The Chicago Cubs are playing some good baseball and that showed Monday night when they faced the New York Mets at Wrigley Field.  A 2-1 ballgame was quickly 7-1 after the Cubs put up five runs in the bottom of the eigth inning with some patience at the plate and timely hitting.

Aramis Ramirez first got the Cubs on the scoreboard with a two run home run in the fourth inning.  Ramirez is heating up the last couple of games, hopefully he continues to hit the ball with power and knock in some more runs.

With the score 2-1 heading into the eigth inning, Ronny Cedeno hit a bases loaded single to center field to put the Cubs up 4-1.  Cedeno really battled during the at bat and came away with the hit.  Cedeno was added to the lineup about 30 minutes before first pitch after Ryan Theriot was scratched with bask spasms.

After Cedeno’s single, Felix Pie came up to the plate and hit a three run home run his first home run of the season.  You could see how excited the young player was after hitting the home run.  He has been putting more work in at the batting cage and he just kept telling himself “go through your front foot” just like manager Lou Piniella has been trying to tell him.

Kosuke Fukudome had a huge at bat in the eigth inning as well when he made Mets reliever Aaron Heilman throw 10 pitches to him.  Fukudome said that he kept fouling off pitches that were close until he got a ball he knew he could hit hard and that is what he did as he hit a single to left field.

Big Carlos Zambrano pitched great during his seven innings.  Zambrano only allowed five hits and one earned run.  He did walk two batters but also struckout four batters.  The doubel play balled came up big for Zambrano as he got four double plays off the Mets bats.  Zambrano is now 3-1 on the season as he is throwing the ball really well.

Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood pitched hitless baseball the last two innings of the game.

The Cubs and Mets will finish up the short two games series Tuesday afternoon as Ted Lilly tries to get on track and pick up his first win of the season.  Lilly needs to come out and get on track right away in the game so he can get a little bit of confidence going.  Hopefully he will do that and the Cubs will get another victory.

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!

It was an ugly game between the Chicago Cubs and the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday, but the Cubs eventually ended up winning 10-8 in a 12 inning game.  The Cubs had led the game 7-0, before they started to walk batters, and play terrible defense.  Three errors in the game for the Cubs, they really need to get some work done out in the field.

The Cubs broke open the game when Ronny Cedeno hit a bases loaded triple in the third inning that scored three runs and put the Cubs up 7-0.  After that though, the Pirates responded with five runs in the 4th inning to make the score 7-5.  Aramis Ramirez grounded into fielder’s choice to second base that scored Reed Johnson in the the 6th inning that extended the Cubs lead to 8-6, but then Pirates came right back by scoring a single run in the 6th and 7th innings to tie the game.  No other scoring happend until Ramirez his a sac fly that scored Ryan Theriot in the 12th inning, and the Cubs added another run with a bases loaded walk.

Job Leiber picked up the win as he pitched in relief.  Carlos Marmol picked up the save as Kerry Wood was given the day off.

I hope the Cubs can get some good rest, and take some groundbals during the off day tomorrow.  I think they need to get a little bit of work done in the field and cut down on the errors.  The two teams will play again on Wednesday night as the Cubs play their first night game of the season.

Talks are getting very serious again between the Chicago Cubs and Baltimore Orioles as the two teams try to work out a deal for Brian Roberts and possibly Jay Payton.

Roberts and Payton would be sent to Chicago for a package deal of Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher, Ronny Cedeno and Matt Murton possibly.  I’d rather keep Marshall or Gallagher and throw in Jason Marquis into the deal but I don’t know if they Orioles would want to take on his contract.

Payton would be that right handed hitting outfielder that can play multiple positions that Cubs have been looking for, and they could finally land Roberts as well.  What do you think Cubs fans? Do you think this deal will get done?

Carlos Zambrano pitched six great innings before leaving the game with some cramps as the Cubs won 10 of their last 12 games.  With Sundays win, the Cubs are now ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers 3.5 games and the magic number is 4!

Zambrano won his 17th game of the year as he only allowed three hits during his six inning outing.  Zambrano has now won his last three of four starts and is pitching like the “ace”.

Kerry Wood pitched two scoreless innings and Michael Wuertz struck out the side in the 9th inning.  Great performances by both relivers!

Derrek Lee and Ronny Cedeno both hit homeruns for the offense.  Lee connected in the 6th inning and Cedeno in the 7th inning.  Both players also had three RBI’s in the game.  Mark DeRosa and Geovany Soto both had a RBI as well.

The Cubbies will have a off day tomorrow as they travel to Florida to start a series with the Marlins.  With the magic number at 4, I would love to get this taken care of while we are in Florida!

