could only get 1 in the inning.
Top of the 2nd
0-2 on Fukudome. 1-2, Fukudome fouls it off. A 98 mph fastball in Fukudome's eyes and he understandably can't catch up to it, strikes out.
Fontenot fouls a fastball off. Same on a slider, 0-2. Fastball high, 1-2. Offspeed pitch in the dirt gets Fontenot chasing.
Andres Blanco grounds out to short.
Predictably, Jackson settled down and had a great inning. If either pitcher pitches like they're capable of, each team will likely be regretting their failures to bring in more runs in the 1st.
Bottom of the 2nd
Inge gets a 3-0 count. 3-2 now. Crushes one to deep center, gone at most parks, but you -really- have to hit it in Detroit. Fukudome runs it down, 1 out.
Magglio Ordonez back after a benching. Grounds out to the left side of the infield, didn't see exactly where. Do you really care? 2 outs.
Bradley makes a catch on a Laird flyball to right, and can do anything he wants with the ball now because the inning is over.
Top of the 3rd
Soriano somehow hits a breaking ball almost in the dirt, and flies out 410 feet into center. I can't believe how far he hit that.
Ball 1 on Theriot. Hits it hard up the middle but a really nice play by Santiago retires him.
Bradley taps out to Jackson, inning over.
Bottom of the 3rd
Santiago singles a 2-1 pitch into right.
2-1 on Granderson. Splitter in the dirt, Santiago moves up. 3-1 now, Granderson grounds to Blanco, advances Santiago to 3rd.
Infield in with 1 out, Polanco up. 1-1 count. The decision to bring the infield in pays off, as Polanco grounds right to Theriot and Santiago cannot advance. 2 down.
I'd put on Cabrera here. Cubs are pitching to him, 0-1 count as he swings and misses at a cutter. 96 mph fastball inside. 92 mph cutter just misses on the outer half, a bit up. 2-1. Nice block by Soto on a splitter, 3-1. Just put him on now. Rips one foul, full count. Cabrera chases a 94 mph cutter just a bit off the plate to strikeout and make me look stupid.
Top of the 4th
2-1 on Derrek Lee. 3-1 now. Draws the walk, 30-game on-base streak.
2-0 on Hoffpauir. 3-1, and Hoffpauir walks too.
0-2 on Soto. Just hoping he doesn't hit into a double or triple play here. 89 mph slider outside. Now chases an offspeed pitch low, strikes out.
2-2 on Fukudome. Swings and misses at a changeup, 2 outs.
Fontenot flies to center to end the inning. Cubs get 1st and 2nd with no outs, and can't advance them.
Bottom of the 4th
1-2 on Thames, he strikes out. 1 out.
Kelly takes a cutter for a strike. Flies out to Fukudome, 2 outs.
2-0 on Inge, who crushed one his last at bat. 2-1 pitch, and Inge hits one about as hard as you can into left for a single.
91 mph cutter for a strike to Magglio. A rare curveball from Zambrano at 75 mph, low. 2-1 on Ordonez.
Top of the 5th
Andres Blanco continues his superb bunting, lays down a beautiful one that Inge makes a great play on but Blanco beats it out.
Soriano really getting good swings tonight, hits one to fairly deep center but again, you have to hit it a mile at this place. 1 out.
Blanco goes on the 1st pitch, Theriot hits it well to center, but again... yeah. Easy out, Blanco returns back to 1st, 2 down.
1-0 on Bradley. He's going yard soon. 1-1. Chases a 97 mph fastball high, swings and misses. 1-2 count, get the runner moving. Well they do, and he's out at 2nd. Oh well, leading off with a high on-base percentage guy next inning, that's why I wanted them to take the chance.
Bottom of the 5th
Alright, I just missed all that because I left the room for 2 minutes and Zambrano works faster than anybody on the planet on the mound. 1-2-3 inning, inning over. I did just see him strike out Granderson looking on a 93 mph fastball on the inside corner.
Top of the 6th
3-1 on Bradley. He walks.
3-0 on Lee. 3-1 count, and he drills a double into left, 2nd and 3rd, no outs. 20-game hitting streak for Lee.
0-2 on Hoffpauir. And he strikes out, incredible.
1-0 on Soto. Just hit a flyball somewhere. Lays off a slider now, 2-0. 2-1 on a foul ball. Now chases a high fastball at 97. Slider just misses, 3-2. Foul ball on a flyball. Keep one of those fair and I'll be thrilled. And he does! Flyball into right-center, Cubs lead 2-1.
2 down for Fukudome. Absolutely smokes the 1st pitch, Don Kelly makes a leaping catch in left field. Can't do anything about that, inning over.
Bottom of the 6th
Polanco grounds out to 3rd.
Cabrera gets a 50/50 call his way on 2-2, then walks the following pitch.
1-1 on Thames. He has prodigious power, so don't groove anything here. Zambrano with a slider way inside, he's losing his command. Now a little blooper, Theriot elects to let it drop rather than catch it to possibly turn the double play, and they do, barely. I thought Thames was safe at 1st. A rare smart baseball decision by Theriot, very nice play, and the Cubs may have caught a break on that call.
Top of the 7th
2-1 on Fontenot. 96 mph fastball just misses low, 3-1. Full count, now a foul ball. Grounds out to shortstop.
1-2 on Blanco. Rips one down the right field line that would be a double or even triple, but foul by a foot or so. Now drives one to left-center, but Kelly postioned well. 2 outs.
