Despite being dominated for most of the game by Arizona rookie starter Max Scherzer, the Cubs rallied off the Diamondback’s bullpen for 6 in the 7th en route to a 7-2 victory and their first series win in weeks. Alfonso Soriano went 4 for 5 with 2 runs and the game winning RBI. The Cubs got the lead in the 3rd when Soriano scored on an error by rightfielder Justin Upton. After the Cubs failed to score with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 5th, the D’Backs got 2 runs in the top of the 6th on a bases loaded walk and an RBI groundout against Ryan Dempster.

Daryle Ward tied the game with a pinch hit RBI single in the bottom of the 7th, followed by an Alfonso Soriano RBI double to put the Cubs ahead. The Cubs would get four more in the inning on RBI singles from Ryan Theriot and Aramis Ramirez, capped off with a 2 run homer by Kosuke Fukudome. Scott Eyre, who made his first appearance since coming off the DL, got the win in relief. Carlos Zambrano tries to lead the Cubs to a sweep on Mother’s Day against Randy Johnson at 1:20 CT.

Mike

It was a good night to be a Cubs fan Wednesday as the Cubs jumped all over Milwaukee to go on to a 19-5 victory. Brewers starter Jeff Suppan gave up 6 runs in the first and 8 overall in his abbreviated outing. Geovany Soto was the star for the Cubs offense with 2 homeruns and 6 RBI. Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee had back to back RBI doubles in the 1st, while Mark DeRosa also added a pair of RBI singles. Every Cub starter reached base, and they all got a hit with the exception of Felix Pie. Daryle Ward had an RBI double in the 8th after Ronny Cedeno cleared the bases with a double of his own.

Ryan Dempster went 6 innings giving up 3 runs, to earn his 4th win of the year. The Cubs and Brewers play the rubber game of the series Thursday afternoon at 1:20 as Carlos Zambrano seeks his first win against Yovani Gallardo.

I have been watching the remaining playoff games, and I’m still pissed off that the Cubs aren’t playing.  Am I the only one?  I wouldn’t think so but who knows lol.

I started thinking forward to the 2008 season, and what we might see out of the Chicago Cubs. Manager Lou Piniella will be back for his second season that is for sure. Will the team resign Kerry Wood?  Wil Geovany Soto be the opening day catcher?  What do you do with Jacque Jones?  Will Cliff Floyd be back?

As far as the free agents on the Cubs roster, I would expect the team to sign Kerry Wood, Daryle Ward, and Cliff Floyd if he chooses to come back.  Also, Scott Eyre does have a players option and has stressed that he would love to stay with the Cubs.  Time will tell what they do with Eyre, but I would expect him to be in Cubbie Blue in 08 as well.

That leaves Steve Trachsel and Jason Kendell as the free agents that the team would let go.  Neither player has a future with the Cubs team I don’t feel.  Atleast I sure hope not.

Right now I think we can expect Geovany Soto to be the starting catcher, Aramis Ramirez at thirdbase, Ryan Theriot at shortstop (would love to upgrade), Mark DeRosa playing second base, Derrek Lee at first, Alfonso Soriano out in leftfield, Jacque Jones/Felix Pie in centerfield, and Matt Murton in rightfield.

Time will only tell what the Cubs will be able to do as far as signing free agents and trades this offseason.� With the team up for sale, and no owner in place as of right now, nothing to drastic is going to happen.� I’d love to pick up a right fielder and a shortstop, but I understand if nothing happens at those positions as well.

The Chicago Cubs hit four homeruns in the “juicebox” tonight against the Houston Astros and they took the series 2-1.  Steve Trachsel picked up his first win since rejoining the Cubs as the Cubs moved back into first place of the Central Division by half a game over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Ramirez, Daryle Ward, and Cliff Floyd all connected for homeruns.  All were solo shots except for Ramirez who hit a three run homer in the first inning.  Ramirez’s homerun followed Soriano who led off the game with a long bomb.

Kerry Wood and Carlos Marmol shut down the door on the Astros in the final three innings.  Wood pitched the 7th inning, and Marmol pitched the 8th and 9th innings.  I hope Marmol can get some rest and not need to be used the next 2-3 days.  He could really use some rest at this point in the season.

The Cubs and Cardinals will begin a huge weekend series tomorrow night.  The Cardinals have lost seven in a row so it is important that the Cubs come out strong and win these ballgames.

What an up and down game for the Chicago Cubs tonight.  The offense was dead for the first six innings of the game as they could not move a runner along and killed any sort of hope to score with inning ending double plays.

It was Rich Hill however that kept the team in the game as the threw seven strong innings and striking out seven Brewer batters.  An outstanding starting performance for Hill, exactly what the team needed tonight as they have a short bullpen after the team optioned Carmen Pignatiello to Triple A Iowa when Alfonso Soriano rejoined the team.

In the 7th inning, Cliff Floyd was hit by a pitch to lead off, then with Floyd stealing, Mark DeRosa reached safely on a grounder into the hole between shortstop and third.  With two runners on and 0 outs, Jacque Jones came up and drilled a double to the right-center field gap that scored Floyd and Derosa.  The Jones doubled tied the game up at 3-3.

