Game: Milwaukee Brewers(42-37) @ Chicago Cubs(38-38)
Game Time: 2:20 PM ET
TV: CSN

Pitching Matchup:

Cubs- Carlos Zambrano (4-3, 3.69 ERA. 0-0, 4.50 ERA vs. Brewers in '09.)

Brewers- Jeff Suppan(5-6, 4.86 ERA. 0-2, 7.45 ERA vs. Cubs in '09.)

Lineups:

Brewers
1. Jason Kendall, C
2. Craig Counsell, 2B
3. Ryan Braun, LF
4. Prince Fielder, 1B
5. Casey McGehee, 3B
6. Mike Cameron, CF
7. Corey Hart, RF
8. J.J. Hardy, SS
9. Jeff Suppan, P

Cubs
1. Alfonso Soriano, LF
2. Ryan Theriot, SS
3. Derrek Lee, 1B
4. Milton Bradley, RF

5. Kosuke Fukudome, CF
6. Jake Fox, 3B
7. Mike Fontenot, 2B
8. Koyie Hill, C
9. Carlos Zambrano, P

Top of the 1st

Cubs wearing the blue tops with special red hats to celebrate the 4th of July.

2-2 on Jason Kendall. Fouls one off, now grounds out to Theriot.

0-1 on Craig Counsell, now a fastball just misses inside, 1-1. Counsell hits a groundball that appears on it's way to right field for a single, but Mike Fontenot ranges far to his left and makes the play, very nice play. 2 down.

Ryan Braun takes a fastball for a strike, and then a slider that just misses outside to even the count. A splitter gets away from Zambrano and almost hits the Brewers' star slugger. Now he fouls a cutter straight back, 2-2. Zambrano jams Braun, and gets a cue shot to Lee. The Cubs' 1st baseman flips to Zambrano and the inning is over.

Bottom of the 1st

Alfonso Soriano is back in the leadoff spot to the dismay of many Cubs fans, but the Cubs absolutely need him if they want to win this division. He makes the team go and a hot Alfonso Soriano can carry this offense. He's also making $18 million from 2010-2014, so you can't just officially bench this guy or you're asking for some really big problems.

Soriano takes a fastball inside, 1-0. Curveball bounced up there, 2-0. Takes a strike, 2-1. Pulls a groundball just foul, so close that Casey McGehee throws to 1st unsure if it's fair or foul. Soriano grounds up the middle, Hardy ranges to his left and makes the play.

A 2-0 pitch is inside to Theriot, but the umpire calls it strike 1. Now Theriot grounds out on the next pitch. Sigh.

1-2 on the red hot Derrek Lee. Almost hit in the face with some high and inside cheese, 2-2. Now a slider down and away gets Lee swinging.

Top of the 2nd

1st pitch to Fielder right down the middle but called a ball. 2 very awful calls already in this game. Fielder eventually grounds out to right basically to Fontenot.

Former Cub Casey McGehee gives one a ride to right, but Bradley catches it on the track.

2-0 on Mike Cameron. He hits a sky-high flyball and appears to do his bat flip indicating he hit a home run, but Fukudome catches it in front of the track in left-center. That didn't look any different to me off the bat than the homer he hit last night.

Bottom of the 2nd

Bradley hits a 1-2 liner hard, but right at Counsell, 1 out.

2-1 on Fukudome. 3-1 now. What appears to be strike 2 is called ball 4. Man, this zone...

2-0 count to Fox. He takes a fastball for a strike with Fukudome running, and Fukudome is thrown out. Fox then bounces a groundball that would've been a double play anyway to 3rd, inning over.

Top of the 3rd

3-1 on Hart. 3-2 count, hits a groundball to right foul. Fastball high and inside, ball 4.

3-0 on Hardy. Zambrano is all over the place all of a sudden. Finally a strike. Hardy just misses the sweet spot, otherwise it's a 2-0 game. Instead he hits a flyball that Soriano makes a nice running catch on in the left-center field gap.

Suppan fails at bunting the 1st 2 pitches, 0-2. Gets it done this time with a bunt fielded by Lee, only play at 1st. 2 outs, Hart on 2nd.

1-1 on Kendall. Wind is blowing in at 9 mph today according to Len. Kendall with a bouncer to Theriot to end the inning.

Bottom of the 3rd

Fontenot hits a 1-0 groundball sharply, but right to Counsell, 1 out.

Koyie Hill snaps an 0 for 14 by lacing one down the left field line for a double. I thought it was going to slice foul, but barely fair.

