Jones supplies big hit in Cubs 5-3 triumph

The Cubs are back in the swing of things. They came back from a 3-0 deficit against the Brewers Tuesday night to win Game 1 of the series at home. Rich Hill left a lasting impression with a 7-inning 7-hit 3-run performance. The southpaw moved to 8-7. He recorded 9 strikeouts and kept his team in the game. To add to his Jacque Jones' highlight 2-run double Jason Kendall served up 2 hits and a run scored. I'm glad to see pitching and hitting come together in an executable manner.

With 2 games up on the Brewers it's really time hammer on the pressure in this series and wish for the best: have St. Louis lose a string of games. 90 wins is more than possible for this new Cubs team. Just over a month is left and it's more than feasible for the Cubs to reach this goal if not do better. A great matchup ensues today as Carlos Zambrano (14-10) against Ben Sheets (10-4). The Milwaukee hurler is coming off an early so the Cubs lineup ought to attack him early. I expect Big Z to rebound from his last and put an empathic emphasis on performance. Take it to the Brew Crew and push that lead further!

Trip to Arizona not so fulfilling, Cubs tied for first

I looked forward to watching the Saturday night game in Arizona on WGN as I rarely catch the games during the week anymore because I don't have cable. The back-to-back losses, though tough to watch didn't hurt the Cubs much. They are deadlocked for first place with the Brewers. This team has to generate sufficient runs every game in order to win. So far they've done a good job up until this past weekend. The 5-4 loss Sunday was a sham. The game should have went the Cubs way.

*Cub fans find other news and conservations on issues and players at the Cubs message board.

Derek Lee (15) and Cliff Floyd (5) launched homers to give the Cubs a lead. Jason Marquis faired okay, but again caught a bad break and dropped to 10-8. His 5 runs allowed just couldn't quite keep his team in the game. I'm glad Floyd is playing (after coping with his father's death). He's a good veteran to have on the field, getting more at-bats to drive in runs. Other than the homeruns the lineup didn't manufacture much.

Jim Hendry made a pretty good deal in trading for outfielder Craig Monroe. The former Detroit Tiger has dealt with injuries this year and I know the Cubs are trying to be careful to not overextend his abilities and time in the outfield. Another bat like his is always needed. If the Cubs can get Soriano back from DL within the next week that would be great. I'm not sure how far he's coming along, but he's stayed in the dugout providing moral support.

After watching Kerry Wood pitch this weekend I think it's best for Lou not to put him in games when the Cubs are tied or have a small lead. You just never know what to expect from him on the mound. I do like the positioning in the batting order. Now the Cubs have to really buckle down and jump ahead of the Brewers and Cardinals somehow. They face Milwaukee starting today for a 3-game set at Wrigley. Time to get those bats a cranking! Go Cubs!

Marshall and company down hot D-backs 6-2

I knew Sean Marshall was on the verge of catching good breaks. The young right-hander has proved he can go at least 5 innings for this club and pitch effective. That's exactly what happened Friday night in Arizona. Derek Lee and Mark DeRosa got the offense going with RBI singles in the 1st inning. Offensively the Cubs looked good with 14 total hits. 3 guys in the lineup had 2 or more hits. Jacque Jones has shown vast improvement over the last 2-3 weeks. He finished the game with 4 hits, a run, and RBI.

Hats off to Marshall for another splendid outing which he finally got the decision or kept the Cubs in the game all the way. Going 6 innings he allowed a run on 2 hits and a walk. What a nice performance! He had 5 strikeouts. The bullpen was terrific as well, not allowing a run to score after their starter's departure. Ryan Dempster picked up his 21st save. He needs to pitch as much as possible in these situations because that's the only way he'll become consistent. With Marmol, Wuertz, and Howry coming on in middle relief everything seems to be going smoothly. Great job by them as well last night!

Not just the bullpen is showing great potential, but also the defense. What a play Ryan Theriot made in the game to save a run! The more I see the infielder the more I like him. He's a reliable contact hitter, who finds a way to get on base often. This is always a plus. Ted Lilly (13-6) deals against Doug Davis (10-11) tonight. I feel Lilly will have the upper hand in this encounter. The offense will be ready to attack. Keep pushing and don't get lazy Cubbies! Take control of that first place spot!

Cubs prevail in extras 4-2, Marmol records 3rd win

The road trip is going swell on the West Coast up to now. Those Cubbies are playing inspired baseball, pushing across two runs in the 10th last night to beat the Giants 4-2. Aramis Ramirez rocked a double in the early innings to put a run on the board and drove 2 for the games. The Cubs scratched across 2 runs to break the tie game in the 10th. Carlos Marmol entered in the 8th and did a terrific job to hold the game.

