Alfonso Soriano tied the game with a two run home run in the ninth inning, but the Chicago Cubs still lost to the St. Louis Cardinals 5-3 in 11 innings.  It was an up and down game for the Cubs at the plate, on the mound, and out in the outfield.

Starting pitcher Rich Hill was pulled after only recording two outs in the first inning.  Hill walked four of the six batters that he faced after having his last start skipped.  Manager Lou Piniella didn’t want anything to do with Hill and quickly called on his bullpen.  Everyone in the bullpen except for Carlos Marmol threw for the Cubs.

Journey man Chad Fox made his first apperance after coming back from arm troubles to take the loss for the Cubs.  Fox was pitching in his second inning of action when he gave up a game winning two run home run to Skip Schumaker.

The Cubs struggled at the plate as they only had one run heading into the ninth inning when Soriano went deep to tie the game.  Soriano also had a RBI groundout in the third inning as he had all three RBI for the Cubs.  Soriano did have his trouble out in the field as he miss-played two balls once again that really cost the Cubs.  Had he caught those balls, the Cubs probably win this game in my opinion.  It’s a love / hate relationship with Soriano right now with many Cubs fans.

Dont expect to see Aramis Ramirez in the lineup on Saturday as he left Friday nights game after being hit in the wrist.  Ramirez says that it is pretty swollen and having a day game sure doesn’t help.  I’d expect Ramirez to set this one out for the Cubs.

The Chicago Cubs completed a three game sweet of the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday with a 13-6 victory.  Ryan Dempster picked up the win to improve to 3-0 on the season.  Aramis Ramirez and Ryan Theriot both had a good day at the plate.

Theriot had four hits, including two doubles and two RBIs, while Ramirez contributed three hits and four RBIs, including his fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot in the fifth.  Derrek Lee and Matt Murton both had two RBI while Ronny Cedeno had one RBI.

In the games on Friday and Saturday, the Cubs picked up 3-2 and 13-1 victories over the Pirates.  On Friday, Rich Hill picked up his first win of the season as he tossed five innings.  On Saturday, Jason Marquis picked up his first win of the season as the Cubs crushed the Pirated 13-1.

After the three game sweep, the Cubs are tied for first place with the St. Louis Cardinals.  Keep on playing good baseball!

The Chicago Cubs continue to stab themselves in the foot with poor defense and not being able to come up with the big hit when they need it.  On Friday, Mark DeRosa booted a groundball and then Alfonso Soriano miss-played a ball off the wall in left field that allowed two runs to score and give the Astros the 4-3 victory.

Starting pitcher Rich Hill pitched well enough to get the win for the Cubs but the lack of offense did not allow for that.  Hill pitched six innings giving up four hits, but one of those hits was a two out two run homerun in the 4th inning.  Hill knows he needs to buckle down and finish off batters, I really expect to have him pitch great in his next performance.

As far as the Cubs offense, or the lack there of, they just aren’t getting that big hit by Aramis Ramirez, Alfonso Soriano, or Derrek Lee.  Without those three players hitting the ball, the Cubs aren’t going to get very many wins.  I’m impressed with how Geovany Soto hit the ball today.  He tied the game in the 7th inning with a hard hit groundball that scored two, and when he did get out, he did hit the ball very hard.  DeRosa did hit a solo home run in the 9th inning, but it didn’t matter with the Cubs being down two runs.

I’m trying not panic as it is still early in the season, but the Cubs could have won a couple of these games if not for some stupid errors and mental mistakes.  Hopefully they will get rid of them and start winning these close ballgames.

- Cliff

Sorry I haven’t been able to get an update on the blog lately regarding spring training. I have been pretty busy the past week, but I’m here now, and ready to talk Cubs Baseball!

It was interesting to hear Lou Piniella say it would be a three person battle for the closers role as pitchers and catches reported.  Piniella mentioned Kerry Wood, Carlos Marmol, and Ryan Dempster would battle it out.  Make you think what is going on as Dempster is supposed to get a look as a starter as well.  Then out of nowhere yesterday, Piniella said that Bob Howry would be the closer if the season started today.  Lol, does anyone know what is going on with the closers role?!

