Cubs pluckered out, come up empty against Sox

Well, the series at U.S. Cellular Field sure was a dozy for Cub fans. Watching the White Sox enact revenge in their home park stinked as nothing went right at all for the Cubs. Their bats were colder than an Eskimo's nose. Okay, Derek Lee did have a 5-hit game on Saturday in a teasing 6-5 defeat yet few runners got on base ahead of him. Every time a string of hits developed somebody would hit into a double play or go all 'soft' at the plate and strikeout. Sean Marshall has yet to get a win in 2 starts from being recalled from Triple-A Iowa. Last night the young southpaw didn't get any run support and gave up two homeruns through 7 innings. No one can expect him to go 8 or 9 inning without giving up a run. He's had to deal with bad breaks.

Losing 4 in a row I think it's time for Sweet 'Ole Lou to turn ornery and get his players fired up. The Cubs are struggling on the road with the inefficiency to drive runners in scoring position home. Finishing out the series in Chicago with the 5-1 loss, resulting in a sweep the Cubs are now 16-23 on the road. I saw that Lou was trying to take a stand against the shady officiating last night and got ejected for debating a check swing call on a Sox batter. Those lousy umpires showed no consistency at the plate and were clearly widening the strike zone for the Cub batters. When runners did get on base it was adventure with too many blunders on the base paths. DeRosa got caught off second too far in the 9th was doubled on a lineout to halt any sort of rally.

From an offensive standpoint I'm disappointed with Ronny Cedeno. Since Lou has placed him in the starting lineup this past week the production has not been there. Besides an RBI single late in the Sunday's game he's had several chances with runners in scoring position, twice with the bases loaded and came up empty. It's like his mind set has changed at the plate or his approach. I don't know perhaps if he was switched around in the lineup he would snap out of the funk. Also to rub off any karma lingering Jim Edmonds needs to come off the bench more and start less. I have a bad feeling when he's up with runners in scoring position. Most of the time any momentum flowing for the Cubs is flattened.

Aramis Ramirez had a tough time battling White Sox pitching, going 0-for-13 this weekend after coming off a hot series at Wrigley against the Southsiders. I just know it's going to take a team effort for the Cubs to win on the road and the lineup needs to average around 5 runs a game. Reed Johnson's presence is sorely missed because he was a big spark plug to the offense. Can't wait until he gets back off the DL. With Big Z returning to make his start against the Cardinals the bats better be tuned up and ready to rip. Dust off the dreary weekend and gets amped because it's time to get back to kicking butt in the NL!

Streak ends at Wrigley, players coping with straining injuries

The superfluous 14-game win streak at home is over. Baltimore became the second team this season to take a series against the Cubs at Wrigley. Another short losing spell was going to happen eventually there. Game 3 of the series belonged to the Orioles as they pounded the ball off Jason Marquis which resulted in a 11-4 finale. As Lou stated to the media, the Cubs are all banged up at this time. Kosuke Fukudome missed his 2nd straight start from calf tightness and Scott Eyre left the game after an inning in relief with a left groin strain. Plus Aramis Ramirez was given a day off to rest to relieve any soreness. The Cubs watched their opponents enjoy a good productive day which included a 4-for-5 hitting display for Aubrey Huff.

After Marquis was lifted in the 4th the bullpen struggled a bit to pull it together too. 4 runs were allowed on 6 hits and a walk. The good news is Daryl Ward is back and went 2-for-2 off the bench with a RBI. Good to see the big guy healthy and making his return with the team. His bat as a pinch-hitter and occasional starter will come in handy.

Eric Patterson ripped a 2-run single to account for half of the offense. Weathering the injuries is part of long grueling season as the Cubs will have to make due until after the All-Star break. Carlos Zambrano expects to pitch a bullpen session on Sunday and be activated by July 4 for a start at St. Louis. The Cubs want to bounce back from the tiring Orioles series as they head across town for an another epic matchup with the White Sox. It will be Ryan Dempster (9-2) up against Jose Contreras (6-6) in the opening game. Let's go Cubs!

