Big Zero

Zero.  Big Zero.  Zero for August.  That's Zambrano after signing a contract that gave him a nine with seven zeroes after it.  Ninety million dollars, and not a single win in August.  Zero.  Was it all his fault?  No, the offense has been miserable lately, except for one glorious inning on Tuesday.  Did the Cubs really need to win this game?  Well, yes, everygame from here on out is important, but this was a do or die game for the Brewers.  After squandering a lead yesterday, they were declared dead by many, but they were carried by Ben Sheets today and the offense busted the game open.

Fun Start

It was a fun start today.  On the first play of the game, Cliff Floyd makes an amazing catch off a Ricky Weeks fly ball into the ivy in right.  Cliff was a little shaken up, but was able to stay in the game.  Carlos looked good, even getting the ball up to 98 miles per hour at one point.  The big surprise was Ben Sheets.  Sheets hadn't pitched since mid-July, but came through big when it mattered most. It started out as a pitchers' duel, and the Cubs struck first in the the third.  Zambrano started out with a single, and Alfonso Soriano followed with his first hit since coming off the DL.  With runners at first and second and no outs, the Cubs couldn't lay down a bunt for the second day in a row.  This time it was Ryan Theriot who couldn't advance the runners, popping the ball up to first baseman Prince Fielder.  Derek Lee singled to load the bases, and Zambrano scored when Aramis Ramirez hit a sacrifice fly.  With two outs, Cliff Floyd flied out to end the threat.

The Brewers struck back in the top of the fourth when Prince Fielder hit a double to lead off the inning.  Zambrano was able to get the next two batters to strike out, but then Corey Hart got to the Cubs again, hitting a triple to tie the game.  Zambrano got Johnny Estrada to ground out to keep the game tied.  The Cubs had an opportunity to stike back in the bottom half of the fourth, after Mark DeRosa led off with a double, and Jacque Jones moved him to third on a ground out, but Jason Kedall grounded out and Zambrano flied out on a deep ball that was held up by the wind. 

That missed opportunity came back to haunt them in the top of the fifth.  After getting Sheets out, Zambrano hit the fastest guy on their team, Ricky Weeks, and he scored on a double to Gabe Gross to give the Brewers a 2-1 lead. 

The Big Blow

The game remained close going into the seventh, but that's when everything fell apart for Z and the Cubs.  Ricky Weeks singled with one out, and both he and Gross were safe on an error by the normally reliable Theriot, who couldn't get his glove on second baseman Mark DeRosa's relay. Prince Fielder then singled to load the bases as Weeks stumbled as he rounded third, and had to be held up. Cubs manager Lou Piniella went out to talk to Zambrano, who had thrown 112 pitches at that point, but left him in the game.  With Carlos Marmol ready to go, Lou left Zambrano in to face Ryan Braun, who Zambrano struck out twice and got him to ground out at three previous at bats, but this time Braun doubled down the third-base line to give the Brewers a 4-1 lead and ended Zambrano's night.  Scott Eyre took over, and Geoff Jenkins hit a weak single to make it 6-1.   The Cubs tried to rally, but never got anything going.

End Result

Not a good one for the Cubs.  Milwaukee was able to dust themselves off and come back swinging after it looked like the Cubs knocked them out the day before.  St. Louis, who had Kip Wells going against Houston's Roy Oswalt, also lost, allowing the Brewers to reclaim second place, only a game and a half behind the Cubs.  I know Big Z has had his problems, but the offense has looked anemic lately.  Soriano looks bad, Lee has looked bad most of the second half, Ramirez looks beat up, and the Cubs are not jumping out to early leads.  I didn't think Sheets looked that great.  With the wind blowing straight in, the Cubs hit numerous balls deep, but none of them went out.  This loss sets up a big rubber match for tomorrow, a battle of lefties, Ted Lilly vs Manny Parra.  Parra has made only one other start, a loss against St. Louis, going six innings and giving up three runs, but only one of them earned.  Brewers manager Ned Yost knows the Cubs can't hit lefties, so he's giving the ball to this kid in a pressure situation.  The Cubs are 12-20 against left-handed starters this season and entered the series batting .252 against left-handed pitching overall.  The Cubs will probably start Craig Monroe, since they aquired him to hit against lefties.  I wonder if Lou will give Soriano the night off, and have an all lefty outfield with Monroe, Jones, and Floyd. Put Theriot back in lead off, then Jones back in the two hole, followed by Lee, Ramirez, Floyd, Monroe, DeRosa, and Kendall.  The Cubs need to show they can get it done against lefties.  The Cubs need to try and put the Brewers away.  Remember, Milwaukee needs this game much more than we do, but we need to finish the job and get a win.  If we win the rest of our series, we will be going to the playoffs. Period.

I will be at the game tomorrow, so hold on tight, cheer loudly, and let's send them back to the land of cheese with their heads down.

Go Cubs!