Game: Chicago Cubs(47-44) @ Philadelphia Phillies(52-33)
Game Time: 6:05 PM CT
TV: WGN

Pitching Matchup:
Phillies- Joe Blanton (6-4, 4.44 ERA)
Cubs- Rich Harden (6-6, 5.06 ERA)

Lineups:

Cubs
1. Reed Johnson, CF (.258, 4 HR, 17 RBI, .745 OPS)
2. Ryan Theriot, SS (.297, 7 HR, 36 RBI, .776 OPS)
3. Derrek Lee, 1B (.281, 18 HR, 59 RBI, .882 OPS)
4. Aramis Ramirez, 3B (.308, 5 HR, 18 RBI, .838 OPS)
5. Kosuke Fukudome, RF (.262, 7 HR, 28 RBI, .812 OPS)
6. Alfonso Soriano, LF (.244, 16 HR, 38 RBI, .746 OPS)
7. Mike Fontenot, 2B (.239, 7 HR, 30 RBI, .689 OPS)
8. Koyie Hill, C (.204, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .580 OPS)
9. Rich Harden, P (.292, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .612 OPS)

Phillies
1. Jimmy Rollins, SS (.236, 7 HR, 36 RBI, .657 OPS)
2. Shane Victorino, CF (.308, 6 HR, 42 RBI, .834 OPS)
3. Chase Utley, 2B (.312, 21 HR, 66 RBI, .997 OPS)
4. Ryan Howard, 1B (.262, 24 HR, 69 RBI, .887 OPS)
5. Raul Ibanez, LF (.315, 25 HR, 68 RBI, 1.048 OPS)
6. Jayson Werth, RF (.259, 20 HR, 58 RBI, .865 OPS)
7. Pedro Feliz, 3B (.288, 6 HR, 46 RBI, .747 OPS)
8. Carlos Ruiz, C (.232, 4 HR, 21 RBI, .716 OPS)
9. Joe Blanton, P (.038, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .205 OPS)

Rich Harden and Joe Blanton faced each other at Wrigley Field last August, after each were traded away by the Oakland Athletics the month before. The Cubs won the game 3-2. Rich Harden allowed 1 earned run in 5 innings, and Blanton allowed 2 earned runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Top of the 1st

Reed Johnson is 5 for 10 with a homer in his career against Blanton(as they were both in the American League for years), that's why he's leading off I assume.

Blanton, like Harden, has been prone to giving up the longball this year, allowing 19 on the year. Harden has allowed 16. This is not the park to leave the ball up in the zone.

First pitch a strike to Reed, now a foul ball, 0-2. Slider outside, 1-2. Now barely gets a piece of a slider for another foul ball. Reed hit by a pitch on a check swing, I thought maybe it got his bat and so do the Phillies. Got him in the back forearm though.

Theriot sporting high socks, don't think I've ever seen that from him. Takes a strike. Curveball high. Rips a foul ball down the left field line. Wastes a Blanton fastball offering. Whiffs on a nasty changeup, 1 out.

Derrek Lee takes a strike, now a fastball inside, 1-1. Fastball just misses inside drawing some groans from the Phillies fans, 2-1. Lee smokes one to the left side, but right at Pedro Feliz. Can't hit it any harder. 2 outs.

Aramis Ramirez grounds to 3rd to end the inning on the first pitch.

Bottom of the 1st

Jimmy Rollins bounces the first Harden offering up the middle for a single.

Fastball in for a strike to Victorino. Harden paying close attention to Rollins. Len points out how Harden struck out 11 against the Phillies in June of last year while a member of the A's. Victorino swings and misses at a 94 mph fastball. Now Harden up to 95, foul ball. Changeup in the dirt gets away from Koyie Hill, Rollins to 2nd. 1-2 count. Another one in the dirt, Hill able to block this one. Another foul ball, now a pop up down the left field line, Theriot makes the play but doesn't make it look easy. No advance for Rollins, 1 out.

Pitch in the dirt to the All-Star Chase Utley, now a foul ball, 1-1. If you can retire him, have a good chance of getting out of this inning without giving up any runs, as Harden should be tough on Howard, Fastball paints the outside corner at 95 mph. Now a flyball that the crowd thought was hit much better than it actually was, routine for Reed in fairly deep center, 2 outs. Rollins advances to 3rd.

As expected, Howard looks awful on the 1st pitch from Harden, missing a pitch in the dirt. Keep making him chase. Same thing, 0-2. Go upstairs with the heat and that should be it. Goes back with the change and again gets Howard to chase, inning over.

Top of the 2nd

1-2 count on Fukudome. Strikes out swinging on a curveball.