What the heck happened in the 9th?

The Cubs have enjoyed their share of comebacks so far this year, but the outcome of last night's game against the Orioles was mind blowing. Don't get me wrong the Cubs are playing great baseball and can't let the 7-5 loss nag their mind. I don't think I've ever seen a team have the bases loaded with no outs and then end the game on 3 consecutive strikeouts. I was really pulling for Cedeno who seemed to be way too anxious to drive in the tying runs. He's got to lay off that high fastball and show patience like he had been at the plate. Then Kosuke Fukudome, who hit a solo homerun in the 4th to dead center came up with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th and went out of his comfort zone flailing at breaking balls out of the zone. All they had do was get a walk, sacrifice fly, or single. Hell, even a sac bunt would have caught the Orioles off guard.

15 straight wins at home wasn't in the works I suppose. All those chances the lineup had to score and came up empty...what a shame. That is the most difficult thing to watch as a Cubs fan, especially when the team has been so hot. Seeing as Marshall made his first start he had a pretty decent outing. He recorded 7 strikeouts. Giving up the 4 runs on 7 hits and a walk through 4.2 innings didn't actually hurt the Cubs chances in their comeback attempt. Hitting into a few double plays in mid-innings kind of killed any momentum working in their favor though. Of all people Jim Edmonds came up with a three-run homer in the 7th to bring the Cubs with 3 runs then was lifted in 7th for pinch-hitter Matt Murton. Later Aramis Ramirez whacked an RBI single to right field. The offense from there kept the Wrigley Field crowd in suspense, unable to drive in any runs to force a tie or win the game in the 9th.

I think the reason the Cubs got jinxed was Andy McPhail being in attendance and the WGN camera crew panning into the seats to catch his unwanted presence. Once I saw him on TV it directly bothered me and should have known he was about to screw up a thrilling game. There will be enough close games throughout the remainder of the year to cause fans to hold their breath yet many will go the Cubs' way. Learning from their mistakes at the plate (mostly impatience and a little excitement) the young guys who don't play everyday like Cedeno and Fontenot can make adjustments. I feel Marshall will rebound from his undeserved first loss. In Game 2 Ted Lilly (7-5) will try to enact a form of redemption making a start against the O's Brian Burres (6-5).

Windy City clash goes the Cubs way, Dempster 9-0 at Wrigley

Alright, the Cubs are back to kicking butt as they return to Wrigley Field. This weekend they mauled the White Sox, sweeping the series as if their road trip had no ill-effects on their play. The long ball became a big part of the offense as the Cubs went deep 4 times on Saturday and twice Sunday. Eric Patterson cracked his 1st Major League homerun in the 7-1 shellacking last night. The hottest player of the series by far was Aramis Ramirez who tallied 4 homeruns and 8 RBIs. He also hit the game-winning homer in Friday's 4-3 comeback victory. ESPN broadcaster Jon Miller was so enthralled with the Cubs third baseman's prolific hitting he kept repeating how many dingers Ramirez hit in the series. It kinda reminded me of Harry Carey a little except without the famous quote, "I'm a Bud man and a Cubs fan."

Watching how the Cubs play at home compared to last year is astounding. They're a totally different team and have functioned well without Alfonso Soriano. I don't know where they'd be without the bullpen either. Bob Howry did a nice job of closing out the game Sunday night, not giving up a run or hit. Tying a mark set in 1936 the Cubs have won 14 straight at Wrigley. A major contributor to that success is Ryan Dempster who is 9-0 at home. With Zambrano on the 15-day DL he may take over as the no. 1 starter. He's a good ground ball pitcher and coaxed 3 double play balls last night. Much credit is owed to him for the Cubs hot streak.

