The Astros are two games ahead of the Phillies for the wild card with three games left. The Cubs can help make this an interesting weekend for both teams, by winning tonight.
Too bad this game isn't in Chicago; it's 70 degrees with bright sunshine this afternoon.
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Z lost his last start against Houston last Saturday, though it wasn't entirely his doing -- two of the six runs charged to Z were allowed by Will Ohman. What I'd prefer to concentrate on would be Z's last start IN Houston, where he won and hit a home run. In fact, Z has two career HR at Minute Maid Park; he hit one there in 2003.
Pettitte started last Sunday in a game the Cubs won; he threw pretty well, the first time he's done so in his career against the Cubs, but got no decision.
Remember -- Derrek Lee needs two hits, one HR and eight total bases to reach three major milestones. He is 2-for-11 lifetime vs. Pettitte with a HR, and has 5 HR in 101 lifetime AB in Minute Maid Park.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
0 recs | 11 comments
I don't think...
Z will have a good offensive game. He does a lot better from the left side.I hope he gets to 15 and starts his own Maddux-like streak.
sparkles721 - September 30, 2005
All the pressure
is really on the Astros now, but I think it would be nice if the Cubs could upset their applecart for at least one more game!Big Z is due for one of his fabulous outings where he doesn't allow the opposition anything.
I just hope he can keep his concentration for this last start for this season. He's such a competitor, you know he's disappointed the Cubs didn't make the playoffs.
Tonight is his chance to show everyone just what a outstanding baseball player he is!
Butchoh31 - September 30, 2005
If the game were played
in Chicago, it would have been a day game and Dusty doesn't like day games.Went to last night's game and have some comments. Despite the fact that the Astros could have clinched at least a tie for the playoffs, there were mant vacant seats. In the 9th, 90% of the fans were seated even though they were within 1 run. At times you could have heard a pin drop. I thought we were watching a golf match.
The Cubs again showed little enthusiasm. We forced marginal pitchers to only throw 101 pitches for the game. Patterson in particular had a very poor game. Got a bad brak on some hits and 2K. With 2nd and 3rd and no outs, he bounced to the pitcher. On his final out, he struck out and didn't pick up that the ball went to the backstop. While the catcher was still pursuing the ball, he finally realized the play was still on but he didn't make any move towards 1st at all. It appeared he shrugged his shoulders and headed back to the dugout. Finally the catcher tracked down the ball and threw to 1st.
Macias and Perez at the top of the lineup is still a horrible idea. Both with OBP under .300. We had only 6 hits and scored the winning run on a wild pitch. Why Baker didn't try to squeeze with patterson up is beyond me. When we did try it, Rusch missed the ball and the runner was caught in a rundown. On a positive note, it did appear that Rusch picked up Houston's squeeze attempt and pitched out and their runner was out.
Best part of the evening was when I won a bet on the Cubs with my Astro friends.
Despite the Astros apparently headed for the playoffs most sports talk is about the 0-2 Texans.
tharr - September 30, 2005
Check out my diary report...
on an interview Hendry just gave to ESPN Radio 1000 in Chicago.mannytrillo - September 30, 2005
And Big Z...
has 200 K's for the first time in his career.Congrats.
sparkles721 - September 30, 2005
walker
Say what you want about not needing him next year, but he has shown my heart than anyone else on this team the past couple years. There's your leader.mike bornemann @ Bleed Cubbie Blue - September 30, 2005
Am I bad?
I watched the Red Sox/ Yankees and Indians/ White Sox games tonight and just followed the Cubs on Gameday.But we won. I hope I don't have to do this all next season.
Josh Timmers - September 30, 2005
Well...
I watched the Red Sox/Yankees and at the same time listened to the Cubs on the radio.sparkles721 - September 30, 2005
I'm glad...
that the Cubs actually tried in this game. When I saw Todd I was like where did he come from? I'm glad they won.I think this isn't the first time the Cubs have roughed up a good closer. If I remember Lidge blew another game against the Cubs earlier in the season.
sparkles721 - September 30, 2005
Tonight's was another good win for the Cubs
It's amazing to me that the Cubs rarely ever rallied all season after trailing in late innings.Tonight, they led, 2-1, then Lance Berkman hit a 2-run homer off Roberto Novoa, for a 3-2 lead going into the 9th.
In comes Brad Lidge to nail it down. If the Cubs had been facing someone on the Brewers, Reds or Pirates, they would have gone meekly down.
Oops! Not tonight! Bam, bam, bam, bam! Cubs lead.
In comes Superman Ryan Dempster and gives the fans a show, leaving a runner on third for his 33rd save and 8th in 9 games vs. the Astros!
Grrrr! Why couldn't our guys play like this ALL season?
Butchoh31 - September 30, 2005
I had not realized something...
Until I read the Cubs notes, and Prior's comments."Unless we get four wins this weekend, we won't finish with a .500 record, and that should've been a goal we should've pushed for," he said. "We just struggled. Someone asked a question yesterday about, 'What do you think of your season?' The more I thought about it, the ball bouncing off the guy's helmet and into right field, that explained our season. Just weird, weird things. I'm probably the only guy in the history of the game to be involved in two games where a ball bounces off a guy's helmet. It's kind of funny."
He did pitch in two games where a guy got hit in the helmet because he pitched in that horrible Philly game. That shows me he was pretty affected by that game if he connected the game 3 days ago to that one. I understand him because he pitched his butt off that day in May and got a ND. But that is weird.
sparkles721 - September 30, 2005
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