The switch-hitting Carlos Zambrano batting right-handed. He did this earlier in the year and homered. It's because of a sore left hand. Suppan almost hits him with a high an inside fastball. Zambrano has great numbers in his career against Suppan, but batting left-handed of course. Then again, right-handed is his better side. 2-1 count. Slow bouncer to Hardy. High throw, but Fielder has time to jump a bit and comedown on the base.

Hill on 3rd for Soriano, who has struggled mightily this year with runners in scoring position. Pops the 1st pitch out into center, inning over.

Top of the 4th

Counsell singles into right. I fear this is the inning the Brewers score.

And it certainly appears that way. Braun hits a single into right-center, 1st and 3rd, no outs.

Now he hits Fielder on the 1st pitch, sigh. Bases loaded on 3 pitches. I've never seen that before.

McGehee on the 1st pitch now, pops into foul territory and Zambrano catches it in between Lee and Hill. Hill puts his hands up as if to say, "What are you doing Z?"

On a 1-0 pitch, Cameron pops out to Lee in foul territory now. 2 outs. 5 batters, 4 pitches.

1-0 on Hart, a sinker with a ton of movement that Hill had to make a great catch on. Splitter low, 2-0. 3-0 now. There's a strike. Now one that looks like a strike, called a ball. Way better than the strike earlier to Theriot. Screw this umpire, what a freaking douche. 1-0 Brewers.

Hardy now pops up right at the middle of the mound that Derrek Lee catches.

Well, to only allow 1 run with the bases loaded no outs is a success, but not so much after it happened on a 2-out walk. Then again, the count should've been 3-2.

Bottom of the 4th

1-2 on Theriot. Called strike 3 on a fastball on the outside corner.

Lee plunked in the hip area, clearly retaliation for the Fielder plunking last inning. Suppan handled it well by not aiming at the head.

3-1 on Bradley, another questionable strike call. Lee runs, and Bradley hits it right where Hardy had been standing before going to cover 2nd, beautifully done. 1st and 3rd, 1 out.

Curve in the dirt, 1-0 to Fukudome. Now he grounds one up the middle, 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. Unreal.

Top of the 5th

Suppan grounds out.

Kendall takes a slider strike. Groundball in the hole that Theriot bobbles. Kendall still gets down the line well and is able to beat it out. E-6.

I'm smelling a hit and run. Well, not on a 3-0 count. Not a good idea with Braun and Fielder looming. 3-1 now. 1-bouncer to Fontenot with Kendall running, Fontenot gets the force at 2nd, close play at 1st, safe. Theriot now limping after Kendall takes him out at 2nd, rough inning for the Cubs' shortstop.

Be careful with Braun here. 1-1 count. Rips a liner foul, 1-2. High heat or slider down and away please. Goes with the slider way outside, somehow Braun fouls it off. Keep going with it. Looks like a cutter in the same location, Braun reaches and grounds out to Fontenot.

Bottom of the 5th

Fox now hit by a pitch, crowd really booing. Warnings were issued after Lee was hit. This doesn't look intentional to me, a fastball that just ran in. Plus he's dealing with a 1-0 game, and qualifies for a win if he can get through inning this keeping the lead.

1-1 on Fontenot. 2-1 now. I'd like to see him drive the ball to left-center, Suppan's staying on the outer half. That's exactly what he does, over Braun's head into left-center for a double. Yay me.

2nd and 3rd, no outs for Koyie. 1-0 count. 2-1 now. Wind still blowing in. Cutter upstairs, 3-1. Grounds out to Fielder, that won't get the job done. Unfreakingbelievable.

Now with Zambrano and Soriano they're not going to score. Well I'm wrong, thankfully. Zambrano rips a single into center, 1-1.

Runners on 1st and 3rd for Soriano as he takes a breaking ball low. Pops out to Fielder and he's hearing the boos.

Theriot shows bunt and takes a ball. Now rips one out to center but Cameron doesn't have to move too far.

Top of the 6th

3-0 on Fielder, and ball 4.

Now McGehee singles into left-center.

Cameron bunts, foul. 1-2 count. Strikes out on a splitter.

Hart with a foul ball. 0-2 count, now a cutter outside, 1-2. Strikes out, 2 down.

0-2 on Hardy and the crowd is on their feet, pitch in the dirt and Hill does a great job to block it, 1-2. 2-2 now. Gotta get him here, don't want the runners moving on a full count. Well they will be, sigh. Grounds out to Theriot, inning over.

Bottom of the 6th

Lee, Bradley, Fukudome up for the Cubs.

