The Chicago Cubs and Carlos Zambrano lost to the Tampa Bay Rays by the score of 5-4 on Wednesday night.  Zambrano was shaky all game long and actually came out of the game with some shoulder discomfirt in the sixth inning after he recorded two outs.  Hopefully it won’t be too bad, but you never know with a shoulder injury.

The Cubs had plenty of changes to score more runs in the game but they kept on leaving runners stranded on the bases.  Geovany Soto did hit a solo home run in the ninth inning but it wasn’t enough for the Cubs to come back.  Soto almost hit a home run earlier in the game as well but it bounced a foot below the fence and he slide into second with a double.

Ryan Theriot had two rbi’s for the Cubs and Kosukue Fukudome had one rbi.  Fukudome did strike out looking for the final out of the game though.  Theriot was on first base but Troy Percival was able to settle down and get the next three guys out.

One other thing that I have been wondering lately.  Where in the hell have Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee been the last two or three weeks?  It really seems that both players are slumping badly.

So now the Cubs have lost two games in a row to the Rays.  They have both been one run games that we have been accustomed to seeing the Cubs win but that wasn’t the case against the Rays.  The Cubs will try to avoid the sweep on Thursday night and then fly right back to Chicago for an afternoon game against the hated rivals Chicago White Sox.

Ryan Dempster tossed a complete game for the Chicago Cubs on Wedneday night as they defeated the Atlanta Braves by the score of 7-2.  The complete game by Dempster was the first complete game by a Cubs pitcher this season.  The complete game was huge because it saved the bullpen from having to pitch in the game.

The Cubs got out to a good start at Kosuke Fukudome hit a three run home run in the first inning to put the Cubs up 3-0.  The Cubs then got two runs in the second inning and two more runs in the third inning.  In the second inning, Ryan Theriot had a two run double and in the third inning both runs came on a rbi single by Jim Edmonds.

One bad thing from the game however is that Alfonso Soriano was hit a by a pitch on his left hand and the pitch actually fractured part of his fourth finger.  Soriano will more then likely be out for two to three weeks as he as to be able to squeeze his fist and fit the hand into his glove before he can make a return.  It really sucks to see Soriano get hurt as he was just starting to get into another groove and hitting the ball pretty good.

I would expect Micah Hoffpauir is already on his way to Chicago or he will be early in the morning.

So how will the Cubs do as Soriano is headed to the disable list once again?  Leave us a comment and let us know your opinion.

It didn’t take the Chicago Cubs very long to get right back on track after their nine game win streak was snapped on Wednesday night.  They jumped right back into the saddle and came away with a 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night.

Kosuke Fukudome got things started at the plate for the Cubs as he hit his fourth home run of the season in the second inning.  Hopefully Fukudome will start hitting the ball a little better on the road as he gets accustomed to the road travel in the country.  I should also mention that his wife and son have finally joined him which happened in San Diego.  It was their first time together since spring training.

Besides Fukudome going deep, Mark DeRosa also hit a solo home run in the fourth inning.  Ryan Theriot and Aramis Ramirez both chipped in with rbi’s of their own as well.  It would have been nice to see more runs scored in the game as they left 20 runners on base but sometimes that is just how it goes.

Things did get a little scary in the late innings however when Bob Howry gave up a solo home run to Jeff Kent which tied the game at 4-4 in the eighth inning.  Howry got lucky however as Fukudome singled in Theriot for the game winning run in the top of the ninth inning.  Kerry Wood then came in and was able to get his 17th save of the season.

Starting pitcher Ryan Dempster had some troubles once again as he pitched on the road.  Dempster only lasted 5 1/3 innings as he gave up five hits and three runs.  Kent also took Dempster deep for a solo home run in the game.

The Cubs will stay out in L.A. and play the Dodgers over the weekend.  Hopefully they can come away with atleast two out of three games if not take the remaining three games in the series.