Soriano pops out on the 1st pitch.

Fontenot takes a strike. Curve in the dirt, 1-1. Changeup high, 2-1. Flies out near the track in left to end the inning.

Bottom of the 2nd

Fastball strike to Ibanez. Pop up into shallow right-center, Theriot makes the catch as he was shaded that way with the shift.

1-1 on Jayson Werth. Full count now. Last couple of pitches have been heat up and in. Changeup high, ball 4.

Fastball to Pedro Feliz fouled straight back. Don't give him many of those, stay with the offspeed and he doesn't have a chance. Another fastball, smoked by Feliz, off of Derrek Lee, infield single. Nice play by Lee to just knock it down. He's hurting a little bit, looks like it just hit his glovehand awkwardly.

Double play candidate in Carlos Ruiz. 1-0 count. 3-1 count now, Ruiz with a huge swing, pops out in foul territory to Aramis, 2 outs.

Harden again with a great chance to escape trouble, facing the .038 hitting pitcher, Joe Blanton. 94 mph fastball right down the middle taken for a strike. Broken bat pop up, Derrek Lee makes the catch and that's the inning.

33 pitches through 2 for Harden, 25 for Blanton.

Top of the 3rd

1-2 on Koyie Hill. Drills one into right for a single. Best swing he may have taken in 3 months.

Bunt situation for Harden. Harden bunts it too hard to the 3rd base side, and Feliz easily gets the slow-moving Koyie Hill at 2nd. 1 out, Harden on 2nd. At least there's a huge change in speed on the basepaths.

1-1 on Reed Johnson. Grounds into a 5-4-3 double play.

Bottom of the 3rd

2-0 to the red hot Jimmy Rollins. 3-0 now. 3-0 green light, and he hits it out, 1-0 Phillies.

Man is he smoking the ball right now. Victorino now up, 0-1 count. That's the 17th homer Rich Harden's allowed this year, most he's allowed in a season. Of course, he hasn't had many long seasons. 2-2 count. Victorino pops out to the catcher Hill, 1 out.

Brenly: "I didn't get the green light 1-2 very often."

0-1 on Utley. Fastball low. Changeup low now, 2-1. On a full count, Utley swings and misses at a change, strike 3.

Howard whiffs on a 3-1 changeup, now a 97 mph fastball at his head.

Top of the 4th

Theriot has a 1-1 count. Patented single to right. 3rd time the leadoff man has been on, I think this time they get him in.

Fastball misses inside to Lee. Drills one foul over the tarp down the left field line. On a 1-2 pitch, lines out to left. Hitting the ball hard, just right at guys.

0-2 on Ramirez. Flyball into shallow center, Victorino runs it down.

2-0 for Fukudome. Fukudome gets a good pitch to hit with the 2-0 count, drills it into the left-center field gap for a double, scoring Theriot from 1st. 1-1.

Fastball called a strike on the outside corner, now one too far outside, 1-1. Soriano swings and misses at a curveball but it gets away from Ruiz, Fukudome to 3rd, 1-2 count. Passed ball on Ruiz, now almost another one. High fastball off his glove, but not far enough away for Fukudome to run. For some reason they challenge Soriano with a low and inside fastball, Soriano swings through it though. That is not the place to pitch him, he'll make Blanton pay if he keeps that up.

Bottom of the 4th

Ibanez flies an 0-2 pitch out to center.

0-2 on Werth. 1-2 count. Werth keeps wasting pitches. 3-2 pitch, fouled away. Werth strikes out swinging.

Now Feliz pops out on the 1st pitch to end the inning.

Top of the 5th

1-1 on Mike Fontenot. Hits it hard to left-center field, but Ibanez had him played in the right spot, 1 out.

A 2-2 slider on Koyie Hill just misses, 3-2. Now he chases a changeup near the dirt for strike 3.

Harden grounds out to Feliz.

Bottom of the 5th

0-1 count to Carlos Ruiz. 1-2 now, and he chases a changeup way outside for strike 3. That was probably 6 feet outside.

2-0 on Blanton. Flies out to left, crowd thought he hit a bomb.

1-0 to Rollins. Change in the dirt now. He's clearly in Harden's head. Changeup in a dangerous spot, 2-1. Bouncer to Derrek Lee and he plays back on the hop rather than charging it, eats him up. Tough play and a rare misplay by Lee, error charged.

0-1 on Victorino. 0-2 count now. I'd stick with the changeup in the dirt here. Rollins runs, 94 mph fastball fouled back. Now fakes towards 2nd, ball gets away from Hill, but no advance. He should be on 2nd base. 1-2. Runs again, Cubs pitch out, Koyie catches it almost out of the batter's box and fires to 2nd, Rollins would be out by a mile so he turns around, gets in a rundown, Cubs finally get him after a few throws.