93 pitches for Zambrano, probably 1 more inning from him. Suppan's at 65 pitches through 5. I think the Cubs make him work this inning though.

2-0 on Lee and he hits a routine grounder to McGehee, that is booted.

Lee on 1st, ball 1 to Bradley. Rips one foul. He's getting better swings from the left side lately. Swings through a fastball, 1-2. Takes a fastball just low, very close, 2-2. Grounds to 2nd, 4-6-3 double play.

Fukudome chases a breaking ball in the dirt. 1-1, now the important swing pitch appears to be a strike, called a ball, 2-1. Exact same spot, called a ball again, 3-1. Ball 4.

Well Fox is very capable of an extra-base hit and there's good speed on the basepaths. Fox crushes one, but Braun doesn't have to move too far in left to catch it.

Top of the 7th

Single by the pitcher Suppan. That's not a good start to the inning. Theriot read it wrong as well. Not an easy play by any means, but could've been made.

Now a bunt from Kendall and Jake Fox can't field it cleanly, easy play. That's the awful defense from him we've heard so much about.

Counsell bunting, fouls it off twice, 0-2. Pitch in the dirt, 1-2. Splitter gets Counsell swinging, 1 out. Huge out.

Counsell failing to get the bunt down was a very big deal with Braun and Fielder up next. 1-0 on Braun. Braun takes a fastball right down the middle, phew. If he swings, it's 4-1 Brewers. Splitter in the dirt, 2-1. Splitter way outside, 3-1. Alright you can't just walk him with Fielder up next. Braun with a rocket to right that is caught by Bradley. He hit it too hard, 2 outs.

2-0 on Fielder. Zambrano is falling behind about everybody today. 3-0 now, McGehee on deck. Fastball on the outside corner, 3-1. Great spot because Fielder surely has the 3-0 green light. Rips a single up the middle, Fukudome fields it pretty far out in center, throws a strike to the plate, and Suppan is out! Wow is he slow. Seriously, if about anybody else in the league is running, the Brewers are up 2-1 right now.

Koyie made a great tag as well and got pumped up. It was a bang-bang play at the plate.

Bottom of the 7th

Bob Uecker sang the 7th inning stretch and is now in the booth with Len and Bob.

1-1 to Fontenot. 2-1 now. Fouls it off, 2-2.

Hill flies out down the left field line.

Micah Hoffpauir pinch-hitting for Carlos Zambrano. Takes a curveball for a strike. Hoffpauir strikes out swinging.

Top of the 8th

Aaron Heilman in after a tough outing last night.

McGehee grounds out to Theriot, 1 out.

2-2 on Cameron. Cameron apparently looking breaking ball, takes a fastball that splits the plate for strike 3.

Beautiful slider in for a strike to Hart. Now Heilman paints the outside corner with heat, 0-2. Now it's full. Crowd getting loud, Hart fouls one off his foot. Bounces back to Heilman, that'll end the inning.

Bottom of the 8th

I'd like to see Soto pinch-hit for Hill when that spot comes up. 5 homers in his last 14 games. Plus if he were to get hurt, Jake Fox can play catcher, as he did in college and some in the minors.

Suppan taken out, Carlos Villanueva in.

Slider looks outside to Soriano, called a strike. 1-1 count. Flies out near the track in right, hit it well, the wind is blowing in. However, the dumb fans still boo him.

Theriot loops a single into left.

Derrek Lee up now, 1-0 count. An awful strike call on a slider now, 1-1. Takes a fastball down the middle, Theriot runs, makes it. A good throw and he's out. 2-2 count. Strikes out swinging on a slider.

2 outs for Bradley. Breaking ball that is a 50/50 call goes in the Brewers' favor. Chases a breaking ball in the dirt, caught in between again, 0-2. Breaking ball down and inside, 1-2. High fastball, 2-2. Full count.

Mitch Stetter in to pitch for the Brewers, a lefty. Jeff Baker making his Cubs debut. 1-0 count. Fouls off a breaking ball. Grounds out to Counsell to end the inning.

Top of the 9th

Sam Fuld in to play center, replacing Baker. Kevin Gregg in to pitch, he's batting in Baker's spot.

2-0 on Hardy. There's a fastball strike, 2-1. Hardy pops up and on many days it's an easy out for Hill, pushed into the seats. 2-2. Gregg now throws one seriously right down the middle, called a ball. Hardy then just misses a homer, caught by Soriano on the track.