With the shoulder strain to Zambrano the Cubs have called up Sean Marshall from Iowa to make a start on Tuesday against Baltimore. I'm glad to see him rejoin the team and start in the rotation. Another lefty would even out the rotation a bit, providing the Cubs with an extra option in the bullpen as well. As for the lineup, Ramirez has caught fire and Lee is starting to heat it up. He slapped out 2 hits and drove in 2 runs yesterday.

By the All-Star break with the Cubs sailing already possessing a 48-28 record most everyone should be healthy and ready to endure the second half. As hot as this 2008 team is now it's only a matter of time before they start shattering franchise records. They'll have to learn to win on the road. After facing the Orioles at home they'll head to the South side to meet the White Sox again then head to San Francisco for 3-games. Keep those bats sizzling especially you Ramirez!

Good riddance to Florida, Cubs head back home for another grueling matchup

I wasn't happy with the way the series started or ended against the D-Rays. I really felt the road trip was going well after departing Toronto winning 2-0f-3 games. The greatest concern now for Cubs fans is Carlos Zambrano aggravating his shoulder in Wednesday's start. The debate between him and Lou on the mound late in the game was a little bothersome for me. If Big Z was hurt he should've agreed to leave the game yet was intent on getting one more out. Lou certainly did the right thing by pulling him and avoiding further problems with the shoulder. Getting swept in Tampa Bay was a surprise. Geovany Soto and Fukudome provided the hitting yet it was wasn't enough.

Dropping two games by a run were close battles then yesterday the Cubs took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the 7th and the flood gates opened. Carlos Marmol had this one particular bad relief outing and lost his composure. Plunking two straight batters with 2 walks was so unlike him. To make matters worst for Game 3 in the 8-3 loss Sean Gallagher pitched a fantastic game and received a no decision which looked to be a potential win. Here is his stat line:

6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO

The dip in the road trip didn't effect the Cubs much in the standings which is great. I was pushing for them to climb over .500 before returning to Wrigley, but overall they're in good shape. However, with guys on the trading block and the Cubs concerned about Zambrano it's time for them to act and strike a deal for another good starting pitcher. Again I'll put it out there despite those Cub fans who are against it: Pursue BEN SHEETS! He's a veteran strikeout pitcher with a track record for winning. As the Cubs enter the Windy city clash with the White Sox management needs to contemplate possible trade options. With the Chi Sox coming off a three-game win streak the Cubs will have to be ready. Oh, it's going to be a fierce showdown with a few hard hits and tension boiling (especially if the umps piss Lou off). All there is left to say is this crosstown series is on and both teams will be bringing it.

D-Rays strike first in series with 3-2 victory

Darn those resilient Tampa Bay Devil Rays! They must be on a mission in '08 the same as the Cubs. Spoiling Lou Piniella's return to Tropicana Field his former team slipped past the Cubs for 3-2 win. It all came down to one influential game-saving play in the 9th. Reed Johnson laid down a good bunt and 9 times out 10 the runner would be safe at first. Unfortunately for the Cubs Kosuke Fukudome was on third due to a pass ball yet didn't score due to a bare handed throw by Ray's third baseman Evan Longoria. He also hit a solo homerun in the 6th inning. The Cubs first ever game at Tampa Bay was a real nail-biter. It's too bad luck wasn't on their side last night.

I noticed that Matt Murton is back with the team and got the start in Game 1 in left field. Glad to see back in the Majors and getting the at-bats. Lou know has his share of outfielders choose from and to shake things up. Ryan Dempster got robbed in the start for the first game of the series. Nothing to complain about his performance going 5 innings on the mound to pitch 6-hit 1-run ball with 2 walks allowed. The Cubs are playing with a greater will on the road and have lost 2 games on the trip by a run. Right now the two hottest teams in baseball are locking up for a entertaining series. While Chicago fights to stay ahead in the NL Central the D-Rays are anxious to jump in front of Boston to reclaim first place in the AL East.