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After splitting a day night double header with the Cards Saturday, the Cubs beat St. Louis 4-2 on Sunday to take 3 of 4 in the series and push the red birds 7 games back in the Central. The Cubs scored all 4 runs in the 3rd inning on a 3 run homer by Matt Murton and an RBI single by Ronny Cedeno. Jason Marquis went 6 1/3 innings giving up only 5 hits and 1 run. Mark Mulder got the loss and Ryan Dempster picked up save #28. The Brewers kept pace with a 5-2 win over the Reds who come to Chicago for 3 to start the week.

-Mike

The Cubs optioned shortstop Ronny Cedeno to Triple-A Iowa and designated catcher Koyie Hill for assignment after the game against the Cardinals on Monday.  It is being rumored that Cliff Floyd and Henry Blanco will replace them on the active roster.

Floyd is back with the team after being with his family during his fathers health problems and death.  Floyd says that it is great being back with the team, and a much needed relief at this time.

Blanco joins the team after having some back and neck problems which has kept him out most of the season.  He was 2-10 during a minor league rehab which isn’t that great but we know he is on the team for his defense more then his offense.

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CUBS FANS, WE ARE IN FIRST PLACE!  Well by .01 of a percentage point over the Milwaukee Brewers.  The Cubs were able to push across a run in the bottom of the 9th inning last night on a wild pitch by Brett Myers of the Phillies.  If that is what it takes for the Cubs to be in first place, we will all take it!

In an up and down game for Rich Hill, the Cubs bullpen kept the Cubs in the game that allowed for the dramatic ninth inning.  Scott Eyre, Carlos Marmol, Bob Howry, and Ryan Dempster pitched the final 4.1 innings and did not allow earned run!  That a way guys, keep up the good work.  It’s sad that Hill only last 4.2 innings, but he was throwing way to many pitchers everything inning to go deep into the game.  Hill has got to figure out how to get batters out without throwing 10 pitches to each batter.

Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee, and Matt Murton all had two hits apeace.  Murton, Ronny Cedeno, Jacque Jones, and Rich Hill each had an RBI for the team.  It was nice to see Murton producing in the game.  He just might earn some more starting playing time in right field now to give Floyd some rest.  Murton was the guy that started the rally in the 9th inning as he led off with a double.

It was also nice to see Soriano steal some bases last night.  He finished with three stolen bases to move his season total to 18.  I can see Soriano running more often down the stretch to get into scoring poistion for Lee and Ramirez.

What do you all think? Are the Cubs in first place to stay?  Let us know by leaving a comment!

The Chicago Cubs lost the first game of a four game series to the Philadelphia Phillies as Cole Hamels shut down the Cubs with eight strong innings.  Hamels (12-5) allowed one run and three hits, struck out eight and walked two. The 23-year-old left-hander retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced, and also set down his last nine batters.

Just a terrible performance by the Cubs offense against a tough left hander.  You have to get more people on base and play small ball against a pitcher like Hamels and the Cubs didn’t do that much.  They had their best chance when Hamels walked two batters, and then Ronny Cedeno came up and swung at the first pitch and popped out.  Why was Cedeno swinging at the first pitch after the last two batters walked?  Who knows, but if Cedeno wants more playing time he is going to have to be smarter.

Ted Lilly picked up the lose for the Cubs.  It was his first loss in his last 8 eight games so the streak was meant to come to an end eventually.  He didn’t pitch too bad overall, but let two former White Sox players hit homeruns off of him.  Tadahito Iguchi and Aaron Rowand took Lilly deep that combined for all four Phillies runs.

Great start to the series with the St. Louis Cardinals as Carlos Zambrano led the Cubs to a 4-3 victory.  In a low scoring game, Zambrano and Kip Wells had a great pitchers duel but it was an error that extended the seventh inning gave Zambrano and the Cubs the win.

Zamrano threw 6.2 innings while he gave up five hits and two earned runs.  He kept the Cubs in the ballgame and that is what you ask for your starter.  He did have three walks, but for the most part, they didn’t hurt him to bad.

Will Ohman, Carlos Marmol, and Ryan Dempster came in out of the bullpen and held the Cardinals down to scure the win.  The Cardinals did score one in the ninth inning to come within one but that was all they could get as Albert Pujols grounded out to second base to end the game.

Aramis Ramirez and Jacque Jones both had great days at the plate for the offense.  Ramirez went 3-4 with an RBI and Jones went 1-2 with an RBI as well.  Ronny Cedeno who was called up before the game chipped in with an RBI in the sixth inning as well.  Cedeno came into the game during the 4th inning when Mark DeRosa left with some sort of nagging hamstring injury.  At this point, we are not sure how bad the hamstring injury to Derosa.  Derrek Lee delivered an insurance run in the 9th inning when he singled in Ryan Theriot.

The two teams will play again tomorrow night at 7:10.  The Cubs will be going for another win to keep pace with the Brewers so hopefuly they can get it.  It will be Ted Lilly against Adam Wainwright.