I thought it was pretty funny that Carlos Zambrano was wearing Fukudome’s jersey as the Japanese reported to spring training.  After playing with Fukudome for a little bit, Big Z then gave him his jersey as they all had a good laugh.  Gotta love a little joking around to keep the players lose.

As far as the starting rotation, it looks like the Cubs will be going with something like this:

1.  Carlos Zamrano
2.  Ted Lilly
3.  Open
4.  Rich Hill
5.  Open

Piniella really wants to split up the lefthanders Lilly and Hill.  I would probably pencil in Jon Leiber or Jason Marquis into that #3 spot and then the other in the #5 spot.  Leaving out Sean Marshall unless Piniella wants to have back to back lefties in the #4 and #5 spots.

How do you all feel with the pitchers?  What is the best rotation Lou can set up?  What is the best option for closer at this point?  Leave us a comment and let us know your opinion!

Exactly what the Cubs did not want to happan has happened and they are returning to Chicago down 0-2 in the NLDS series.  Terrible starting pitching, and terrible hitting last night combined for a 8-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.  The Diamondbacks are now one win away from moving onto the NLCS.

Ted Lilly served up a fastball right down the middle to Chris Young and it was all downhill after that.� Lilly clearly didn’t have his stuff last night, and it showed when he shook off Geovany Soto’s curveball call to throw a fastball.  Young smoked the ball into the left-center bleachers to give the D-backs the 3-2 lead.

People are saying Lilly did not act as a professional when he threw his glove down on the mound after serving up Young’s homerun, and I agree it looked terrible.  Keep your emotions together man, we are going to need you in Game 5.

As far as the hitting goes, can the team please stop swinging and crappy curve balls that are bouncing at the plate?  Sit on fastball / slider and hit the hell out of it.  If you see a slow curveball coming, let it go.  If you swing, you are going to either drive it into the ground or miss.  More times then not, the hitters missed last night.

Aramis Ramirez is still hitless in the series, Derrek Lee and Alfonso Soriano and striking out like crazy.  The Cubs can’t score when they do get runners into scoring position.  Stop trying to hit a 400 foot homerun every damn time when a runner is on and try to atleast move them over if you have less than two outs.  Pitchers need to get their bunts down and help out as well.

So where do the Cubs go from here?  Well Rich Hill needs to come out and have a good game against Livan Hernandez on Saturday.  Hernandez is going to get up there throwing more junk and the hitters need to learn to lay off that crap and hammer the fastball.  I feel if the Cubs can win on Saturday which I think they will, they will also win on Sunday with Big Carlos Zambrano against Micah Owings.  That puts back in Arizona with a Brandon Webb and Ted Lilly matchup.  Yes, Ted Lilly will be back in the snakepit where he just got rocked.

I’m keeping my faith.  I truely feel we will win the next two games and get back to Arizona.  What do you all feel?

It was a crazy night at Wrigley Field as the Chicago Cubsscored three runs in the bottom of the 9th inning to defeat the Cincinnati Reds 7-6 and stay one game ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers in the Central Division.

Mark DeRosa had the game winning hit against a 5 man infield that scored Sam Fuldfrom third base.  Fuld was pitch running for Aramis Ramirez who had tripled to deep center field.  Ramirez’s tripled plated Derrek Leeand Ryan Theriotwho led off the inning with a walk and then a single.

DeRosa finished the game going 5-5 including a solo homerun in the 3rd inning.  Cliff Floyd connected for a homerun in the 2nd inning as well.  Jacque Jones had the other RBI for the Cubs when he singled in the 5th inning scoring Lee.

Rich Hill started the game for the Cubs and he struggled in his 4.2 innings.  Hill gave up four earned runs on seven hits and seven strikeouts.  He had a few balls that could have been strikes that would have really helped but his curve ball wasn’t always being called for a strike.

Michael Wuertzpitched one inning and allowed another two earned runs.  Once Wuertz was done sucking it up, Scott Eyre, Kevin Hart, and Will Ohman came in to hold the Reds to six runs.  Hart pitched two scoreless innings and that was awesome to see.  The young guy has to be full of confidence after how he threw the ball tonight.