With another quality start tonight from Carlos Zambrano (8-2) the bullpen can be used sparingly if needed at all. It's surprising how all this young guys (fairly unknown, but not for long) is are flourishing for the D-Rays. I've never seen Andy Sonnanstine (7-3) who's heading to the mound for Game 2, but I'm sure he's a tough customer. The Cubs have to find a way to contain Evan Longoria who is the part of the team nucleus and glue which holds them together.

From a coach's perspective I'd reward Reed Johnson for his recent upstanding overall performance and give him the start in center or left field. Lou has several options for DH and can go with Cedeno on the infield who's shown to be a reliable contact hitter with runners in scoring position. The Cubs want to give Piniella a win against his former team as they will have to cool off those surging D-Rays. Let's go Cubs!!

Cubs gaining momentum after taking series against Toronto

Another favorable series showed the Cubs busting out the lumber with a mix of good pitching. Yesterday it was Derek Lee who had the big day, going 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs and run scored. Starting as the DH he provided the lift on offense. Aramis Ramirez added the pop with a 2-run homer in the 7th inning putting the Cubs ahead 7-1. Ted Lilly pitched another masterful game going 6 innings to allow a mere hit and 5 walks. He went on to record his 7th win as the pen held the Blue Jays to 6 hits and 4 runs. The lineup is being switched around often with the outfield rotation and now having an extra hitter to play DH.

Michael Hoffpauir is earning his keep so far, being able to adjust to multiple positions and get on base. He served up 2 hits in Game 3. Reed Johnson has also proved to be a valuable component filling in at center and coming up with big hits. He's driven in 31 RBIs in 55 games. Lou Piniella really is getting the most out of his players, swapping players at positions and bringing guys off the bench as replacements and pinch runners. Entering late out of the bullpen Carlos Marmol has been superb, rarely giving up a run. He's credited with a 2.09 ERA with 20 holds. Everybody seems to be contributing on the club. As a fan you can't ask for anything more.

With the day off the Cubs get extra rest and time to prepare for the series in Tampa Bay. They've far more experienced than the Devil Rays who are vying for an extra bat and team leader as they pursue Ken Griffey Jr. They more than make for their lack of experience with exuberance, speed, and confidence. The astro turf maybe a factor for the Cubs as the tricky hops on the infield can be trouble. Plus adjusting to the overhead lights at night can be blinding for opposing outfielders and lead to treacherous mishaps. The way Chicago is playing they appear to be ready for anything while honoring their fallen teammate Soriano by with hustle and spirited performances.

Toronto doesn't extend warm welcome to Cubs

Darn those Toronto Blue Jays interrupting the Cubs hot play on the diamond. They snapped the Cubs 4-game win streak in the first Interleague series of the season. A.J. Burnett was the effective starter holding the Cubs to 4 hits and 2 runs through 5 innings. Jim Edmonds slapped a double to center in the 4th to drive in a run. Later in the 6th Eric Patterson sent Fukudome to the plate on a single. That's all the offense Chicago put on the board. They haven't lost the first game of a series since May 5. One game won't be a setback. It's still a good possibility they can take 2-of-3 if the starting pitching continues to last through mid-to-late innings.

Sean Gallagher had a decent outing yesterday yet things just didn't go the Cubs way. Every time relief comes in though they rarely give many runs and keep it close. Today the Cubs don't have an easier assignment in facing Roy Halladay (8-5). The middle of the order will need to be productive today. I look for Lee, Ramirez, and Fukudome to crank out the hits as hopefully Marquis(4-3) will put in a good 5-6 innings of work. Keeping ahead of the pack the Cubs remain in front of St. Louis 3.5 games. Wishing a speedy recovery to Alfonso Soriano while Chicago pushes to get to .500 on the road. To so they only need to win 3 games! Go Cubs!