Top of the 6th

Reed takes a fastball for a strike. Now takes one low. 2-2 count. He hits a rocket... right at Pedro Feliz. 2nd time the Cubs have done that tonight.

1-2 on Theriot. Bouncer to 3rd, Feliz throws him out easily.

Lee fouls it off the umpire's mask. 0-2 now. Rips it into left-center for a 2-out double. Finally found a spot no defensive players were standing at.

2-0 on Aramis. Should get a good pitch to hit here. Now a changeup that looks outside to me called a strike. Fastball outside. So even though Aramis isn't himself yet, seems that they would rather not give him a chance to get a hit here. Well, he gets a hanger, and pops out to 2nd.

Bottom of the 6th

Victorino bounces out to Fontenot.

Utley flies out to right.

Ryan Howard has no chance against Harden. 2-2 count. 3-2 pitch at 96 mph fouled off. Go back with the changeup. Same pitch, foul ball again. And again, all 3 at 96 mph. Goes with the change and it's not close, ball 4.

Ibanez pops out.

99 pitches for Harden. Might be done.

Top of the 7th

Fukudome grounds out to 1st.

Soriano singles to left.

Hopefully will see some movement on the basepaths here. Fontenot fouls the first pitch back. Soriano running, and Fontenot flies out to center.

0-1 on Koyie Hill. Harden on deck. I'd assume he'll stay in if the Cubs don't score and obviously would be pinch-hit for here if Hill keeps the inning alive. 1-2 on Hill. 2-2 count now. And a foul ball. Ball 3 just missed the strike zone, full count. A gapper should be able to score Soriano now for sure. Foul again. A rare nice long at bat from Koyie. Pitch #9 also fouled off. Now he strikes out.

Bottom of the 7th

Harden still in, 2-1 on Jayson Werth. Leaving his changeup up now. Ball 3 again high with the change. Now a big rip from Werth on a fastball, fouled off.

Sacrifice bunt moves Werth to 2nd.

1-2 on Ruiz. Should've struck out but the umpire didn't give Harden a borderline call that he just gave Blanton last half inning. Ruiz eventually grounds to Theriot, Werth to 3rd, 2 outs.

Greg Dobbs pinch-hitting, this should mean Sean Marshall into the game. Well, I was just informed Dobbs is 0 for 9 in his career against Harden, he's staying in.

Harden is getting squeezed. The first pitch was right down the middle as Gameday shows, called a ball. Count is now 2-2 after it started 2-0. Ends up striking Dobbs out on a 96 mph fastball on his 116th pitch. Most pitches he's thrown this year. Outstanding performance by Harden again on the road and at night.

Top of the 8th

The nasty Ryan Madson in to pitch.

Hoffpauir pinch-hits, grounds out to short.

Reed strikes out swinging.

Theriot grounds out to the pitcher.

Bottom of the 8th

Carlos Marmol is in to face the top of the Phillies order. Buckle your seatbelts.

1st pitch a slider outside, then gets one in for a strike. A 2-2 count, Rollins fouls off a 96 mph fastball. 97 mph fastball blows him away. That's the hardest I've seen Marmol throw in a long time.

Victorino with a bloop single, that's definitely not good news with his speed and tons of power following.

Ball 1, now a slider in for a strike to even the count on Utley. 95 mph fastball misses outside. Now we might see some movement. Pops out into shallow center, caught by Theriot. 2 outs.

Another tough matchup for Howard. Slider misses low. 2-2 count. 94 mph fastball just misses. We're seeing him go with the fastball more this time, thankfully. Slider fouled off, slider called strike 3 then. It was low when Hill caught it, but crossed the zone a strike. Howard highly disagrees.

Top of the 9th

Brad Lidge in.

Lee is 0 for 11 in his career against Lidge. 1-1 count, now a 94 mph fastball swung on and missed. Bounces out to Lidge, 1 out.

Big hack from Aramis Ramirez, fouls off a fastball. Right on it. Now a 94 mph fastball drills in him in the hip. Runner on 1st, 1 out.

Slider in for a strike against Fukudome, 0-1. 2-1 count now. 3-1 now. Fukudome chases a 3-1 slider that would've been ball 4. Now he hits one hard up the middle with Aramis running, hits off Lidge's foot, deflects right to Rollins at 2nd, easy double play. Just incredibly bad luck, unbelievable.

Bottom of the 9th

Marmol still in. Full count on Ibanez, whiffs on a 95 mph fastball.