With the 7-6 win, the Cubs remain one game ahead of the Brewers who defeated the Houston Astros 6-0.  It will be crucial for the Cubs to keep on winning as the Brewers will be facing rookie pitchers the next two games against the Astros.

It was another tight ballgame for the Chicago Cubs tonight as they held on to defeat the Houston Astros 3-2.  It was a rocking 9th inning for the Cubs and Ryan Dempster as the tieing run was at thirdbase with 1 out but Dempster was able to get a double play to end the ballgame.

Rich Hill pitched seven great innings only allowing one earned run on three hits and seven strikeouts.  Exactly what the Cubs needed and it was nice to see Rich throw a gem tonight.  Way to step up and help out the ballteam!

Cliff Floyd had a solo homerun into the upper deck in right field to lead the offense tonight.  Ryan Theriot had the other two RBI’s for the team in the 2nd and 4th innings.  The Cubs only scored three runs tonight and we always want to score 4-5 but tonight it held up with the outstanding performance by Hill.  Lets hope for a big game out of Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee tomorrow.

The Cubs are back in a tie for first place with the Brewers now.  I have a feeling this is going to go down to the last 2-3 days of the season. Say your prayers Cubs fans!

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!

It was another late inning rally by the Chicago Cubs tonight against the SanFrancisco Giants.  It was a 2-2 game from the 4th inning until the top of the 10th inning when the Cubs were finally able to push across the game winning runs to beat the Giants 4-2.  They wouldn’t have had a chance though if it wasn’t for the great pitching perfomance by Rich Hill.

Hill pitched an outstanding game for the Cubs tonight.  He only allowed two earned runs during his seven innings.  Hill kept the Giant batters off balance all night long and really helped out the team by throwing seven innings.  Hill also had 10 strikeouts and only allowed one walk on the night.  Now that is good!

Aramis Ramirez got the Cubs offense started in the top of the 4th inning when he had a two RBI double tied the game 2-2.  The game stayed tied until the top of the 10th inning when Cliff Floyd led off with a double, and then Felix Pie (who was pitch running) advanced to third on a passed by.  Mike Fontenot then walked and Jason Kendall hit a sharp groundball to Rich Aurilia who bobbled the ball and let it get into the outfield which allowed Pie to score the go ahead and game winning run!

The Cubs were not done however as they still had Fontenot at third base and Kendall at first when Henry Blanco came to the plate with one out and succesfully laid down a suicide squeeze that score Fontenot from third base to give the Cubs a 4-2 lead.

Ryan Dempster then came into the game and closed it out with his 20th save of the season.  With the victory tonight, the Cubs moved 1 game ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers who lose 2-3 against the Arizona Diamondbacks!

The Cubs are in first place, do you have tickets to watch the Cubs at Wrigley Field or on the road? If not, you are missing out and need to order some tickets through our Partners at Stubhub!  Great tickets at great prices 100% guranteed!

- Cliff

Ah, what a hot day at Wrigley Field yesterday as I sat out in the left-center bleachers.  It was a pitchers game yesterday as Rich Hill and Braden Looper both pitched well.  Hill and the Cubs were saved on a nice over the shoulder grab by Jacque Jones in the 5th inning that saved a couple of runs from scoring.

Jones also had the game winning homerun in the 6th inning right after Albert Pujuols gave the Cardinals a lead with his homerun in the top of the inning.  What was awsome out both of these homeruns, was we were right in the middle of it all in the bleachers.  If you watch the videos of the homeruns, I’m the guy in the blue shirt that is moving over towards the ball on the Jones homer.  I had it in my hands and dropped it!  (Yeah, I know I should have brought my glove!)  Nothing like watching the guy that got the Jones ball to jump in into the basket and then get kicked out of the game lol.  He was pretty scared after his girlfriend/wife got the Pujols ball and the Cubs fans really let them have it for not throwing it back.

I will be back at the game this afternoon and I’m hoping for some more Cubs fun!