Cubs prevail in extra innings thriller at Wrigley

As a Cubs fan there are much to be pleased with and disappointing news to accept. First off, the Cubs are still red hot, winning 4 in a row including a sweep against the Braves at home. Thursday afternoon a battle transpired against Carlos Zambrano and Tim Hudson on the mound. They both kept their teams close. Trailing 2-1 in the 9th of all people, Jim Edmonds hits a game-tying homerun to send it into extra innings. The bases were loaded in the bottom of the 9th as Reed Johnson came to the plate as a pinch hitter with no outs. The game ends with him being hit by a pitch to force in the winning run. Heck, the Cubs will take victories anyway they can get them.

Now onto a serious note. Finding out about the injury to Soriano was a shame. He was on a tear with 15 homeruns and 40 RBIs...that lousy, sorry !%#@*!! Braves pitcher broke his left hand. Expected to be out 6 weeks it's a real drag for the Cubs. Why do these freak injuries always happen to the good guys? The offense is still there in the lineup yet it stinks not to Soriano around. A new lead-off hitter in Eric Patterson recalled from Triple-A Iowa I suppose will be his replacement in left field. Lou Piniella will probably juggle guys back and forth into that spot until he finds the best consistent hitter. Micah Hoffpauir rejoins the team to add another good bat off the bench. His role will range from range from rotating in the outfield and pinch hitting when needed.

I'm not at all content with the fact Felix Pie wasn't called back up to play centerfield. He didn't even have to be an everyday starter to benefit the Cubs. How can management expect him to develop further as a player if he isn't given enough experience at the Major League level? The Cubs GM knows he has great potential yet gives limited opportunties to prove himself. I'm certain he'd be a better choice than Patterson for the lead-off spot. He's hitting over .300 in his last 10 games for Iowa. As long as the lineup drives in adequate runs they'll continue to be successful no matter who is on the active roster. I just think Pie deserves another chance.

An exciting group of Interleague series start this weekend. The Cubs will ulitize their extra prospects and fill the DH spot. Today in Toronto they try to extend their win streak. Being pushed back a day Sean Gallagher (3-2) starts in the opener against the Blue Jays, facing opposing pitcher A.J. Burnett (5-6). Going into hostile territory the Cubs must work to get Gallagher run support early and build upon it by forcing Toronto to go to their bullpen. With a win Chicago can jump 20 games over .500 and possibly gain a 4.5 lead over the Cardinals.

Cubs bust out big bats in 10-5 win over Braves

Everything is sweet as honey at Wrigley Field this year. The Cubs continue to excel there, boosting their record to 27-8 after a victory over the Braves Tuesday night. Derek Lee went deep in the 3rd inning off Tom Glavine for his 14th homerun. The Cubs lineup crunched out 12 hits which also a 3-run shot by Geovany Soto (11) in the 8th. Chipping in with nice contributions also were Mark DeRosa and Reed Johnson, combining for 3 hits and 3 RBIs. Johnson even made two spectacular catches in center to prevent runs from scoring. Luckily for the Cubs Glavine wasn't at his best and left the game after the 3rd inning with a strained left elbow.

Being in a good spot, thanks to the run support Ted Lilly recorded a win improving to 6-5. Coach Piniella had confidence in him to leave him in the 7th to face Chipper Jones off the bench. After walking the star slugger then giving up a hit he departed from the mound to a warm applause by Cub fans. Lilly gave up just 3 hits and 3 runs while serving up 8 strikeouts. The bullpen got a little rocky yet keep Atlanta in line. Scott Eyre came up with a big strikeout in the 8th to end the inning. Then to close out the game Jon Lieber worked out of a jam and got the ground ball double play.

The Cubs are taking these games at homes in stride. There is no pressure really to meet expectation since they're already surpassed it already in June. It helps too that nobody in the lineup is in slump and the errors on the field are down. I'd enjoy seeing the Cubs have like a longer homestand such as 10-12 games....now that could lead to a real undefeated streak. Still as a Cubs fan I can't complain since they claim the best record in baseball.