2-1 on Werth. Marmol still getting up to 97 mph with the fastball. Slider on a 3-1 count, ball 4. I hate that. It did look like a strike to me though.

0-1 on Feliz. Drills a fastball deep to right, Fukudome makes a running catch right in front of the wall. Great play, 2 outs, Werth still on 1st.

Marmol with a 95 mph fastball to strike out veteran hitter Matt Stairs who was pinch-hitting for Carlos Ruiz.

Top of the 10th

Chan Ho Park is the new Philadelphia pitcher.

Soriano goes fishing for a slider outside and comes up empty. 1 out.

Fontenot foul ball on the 1st pitch. 0-2 now and he barely fouls off a slider. Fontenot flies out for the 4th time tonight.

Koyie drills one to left to my surprise, Raul Ibanez running towards the left field line makes a diving

Bottom of the 10th

Paul Bako pops out on the 1st pitch from new pitcher Angel Guzman.

Rollins with a shallow flyball to left, Soriano having trouble finding it in the lights, makes a stumbling catch. Actually a nice play as those lights can be a pain in the ass. Since he drops about 25% of regular plays, I really expected that to end badly.

Victorino bounces to Lee, Guzman gets over quickly and Lee's flip to 1st gets the Flyin Hawaiian by a couple steps.

Top of the 11th

Milton Bradley pinch-hitting for Guzman. Takes a breaking ball outside. Now a fastball inside, 2-0. Broken bat groundout to Utley.

Reed takes a strike. 0-2 now. Reed chases a slider and strikes out. 2 down. Cubs don't have a hit since the 7th.

Theriot fouls a pitch off twice. Hit with his backswing and it went past the pitcher's mound, very weird. Home run swing, misses. 0-2. Breaking ball strikes him out, inning over.

Bottom of the 11th

Sean Marshall in to face the powerful lefty bats.

Chase Utley is his first challenge. 1-2 count. Check swing, didn't go around. Full count now. Flies out to right.

Howard fooled badly by Marshall, as he's just terrible against left-handed pitching. Strikes out.

1-0 on Ibanez. He's the guy that really worries me. He walks, that's not the worst thing in the world.

Heilman coming in to face Jayson Werth. First pitch is a slider low, 1-0. 2-0 and Heilman with a nasty changeup, Werth chases, 2-1. Would've been ball 3. Very unlike the usually patient Werth. Next pitch called a ball, I thought it was on the corner. Werth eventually walks.

Winning run at 2nd, 2 outs for Pedro Feliz. First pitch just misses low, 1-0. 1-2 count and he swung, come on! They say a check swing. Now a foul ball, 2-2. Now a slider gets him swinging.

Top of the 12th

Chan Ho Park still in. A strike on the corner that the Cubs' pitchers are not getting. Lee eventually strikes out.

2-0 on Ramirez. Chases a slider nowhere close, yikes. Now a breaking ball that doesn't break, 3-1. A gigantic hack on 3-1, nothing. Full now. Reaches for a slider and flies out to center.

Fukudome strikes out.

3 perfect innings and 5 strikeouts from Chan Ho Park. Sigh.

Bottom of the 12th

Jeff Samardzija pitching.

Pinch-hitter Eric Bruntlett grounds out to 3rd.

Paul Bako gets ahead 2-0, but pops out to Soriano, 2 outs.

Rollins flies out to center on the first pitch.

Top of the 13th

Soriano with a slow roller along the first base line, 1 out.

Fontenot fouls it off his foot, he's hurting. He gets out somehow, I can't remember. Like it matters.

Koyie grounds out to 3rd.

Bottom of the 13th

Shane Victorino flies out to left against Samardzija.

1-1 on Chase Utley. Full count now. Flies out to center. He's 0 for 6, so expect him to blow up tomorrow.

1-0 on Howard. Shark is the type of guy Howard will hit a mile. Ball 4.

1-1 on Ibanez, Shark getting up to 97 mph. A 96 mph rigt down the middle and Ibanez swings through it. Go with the splitter now. He does, just misses, 2-2. Next pitch, Howard takes off for 2nd, but Ibanez fouls it off. Howard was almost standing at 2nd already. Full count now. Splitter/change low, ball 4.

Fastball down the middle to Werth, 0-1. 1-1. And he hits a walkoff bomb, 4-1 Phillies.

Knew it was going to end on a homer from somebody, most likely from the Phillies. Jayson Werth seems to always get big hits like that.


All the blame in this one on the Cubs' offense, just couldn't do anything at all. Now they face Jamie Moyer tomorrow who they always struggle against. Win and it's a great road trip. Lose and it's still a winning road trip, but quite a letdown.


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