1-1 on Jody Gerut. Splitter low, 2-1. 2-2 now on a called strike. I thought another strike 3, called a ball. This is incredible. Gerut that lines out to fairly deep center.

1-1 on Kendall, check swing called a ball. Now a flyball to right, Bradley can't find it in the sun, drops it. He has the sunglasses on AND trying to use his glove to see, but still can't. Nothing you can do about that stuff, but is it possible he could use an eye check?

1-2 on Counsell with Kendall at 2nd. A hit by pitch called, didn't appear to hit Counsell. Hill is furious. This umpire is so goddamn bad. 2-1, another pitch looked good called a ball. Foul ball, 2-2. Braun pops out to shortstop, phew.

What an unbelievable job by Kevin Gregg. He struck out 2 batters, didn't get the call on either. He gave up a lazy flyball that was dropped. He didn't hit a guy but the umpire said he did. Then he gets one of the best hitters on the planet in Ryan Braun to pop out.

Bottom of the 9th

Jake Fox leading off against the lefty Stetter. Takes a strike, then crushes one foul down the left field line. Offspeed in the dirt, 1-2. Grounds out to 3rd.

Beautiful piece of hitting for Fontenot, singles into left off the lefty.

Koyie Hill batting right-handed now. I thought we might see Soto. Glad we didn't as he rips a single into left.

1st and 2nd for Sam Fuld. Should be interesting to see how he stays on the ball against the left-hander. Pitching coach making a visit to the mound. Right-hander DiFelice warming up, he'd come in to face Soriano who is on deck.

1-0 on Fuld as he takes a sweeping slider outside. Stetter fakes a pickoff to 2nd. Slider taken for a strike. High and inside fastball and Fuld tries to lean into it, 2-1. Great hack on a 2-1 slider, fouled straight back. Rips one that looks like the game-winning single, Hardy makes a leaping catch, doubles off Fontenot at 2nd. Nothing Fontenot can do there, you're taught to freeze and he did, just bad luck.

Top of the 10th

Gregg still in, 1-1 to Fielder. 2-1 now. On a full count, Gregg strikes out Fielder looking on a fastball.

0-1 on McGehee. Grounds out to Fontenot.

2-1 count for Cameron. Don't groove one to him. Pops a fastball foul. Go breaking ball down and away. Goes 94 mph fastball down and inside, ball 3. Full count.

Bottom of the 10th

Mark DiFelice in to pitch.

Soriano grounds out and the boo birds are loud. Are we Philadelphia now?

Theriot with a soft liner and Counsell ranges far to his left, but it hits off his glove and he has no play. Single for Theriot.

Slider outside to Lee. He might see a heavy dose of those. Gets a big rip on a hanging slider, fouled it right back. Another slider and another foul ball. A wild pitch, and Theriot advances to 2nd. Now a single can win it. Lee flies out to fairly deep right, but it's an easy play by Gerut. Theriot advances to 3rd on it, so now another wild pitch can win it.

They're intentionally walking Bradley, to face the pinch-hitter Geovany Soto. Soto's been drilling the ball lately so I'm fine with this. Bradley takes 2nd on fielder's indifference, so no force at 2nd. Slider outside, 2-0. Another one, they might just put him on at this point. And they are, bases loaded.

Jake Fox up now, aside from Lee, there's nobody else I'd want up here right now. Comes up empty on a huge hack on a slider. Now takes one outside, 1-1. 2-1 now. The intentional walks may have screwed up his control. 3-1, and I want him taking no matter what here, but he fouls one off. It was a strike though. Now 3 more foul balls, all in the strike zone. Another breaking ball in the strike zone, and that's strike 3. Or not. It would be with a normal umpire. Instead, CUBS WIN 2-1 ON A WALKOFF WALK FROM JAKE FOX!

Wow. What a fitting way to end it. After getting screwed by the umpire all game, he screws the Brewers on the last pitch to give the Cubs the win. An ugly effort by the Cubs offense against a pitcher they'd already rocked twice this year in Suppan.

BUT, a win's a win, and this one is particularly big. It guarantees at worst a split in this series against the Brewers who the Cubs were 3.5 games back of in the NL Central coming into the series. Now, 1.5 games back. The Cardinals move into 1st place for the moment, Cubs are 2 back of them. Oh, and back over .500 at 39-38.

They've also assured themselves of being right there in the race when Aramis, Reed, and Guzman return, which is huge. It hasn't been pretty, but thankfully, neither has the rest of the division.

The Cubs can win the series tomorrow in game 3 of the series, with Rich Harden on the mound against Braden Looper.

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