0-1 on Soriano, who has hit the ball well all 3 at bats. Refreshing to see after this ridiculously awful slump he's been in. 2-1 now. Homer here? Takes a hanging slider to my surprise, 2-2. Fouls off a 99 mph fastball high. He's probably the only guy on the team that could do that. Now fouls off a 97 mph fastball. He's going to hit anybody's fastball, Jackson should toss him a slider down and away. He does, and that's strike 3.
Bottom of the 7th
Don Kelly takes a ball. Check swing, 3rd base ump says he held, 2-0. Fouls off a heater, 2-1. 3-1 now. Cutter way inside, hit Kelly I believe, but it doesn't make a difference as it was a walk anyway.
93 pitches for Zambrano. Fastball just misses inside, 1-0. He's not hitting his spots anymore. Big swing as usual for Inge and he fouled it straight back. Be careful here or he'll give the Tigers the lead on 1 swing. Soto drops a fastball low, but Kelly doesn't advance, 2-1 count. And there's the homer I worried about, 3-2 Tigers.
1-2 on Ordonez. Zambrano visibly furious. Now he's out of control, Walks Ordonez. He's freaking out on the mound, Rothschild out to calm him down but I don't think that's going to work.
Josh Anderson pinch-running for Ordonez. Laird bunting, fouls it off. Sean Marshall warming up in the bullpen for the Cubs. Aaron Heilman also warming up for them. Pitchout on 0-1, no movement on the basepaths. 2-1 count now. Anderson picked off 1st base. Now Laird strikes out.
Santiago flies out to Soriano in left.
Top of the 8th
The fireballing Joel Zumaya in, he throws harder than anybody in baseball.
99 mph fastball and Theriot right on it, fouls it straight back. Curveball high. A filthy breaking ball for a strike. Now another one, but a ball. 2-2. Theriot grounds out to Polanco.
1-2 on Bradley, foul ball on a 102 mph fastball, according to the stadium gun. Wow. Now one at 104 mph, Bradley swings through as anybody would. I've never seen that in my life.
Hey whaddya know, a Derrek Lee hit. Runner on 1st, 2 outs.
2-1 on Hoffpauir. On a full count, Hoffpauir hits a changeup into the seats in right to give the Cubs a 4-3 lead!
Brenly is absolutely ripping on Zumaya, "That's one of the stupidest pitches I've ever seen." Sped up Hoffpauir's bat after he had just swung through gas.
Soto strikes out.
Bottom of the 8th
Carlos Marmol in.
Strikes out Granderson.
Now he drills Polanco, runner on 1st, 1 out.
Koyie Hill is in for Soto, seems like a swing last inning hurt him.
2-0 on Cabrera, who can easily give the Tigers the lead here. 2-2 on Cabrera. Fastball inside, 3-2. Cabrera swings through a slider, Polanco safe as he was running on it, barely.
Thames crushes a hanger down the left field line, just foul. Not sure if it had homer distance but would've at least tied the game if it stayed fair. Now he gets him swinging on a slider.
3 strikeouts for Marmol, no walks. Hey I remember that guy. Of course he did hit a batter.
Top of the 9th
Fukudome bunting off the new pitcher, lefty Bobby Seay, not a good bunt though and Seay gets him at 1st.
1-1 on Fontenot. If the Cubs had another guy that could handle 3rd well, he wouldn't be batting. Not worth risking Fox's defense up 1 in the 9th. 1-2 now. On a 2-2 count, Fontenot with a rare single against a lefty. Did a great job hanging in there on a breaking ball, lined it into right.
0-1 on Blanco, batting right-handed. I'd like to see a hit and run in this at bat, some sort of movement anyway. On a 1-2 pitch, Blanco grounds to Cabrera who fields it on his knees, throws wide to 2nd base but the shortstop Santiago does a nice job keeping his foot on the bag.
2 down, Blanco on 1st, and Brandon Lyon it looked like to me is the new pitcher to face Soriano.
Lyon is indeed the new pitcher, 2-1 on Soriano. Huge rip by Soriano on a fastball, fouled straight back. Like I've said a few times, easily the best swings collectively in a game from Soriano in a long time. Not so much there on a curveball though, and he pops out to Cabrera.
Bottom of the 9th
Kevin Gregg in to close for the Cubs. He's been terrific of late. He'll be facing, or at least scheduled to face Don Kelly, Brandon Inge, and Josh Anderson.
2-2 count on Kelly. Full count now, don't want to walk him in front of Inge. 2 foul balls now. Let him try to hit it a mile, but no walks. 9th pitch is a curveball just high, ball 4.
Breaking ball in to Inge, strike 1. Inge already with a 2-run homer tonight, 17 on the year. Pops out to right, Blanco runs out there and catches it. Bradley should be the one making that catch, but oh well.
Ryan Raburn pinch-hitting, and he demolishes a hanger over the wall into left-center, Tigers win 5-4.
Very, very frustrating loss. I feared Inge would go yard, but instead it was Raburn. Gregg had been great of late. It's not the homer that particularly angers me but the leadoff walk. That usually is going to mean trouble in a 1-run game in the 9th.
The Cubs could've scored some more runs, but scoring 4 on the road is about all I can really ask for. When you have a lead in the 9th, you should be victorious. Not a good start to a series where I was hoping to just get a win. Tonight was the chance to do that and it won't be easy facing 20-year-old phenom Rick Porcello tomorrow with a struggling Rich Harden on the mound that is giving up a lot of homers these days. We'll see I guess.
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