Looking forward to the Interleague series coming up. Sweeping the Braves would be sweet before heading to Toronto then Tampa Bay where the Cubs get to use a DH. For an extra hitter in the lineup the Cubs plan to call up Micah Hoffpauir from Triple-A Iowa. I think he's a good hitter and will benefit from the additional exposure and at-bats. Still I miss Felix Pie who belongs on the roster in some capacity. Come on it's been long enough already. BRING BACK FELIX!! I GOTTA HAVE THAT SPEED BABY!

DeRosa goes yard to pave way for Cubs 3-1 win

Making the most out of the road trip the Cubs went 4-3, unrattled by having their 9-game winning streak snapped. They settled for a split against the Dodgers in L.A. after winning 3-1 last night. Not much offense was needed as the starting pitching from Jason Marquis was splendid. He yielded a run on 3 hits and a walk through 6.1 innings. The big bat for the game came from Mark DeRosa who cranked a solo homerun in the 1st inning then added a RBI single to right in the 5th. The Cubs managed 2 runs off Brad Penny in the latter inning to bump him from the mound.

Although Soriano got a double in the game seeing him cut down on those strikeouts and show a little patience at the plate would be nice. When the left fielder gets on base the Cubs usually score runs. Those sliders are too tantalizing for him to lay off. He chased about every low outside pitch last night offered his way. I'd like to see him wait back and hold up his swing sometimes.
With another homerun in the Dodgers series he's up to 15. His hitting is a major contributing factor to the Cubs hot play and claiming the best record in the NL Central (40-24) and in baseball. Today everyone will get a rest with the day off, much deserved especially for the bullpen.

In another save chance Kerry Wood successfully nailed down the door last night. He was perfect in the 9th. He's averaging around 2 strikeouts per inning and now has 18 saves. Marmol, Howry, and him have been outstanding. They've combined for over 102 innings pitched and 128 strikeouts. The Cubs are back at home starting a 3-game bill with the Braves Tuesday. In Game 1 Ted Lilly (5-5, 5.23 ERA) heads to the mound vs. Tom Glavine (2-2, 4.47 ERA). I don't know why they're playing only playing 3 games at Wrigley then going back on the road?? Anyway, if all goes well the Cubs will continue to delight and be the best in the NL!

Back in the straddle, Kukudome hits game-winning single

Last night was another close game which almost went into extras. Thanks to Kosuke Kukudome's clutch RBI single in the 9th the Cubs scaved by the Dodgers 5-4. Fukudome also capped off the scoring with a solo homerun in the 2nd inning. A 4-run lead diminished in the 5th as Ryan Dempster gave up 2 runs on 3 hits. Jeff Kent homered to twice, later tying the game. Bob Howry came on in relief in the 6th and went on to record the win. Fortunate enough the Cubs had a little extra offense from Mark DeRosa who slugged a solo homer and a RBI single by Ryan Theriot (3-for-5).

Lou expecting a 1-run game sent Kerry Wood to the mound in the 9th. In a gutsy, pressure-filled spot with the bases loaded he got out of a jam and struck out 2 batters to record his 17th save. What a way to work out trouble! Wood has returned to his old self again and is turning into a terrific closer. The Cubs have won 10-of-11, wanting to finish out the West coast road trip with a flourish. Matching the 1977 team's record (39-22) in early June the Cubs, bound for glory will set new franchise records by maintaining this hot pace! Sean Gallagher (3-1) aims to please with another quality outing tonight against Hiroki Kuroda (2-5). The magic number for the Cubs I think will be 5 again.

Power display lifts Cubs over Padres 9-6

How about them Cubs? The bats continue to sizzle with the run totals increasing each game. The Cubs are serious about making a statement on the road trip. After a 7-6 win against San Diego on Monday, featuring a 3-of-3 slugging performance by Carlos Zambrano along with him grabbing the win the Cubs hit the long ball in Game 2 to result in a 9-6 triumph. Bruising up the Padres bullpen for 6 runs Mark DeRosa, Geovany Soto, and Alfonso Soriano all homered. The Cubs came back from a 3-1 deficit heading into the 5th inning. It was the 8th game in a row they made comebacks while trailing at some point.