What a pitching showcase by Rich Hill! He went 7 innings and mowed down 11 batters while giving up 2 earned runs on 6 hits. This victory is a big lift for Chicago. Such pitching outings are always applauded and welcomed. Ryan Dempster recorded his 20th save, pitching a perfect inning. I think he belongs in the closer spot. Rotating him and Howry is okay, but I say give him the ball most of the time.

Holding a small margin still in first the Cubs have got to keep winning. A long streak would do wonders for them. Those darn Cardinals always find a way to sneak back into the race. Milwaukee is on the verge of reeling now. It's best for the Cubs to take full advantage. Game 3 in San Francisco this afternoon will showcase Carlos Zambrano (14-9) vs. Matt Cain (5-13). The Cubs can't miss out on this golden opportunity for a sweep. I know Big Z is game and ready for action! Get those brooms out!

Despite rain at home, Cubs take 2-of-3 from Cards

On a rainy afternoon in Wrigley the Cubs tried to make the most of their situation. The bats did a little damage, but couldn't provide a lead late. As a result they lost 6-4. I'm happy to see the Cubs grab this series at home. If not for the rainout Sunday they very well may have took 3-of-4. That game was postponed and will rescheduled for late September most likely. The action yesterday at the friendly confines displayed Derek Lee smacking a 2-run homer in Game 4.

Daryl Ward had another big day with 3 hits, 1 including a solo shot for his 2nd of the year. Ryan Theriot also played well, going 2-for-4 with a runs scored. Ted Lilly unfortunately dropped to 13-6, credited with the loss. He had been on a roll until last week or so. In 6 innings he surrendered 5 earned runs on 7 hits and 3 walks. Overall, the Cubs are still playing consistent baseball. Finding a way to stay ahead in the standings is what truly matters.

Coming up the Cubs go on the road for their final West Coast trip of the season. They see the Giants for 3 games then travel to Arizona for what should be a challenging series before returning to Milwaukee to battle the Brew Crew. Bringing the bats ready to tee off and be productive is a must! Lee and Ramirez are started to heat up again and Ward has done a fine job off the bench and wherever he's filled in recently. Take it to those San Frans with a battle at the Bay! Go Cubs!

Cubs edge Cards 2-1, so far so good

Rich Hill performed far beyond expectation yesterday afternoon at Wrigley. The friendly confines was packed with a spirited crowd that had plenty to cheer about. The hits were few and far between, but the pitching was well worth watching. Hill tossed a near gem, going 7 strong innings and yielding just a run, which was a solo homer by Albert Puljos. Jacque Jones was the player of the game. He made a great catch in center to save a run and hit a 2-run homer which won the game for the Cubs.

A hot streak would be great right about now. The hitting will have to pick up though for this to happen. I liked seeing Dempster come on in the 9th yesterday to nail down the game. Howry and him have took turns as the closer. Marmol has looked good in his appearances as well. With the win at Wrigley Friday afternoon the Cubs pulled into first place in the Central. They hold a half game over the Brewers. Sean Marshall (5-6) starts today against the Cards' Anthony Reyes (2-11). The young right-hander need to catch a break in this contest. He's had too much tough luck in recent starts.

Cubs put 7 spot on scoreboard in 7th to earn win

The bats sprung into action last night and poured on the runs against the Reds. The 20-hit showcase allowed for 12 runs. Mark DeRosa was perfect, going 5-for-5 with 4 RBIs in the 12-4 clout. Aramis Ramirez and Jacque Jones also added 4 a piece. Jason Marquis improved to 10-7 after pitching 6 quality innings of 7-hit, 4-run ball. The Cubs really needed this win.

Finding themselves (luckily) only a half game in back of the Brewers, they will face the Cardinals starting today for a 4-game series at Wrigley. This is a huge series! Taking advantage of the opportunity to gain ground in the Central could change the course of second half run for the Cubs. They normally step up to the challenge against their top rival.

Braden Looper (10-9) and Rich Hill (6-7)square off in Game 1. Plenty of offense is needed for the Cubs to take the series. With Ramirez back in full swing and much of the lineup producing taking 3-of-4 is a good goal. Of course getting a sweep would be great. The Cubs can't afford to slip a couple games under .500. Both Milwaukee and St. Louis will push for late runs in August and September. If the Cubs can get 5-6 innings from Hill they should be in good shape today.

Cubs nipped 6-5 at Wrigley by Reds

The home opener for the series with the Reds didn't result in the Cubs favor. It was another close game the Cubs dropped. Aramis Ramirez and Derek Lee hit back-to-back solo shots in the 4th inning. Unfortunately, Zambrano had bad luck in this outing, allowing 6 earned runs on 13 hits. In his previous start he got a no decision, which also sucked. The animated, streaky Cubs ace fell to 14-9 on the year.