Jason Kendall then flight out to right which brought up pitch hitter Daryle Ward who was hitting for Hill. Ward was intentionally walked and Soriano followed up with a flyout to rightfield.  With two outs and runners on the corners, Ryan Theriot hit a sharp ball to Linebrink the Brewers pitcher and he was unable to handle it and was charged with an error.  On the play Jones scored from third, Ward advanced to second, and Theriot was at first base.  Felix Pie came in and ran for Ward at second base and it was a good thing that he did because Derrek Lee came up and singled to left field and Pie scored from second to push the lead to 5-3.

Bob Howry and Ryan Dempster finished out the game for the bullpen as they did not allow a run in the 8th or 9th innings.  Great job guys!  Way to hold the lead.

This was a huge come from behind win for the Cubs tonight.  First off it was against the Brewers who are now down 2.5 games after dropping tonights game.  The Cardinals continued to stay hot as they beat up on the Astros and are now in second place of the division.  It is the Cubs, Cards, and Brewers with the Cubbies ahead by two games.  Will they stay there?  Time will only tell but we all sure hope so!

Albert Pujols belted his 28th home run, Rick Ankiel added a solo shot, and Scott Rolen had three hits and drove in three runs to power the St. Louis Cardinals to a 6-4 victory Monday over the Cubs in a game delayed one hour and 27 minutes by rain.

Ted Lilly (13-6) took the loss, serving up five runs on seven hits and three walks over six innings. It’s the second straight outing in which the left-hander has been hit hard. He gave up six runs over five innings to Cincinnati in his previous start.

Joel Pineiro (3-1) served up back-to-back home runs to Daryle Ward and Mark DeRosa but held on for the win, which helped the Cardinals pull within three games of the Cubs in the division.  I will still take 2 out of 3 this point in the season against the Cardinals.  Lets hope that the Brewers lose tonight so the Cubs can remain one game ahead in the standings!

The Cubs continued their recent home success with their 3rd straight win, a 5-3 victory over the Cardinals on Saturday. Despite 2 rain delays, they got 9 innings in. The Cubs scored all 5 of their runs in the 3rd to take a 5-0 lead. Derrek Lee, who went 3-4 started it with an RBI single and Daryle Ward hit his first HR has a Cub, a grandslam to the left center field bleachers. Solo homers for St. Louis by Juan Encarnacion, Brendan Ryan, and Albert Pujols weren’t enough to overcome Sean Marshall who got his 6th win. Anthony Reyes got the loss and Ryan Dempster converted his 2nd straight save. The Cubs and Cards play game 3 of the 4 game set on ESPN’s Sunday Night baseball at 7:05 CT.

Two bad starts in a row for Big Carlos Zambrano now.  Tonight Zambrano lasted seven innings even though he gave up 11 hits, two walks, and six earned runs in the game.  Carlos was getting the ball over the plate a little to much and he was hit hard by the Cincinnatti Reds offense.

Speaking of offenses, it was nice to see Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez go back-to-back in the 4th inning.  Jacque Jones also connected for a solo homerun in the 6th inning.  It was a rocket shot that reached Sheffield Avenue.  The Cubs did a nice rally going in the bottom of the 8th inning but Daryle Ward popped up to shallow center field with runners on second and first base.  In the 9th inning, Matt Murton did hit one to the warning track in left, but was a few feet from the ivy covered wall, and then Mike Fontenot came up with a runner on first, and flied out to deep right field and his ball was caught at the wall as well.

It was a good thing that the Cardinals beat the Brewers tonight.   The Cubs are still back 1.5 games behind the Brew Crew but we still think we can catch them.  The Cubs just need to get on another roll and win four out five games.  We can put the Cardinals out of this race this weekend, with a big series at Wrigley Field.  Lets get business done!

Cliff Floyd was placed on the bereavement list for the second time this season.  Floyd’s dad is very sick and it doesn’t sound like he will make it much longer so Floyd went back to Chicago to spend time with his family.  We wish the Floyd family all the best, and please keep them in your prayers.

Daryle Ward is back with the team in his pitch hitters role as he has recovered from his calf injury.  It will be good to have him back as a pitch hitter so we don’t have to run Carlos Zambrano up there like Lou did Thursday night in Denver lol.

Cubs Injuries

Another minor leaguer brought up today as Scott Moore was recalled from Triple A Iowa to fill in for Daryle Ward who has been placed on the disabled list because of his calf injury he sustained yesterday.  Sounds like Moore is going to be starting first base today for the team as they open a series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.  Lets hope for error free ball from Moore, and possibly a few hits!

Ryan Dempster is also back with the team after throwing in a couple of minor league games for the Iowa Cubs.  Sean Gallagher was sent back to Triple A where he will once again be in their rotation of starting pitchers.  So do you throw Dempster right back in there in the closers role? I don’t until Bob Howry blows one to be honest.  What do you think?  Dempster or Howry for closer?