Jason Marquis went 5 innings in the game last night, enough to reel in his 3rd win. The following is his stat line:

4 H, 3 ER, 3 R, 5 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR

The starters don't have to go deep in games when the bats produce at least 5 runs, but it would be good for the bullpen to get extra rest. Cutting down on the walks would lower the pitch counts and give Lou further reason to let his starters in the game for further innings. 6 relievers were used in Tuesday night's game. I have to applaud Kerry Wood for his outstanding efforts as closer. With 16 saves to his credit he has racked up 36 strikeouts with a 2.78 ERA. He's the stronghold of the bullpen and is such a valuable piece to the Cubs makeup.

I see Lou went back to placing DeRosa in the outfield rotation. This idea of moving players in and out of the lineup is working well, allowing players to be refreshed the next day. I don't think Cub fans see enough of Ronny Cedeno though. Switching him with Fontenot in the lineup works okay, but perhaps he could be used more at shortstop. Besides Cedeno is hitting at a .292 clip on the road compared to his infield teammate's .233 average. I know Lou has a difficult time getting everyone enough at-bats. The run production in the lineup has picked up immensely with 4 players in the lineup having at least 38 RBIs each. Credit that to the Cubs 9-game winning streak.

Seeing how the Cubs are facing one of the least formidable teams in the NL the game tonight won't be a 'piece of cake' against Greg Maddux (3-4). After two consecutive no decision the 42-year veteran will be hungry for a win. I'd have DeRosa in the lineup for this one because he knows Maddux' arsenal of pitches playing together in Atlanta. Plus, let's see Henry Blanco in action, whether starting or off the bench. The knowledgeable veteran can have more of factor than being a defensive replacement. If Ted Lilly (5-4) works around 5-6 innings it ought to be sufficient to keep the Cubs in the game. Just be leery of the walks! Go Cubs!

Soriano cranks out 13th homerun, Cubs prevail 5-3

With the streak still intact the Cubs executed the fundamentals Sunday afternoon and contributed all around to sweep the Rockies. Life at Wrigley sure is grand! The franchise is close to shattering a record set in 1918 for the best record at home. At current they're 26-8 at Wrigley Field. Yesterday the Cubs scored off a Ramirez single and double by Edmonds. Later in the 6th Alfonso Soriano hit a solo homer. A wild pitch and a bases loaded walk later lead to two extra runs. Sean Gallagher experienced another good outing, pitching 5.2 innings scattering 3 runs on 6 hits while racking up a career best 8 strikeouts! If he can keep up these types of performances the 5th spot in the rotation will be validated, adding to the club's overall strength.

A long journey on the road begins today as the Cubs head west to see the Padres and Dodgers for 7 games. I really think the short homestands and road trips effect a club's performance. It's like players don't get settled into a rhythm or have the same energy carry over to the next series. Maybe it just depends how comfortable players feel while playing at home. There is more support from the fans at Wrigley than anyone could ask for yet the Cubs do need to improve their 10-13 road record. Mark DeRosa said he actually prefers to play on the road, considering it an exciting challenge.

Lucky for the Cubs they'll be playing two scuffling teams before returning home to play the Braves. The odds are in their favor yet they'll have average around 4 runs a game to be successful. Having hitting droughts on the road have posed a problem. Zambrano wants to earn a decision in tonight's game. I'm sure he's ecstatic to jump to 8-1 after having his 27th birthday. He'll duel against Cha Seung Baek (1-1). Knowing how pumped Big Z will be from celebrating Mr. Baek doesn't stand a chance (probably won't survive the 3rd inning). Okay, Cubs offense churn out the runs for Carlos and to extend the win streak to 8!