5 hits are rarely efficient for this club as Lee gave up with 2 of his own. The Cubs drop to 60-58 after the loss in Game 1, their third straight. These skids are expected around this time by Cub fans, but if the Cubs keep this up they'll dig a big hole for themselves. The energy and joy appears to be diminishing since Soriano isn't around. His teammates can't linger on his absence or fret over their own individual performances.

Sure the Central is normally wide open each year, but this franchise can't think that way. They've been burned too many times in the past. If the Cubs allow their nemesis to come back and take first it will be a damn shame. Lou Piniella is too good of a coach to sit back and watch his team crumple (Think it's time for another heated tirade and 'dirt kicking' incident to get the players fired up again). The young guys like Fontenot, Theriot, and Cedeno will have to prove themselves to keep getting playing time.

Now that I know that Lou has jerked Dempster from the permanent closer role, what's going on with the bullpen? Jim Hendry knows this club needs a few more relievers. Simply calling up guys from Triple A Iowa won't cut it. Get out the green backs or start making some freaking trades! I believe the offense will suffice until Alfonso returns, but the pen is an area for adjustments. Maybe the bullpen can rest more as Ted Lilly (13-5) heads to the hill today against some virtual unknown for the Reds.

Nothing 'brewing' in Coors for Cubs

Sunday afternoon the offense looked void of energy, unable to supply much run support for Sean Marshall. It hurts not having Aramis Ramirez and Alfonso Soriano in the lineup. I have no idea how the star third baseman will be out, but the team is in dire need of his services. 9 hits were what the lineup mustered. With the game tied in mid-innings Sean Marshall exited the game being replaced by pinch-hitter. Unable to get a decision he sat and watched from the rest of the game from the dugout.

Both Felix Pie and Eric Patterson saw playing time again, but only combined for an RBI and no hits. I like seeing the young prospects to further exposure and have these chances to learn how to play the Major League level. Derek Lee has cooled off considerably since the All-Star break and the Cubs need him to recharge his bat. His lack of power isn't that important, but his performance is in these late months. Kerry Wood didn't look sharp at all yesterday, coming in with the game tied at 3. Lou will want to put Kerry in when the Cubs have extended leads. Otherwise it's just too big a risk to let him pitch until he's comfortable on the mound.

So the Cubs took 2-of-4 in Colorado and find themselves a 1.5 games behind the Brewers. They can't keep pushing their luck. With prolonged absences of their two sluggers maybe it's necessary to find another hitter. It helps to have Daryl Ward back on the active roster, but the Cubs could use another guy to in the infield and outfield occasionally. The guys in blue ought to get rest with the off-day and be ready to do damage in the upcoming road series with the Reds and Cardinals. These games could be crucial to them in the standings depending on what Milwaukee does. At all costs, AVOID A SWEEP!

Cubs drown Rockies 10-2

What a nice transition the Cubs made last night at Coors Field. The bats sprung to life and racked up commendable totals. Jacque Jones had a breakout game, going 4-for-5 with 4 RBIs. The lineup cranked out 16 hits! Being in Coors Field helped boost team morale, giving the Cubs plenty of motivation. Also with 3 or more hits was Jason Kendall and Mark Derosa who combined for 5 RBIs.

Good to see Felix Pie back in action! The Cubs really ought to consider keeping him around for a while. His bat and speed will help with him hitting near the top of the lineup. Theriot is filling in at the lead-off spot and has done a well there since the Soriano injury. Pie and him probably should hit back to back. Lou even brought Zambrano off the bench Thursday night to pinch hit. Ted Lilly bounced back from his previous start to record his 13th win.

They can pound after at pitches in this series and really rack up the runs if they want. The main goal is to grab the series and have a successful road trip. They're just 4 games over .500 at the moment and can't afford to have a long skid again. There is no good reason why they shouldn't have around a 3-4 game lead over Milwaukee. They might as well take advantage of the thin air in Colorado this weekend and blast away! Keep up the pressure on the rest of the division, go Cubs!

Cubs drop 3rd straight, taking fast downward spiral

The clubhouse must have really taken the news about Soriano's injury hard. After losing 2-1 Monday night to the Astros off a wild pitch the Cubs played no better last night. They're going to have to accept the fact their star outfielder is out for around a month. Their mental approach to the game shouldn't change just because of his absence. All of 6 hits were pounded out in Tuesday's night 5-2 loss. Such lackluster hitting performances can't become routine.

This club was playing so well from all spectrums until the unfortunate freak injury occurred. I've noticed that the Cubs have called up prospect Eric Patterson, who started and played in Houston and went 1-for-3. Kerry Wood tossed an inning, giving up just 2 hits. Not too shabby considering the Cubs still had a chance at a comeback. Sean Marshall had another disappointing outing. He allowed 5 earned runs on 7 hits. He walked none with 2 strikeouts to his totals. He falls to 5-6; which is uncharacteristic of his early season performances. He's just got to hang in there and keep his head up.