The Chicago Cubs hit three home runs as they beat the San Diego Padres 9-6 on Thursday night.  It is great to see this team winning like this!  They are scoring a lot of runs, and that is really helping out the pitching staff.  One more win, and we just might see Len Kasper growing some facial hair, and Bob Brenly shaving his off!

The Cubs used three home runs in the huge ballpark to get the win.  Geovany Soto got things started in the fifth inning with a solo home run that he absolutely crushed to center field.  Mark DeRosa then hit a two run shot in the fifth inning.  It wasn’t until the eighth inning when the Cubs hit their third home run of the night when Alfonso Soriano went deep for a three run home run.

Ryan Theriot, Derrek Lee, and Aramis Ramiez all had one rbi in the game as well to help out.  Ramirez could have had a lot more but he struckout with the bases loaded and the showed his emotion by throwing his bat into the ground.

It was Jason Marquis getting the win for the Cubs as he tossed five innings and allowed three runs.  Marquis really wasn’t that sharp at all even though he only gave up four hits.  He was actually hit pretty hard, and in other stadiums might have even gave up a couple of home runs.  A win is a win however.

The Cubs bullepen was called upon once again and they did a pretty good job for the most part.  The one downside was seeing Kevin Hart give up three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.  Hart had just been called up so the Cubs would have a fresh arm in the bullpen.  Instead, the Cubs still had to use Bob Howry and Kerry Wood in the late innings.  Michael Wuertz, Scott Eyre, and Neal Cotts all seen action in the game as well.

Ted Lilly will get the start on Wednesday night as the Cubs battle the Padres once again.  It is another night game so plan on staying up late if you want to watch all of the game.  I really hate these West coast games…

Carlos Zambrano was doing a little bit of everything on Monday night as the Chicago Cubs defeated teh San Diego Padres by the score of 7-6.  Big Z only threw five innings to get his eighth win of the season but he also had three hits including a triple and one rbi.  It was the Cubs eighth straigh win as well.

Things did get a little shaky for the Cubs bullpen in the ninth inning when Carlos Marmol was pitching in the ninth inning.  Marmol gave up a three run home run to Adrian Gonzalez that brought the Padres within one run.  Lou Piniella then brought in Kerry Wood who got ex-cub Michael Barrett to fly out to deep left field to end the game.  Wood ended up getting the save which was his 15th of the season.

Jim Edmonds went back to San Diego and had a pretty good night at the plate for the Cubs.  He doubled twice and had two rbi against his former team that released him earlier this season.  I could see the Padres fans all thinking “Why didn’t he hit like that when he was here?” lol.

Ryan Theriot also went 3-5 with a rbi while Aramis Ramirez 2-5.  Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome had one rbi each as well for the Cubs.

The Cubs will go for their ninth straight win on Tuesday night when they play the second game of their West coast road trip.  If the Cubs can do well on this West coast swing, I think they are going to have a great month of June and really improve on their record.

What do you think Cubs fans?  Are the Cubbies going to have a great month of June and go up six or seven games in the division?

It seems that not even Jason Marquis‘ mediocre pitching can keep the Cubs down on this homestand. The 8-4 win over the Rockies on Thursday night was the Cubs’ 4th in a row. Marquis gave up 3 runs on 7 hits in 5 plus innings but did not factor into the decision. The Cubs got the first 2 runs on an RBI double by Aramis Ramirez in the 1st and a solo homer from Derrek Lee in the 3rd. Up 3-1 in the 6th, Marquis loaded the bases and then was pulled. Recently recalled Neal Cotts gave up the game tying single and then the Rockies got the lead off Michael Wuertz in the 7th.

The Cubs quickly responded with 2 of their own in the bottom half when Alfonso Soriano scored on an error and Geovany Soto drove in Ryan Theriot with a sac fly. Micah Hoffpauir got his first major league RBI in the bottom of the 8th and then Soriano picked up a 2 run single for more insurance. Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood pitched scoreless innings of relief to close it down. The Cubs go for 5 straight at Wrigley on Friday afternoon; 1:20 PM CT.

Ok yeah, the Cubs offense sucked up until the ninth inning, but what an exciting win for the Cubs as they were able to come back and tie the game in the ninth, and then go on to win in the tenth inning.  Good teams find ways to win, and that is exactly what the Cubs did against the Dodgers in their 2-1 victory on Wednesday night.

In the ninth inning you could tell that Dodgers closer Takashi Saito was having control issues right away as he walked Ryan Theriot to lead off the inning.  It was Saito’s first action in a week and he clearly need some work in between starts.  The Cubs were able to get the bases loaded and then Geovany Soto hit a sacrafice fly to right field to tie the game.

Onto the tenth inning when Mike Fontenot lhit double to the left center gap with one out in the inning.  Alfonso Soriano then stepped up and delivered the game winning hit as he his a curve ball to left field that scored Fontenot from second.  Way to step up like the player you really are Soriano.

Carlos Zambrano was a bit wild tonight as he did walk four batters but give him some credit for lasting eight innings and keeping the Cubs in the game.  Jose Ascanio continues to impress be as he pitched another scoreless inning.  Bob Howry pitched the tenth inning and ended up picking up the win for the Cubs.

The Cubs continue to play great baseball at Wrigley Field and hopefully they will continue doing it as the Colorado Rockies are coming into town for a four game series.

The Chicago Cubs beat the Houston Astros 7-2 behind a three run inside the park home run by Geovany Soto.  Yeah, you are reading that right lol!  Soto hit a inside the park home run haha.  Well it really should have been called a home run in the first place, but the umpires blew the call.  Soto hustled around the bases however and was easily safe before the ball got to home plate.

Soto finished the game with three rbi while Aramis Ramirez had two rbi.  Both of Ramirez’s rbi came in the ninth inning when he hit a two run home run.  Derrek Lee and Ryan Theriot both had rbi singles in the game as well.

Ted Lilly improved to 5-4 on the season as he picked up the win.  Lilly only tossed 5 1/3 innings but it was enough to get his figth victory of the season.  Jon Lieber came in and pitched  1 2/3 innings of relief without giving up a run.  Michael Wuertz then came in the game and he allowed two quick hits and was quickly pulled.  Carlos Marmol came in to get the Cubs out of the jam and then Bob Howry threw the ninth inning without giving up a hit while striking out two batters.

Great win for the Cubs as they are now 3.5 games on the Astros in the division.

The Chicago Cubs closed out their four game series against the San Diego Padres with wins on Wednesay and Thursday.  On Wednesday the Cubs beat the Padres 8-5 and then on Thursday the Cubs shut the Padres out 4-0.  The Cubs are now up 2 full games on the St. Louis Cardinals in the division.

On Wednesday it was Ted Lilly and Alfonso Soriano leading the way.  Lilly picked up his fourth win of the season and struckout eleven batters over six inning while Soriano hit a lead off home run and collected three rbi in the game.  Lilly and Soriano are heating up and that is a great sign for Cubs fans!

On to Thursday where the Cubs fans seen Jim Edmonds take the field for the first time as a Chicago Cubs.  Edmonds went 1-4 in his Cubs debut.  You could hear some boos as well as cheers for him during his first at bat.

Ryan Dempster stole the show from everybody however as he came within two out of being the first Cubs player to pitch a complete game this season.  Dempster threw 8 1/3 innings while only allowing five hits and zero runs.  Dempster struck out 12 batters as he was locating the ball well all day long.  Kerry Wood came in to get the save which was his eighth of the season.

Derrek Lee had two rbi while Ryan Theriot and Dempster both had one rbi in the game.  All four of the Cubs runs came in the fifth inning when they knocked Greg Maddux out of the game.

Now the Cubs will welcome in the Pittsburgh Pirates for a weekend series.  The Cubs are 6-0 against the Pirates this year so I would expect them to have a pretty good weekend.

The Cubs are playing good baseball right now, it is a great time to buy your cubs tickets for future games.  Click here to buy great seats at great prices from StubHub!

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