Chicago is lucky to only be a game in back of the Brewers. Starting today they'll see the Rockies for a 4-game road series before heading to Cincy then to St. Louis again. Taking these series will be in their best interest. Gaining a sense of confidence back is much needed as well. Lou Piniella must find a way to get his team to remember how to play smart, fundementally sound baseball. Hope a turnaround comes soon.

Cubs can't delay Glavine's 300th career win

The lineup gave a modest effort Sunday night at Wrigley, but Tom Glavine had too good of stuff to handle. As a result the Cubs came up short, losing 8-3. It was a tough game as I expected. Jason Marquis got off to a good start then due to an error a few runs scored after Jason lost his composure. It was inevitable that Glavine will record his 300th career win whether it was against the Cubs or not (seems odd...I remember a former player hitting his 600th homerun against them too this year).

This isn't the time to waver. The Cubs must stay focused, otherwise the Brewers are going to take a decent lead again and possibly give the Cardinals a chance to sneak back in the race. Cub fans sure don't want that to happen. Chicago has worse things to worry about after last night when Alonso Soriano strained his right quadriceps running from first to third late in the game. Hold your breath...he's expected to miss 2-4 weeks. This crap always happen around this time in the season. Sure is Wood is back, but it's not a good trade off for Having Soriano out. God, do the Cubs need his bat!

The bullpen still needs a little work. Why hasn't management gone out and retrieved a few good relievers? Is Dempster injured or what? I have yet to see him pitch in over 3 weeks! Ohman, Howry, and Marmol need help in the pen. They can't toss scoreless innings every time out. Neal Cotts needs to be called back up if he's indeed in Triple A (haven't see him appear in a game in a long while either). This is the real main area which demands improvement.

I think playing Matt Murton more in left would enable the Cubs to produce on more run scoring opportunities. This club has the offense to win, but guys collectively can't drag in slumps. Jacque Jones and Jason Kendall should be key players in the lineup in the final month. This freak injury with Soriano does put a damper on the clubhouse yet the Cubs can't allow it to affect their mental approach and overall play. Everybody wants him back ASAP, but until then the Cubs will have to pull together and deliver.

No walk in the park for Marshall, bullpen unable to contain Phils

Thankfully, for the Cubs they're still in first place, but are tied after a Brewers and Cubs loss. It was a close game for Chicago until the 8th inning down 7-6 when the Phillies broke it wide open, putting a 10 spot on the scoreboard. The Cubs had a golden opportunity to drive in a few more runs in the 8th and stranded a couple runners. They're still okay in the standings. Sure it wouldn't helped to pick up another game on Milwaukee and St. Louis, but that will come later.

For the most part the starting pitching had done a terrific job. Sean Marshall just had a rough start yesterday and will rebound in his next outing. He owned a 3.10 ERA coming into Thursday's game. Soriano boosted his average with 3 hits. Lee, Soriano, and Ramirez are all batting over .300. The lineup is prospering from such consistent hitting. The Mets come into town today for a big 3-game series. Carlos Zambrano (14-7) duels today with Orlando Hernandez (7-4) for an afternoon start at Wrigley. The Cubs will be tested this weekend as many feel this could shape up to be a postseason matchup. Keep swinging that sweet bat Soriano!

Jones makes up for error with RBI double in route to 7-3 victory

The hit parade is back into effect as last night Jason Kendall and Alfonso Soriano slugged sparked the offense with clutch hits for the Cubs. Jacque Jones are gradually showing signs of breaking out of his batting funk as he socked an RBI double in the bottom of the 6th for added measure. 10 hits got the job done in the lineup behind Jason Marquis 6 innings of 8-hit 3-run ball. He rebounded from his last start to improve to 8-6.

Soriano went 2-for-5 with a runs scored to aid in the cause. There has shown to be a good rise in runs scored per game in June and July. Adding Kendall to the lineup will help fuel those late inning rallies and give extra support to Lee, Ramirez, and Soriano's efforts. He's a complimentary type of player. I'm glad the franchise got rid of Cesar Izturis. They really had no room for him or place along the infield. I will never understand why Cubs management traded Greg Maddux for him...it's far from mind-blogging!

The Cubs have already won 1-of-2 in the series at Wrigley against the Phillies. I feel good about them at least splitting the series. Lilly caught a tough break in his start and made one mistake which cost him the game. Tonight Sean Marshall (5-4) squares off with Jamie Moyer (9-8) for an 8:05 p.m. start at Wrigley. The blooming southpaw has a played a quality role in the rotation. I anticipate more good things from him late in the season. Go for 3 against those pesky Phils!