Matchup/Game Thread Game # 119 vs. Cubs

 Chi Cubs

J Pierre cf  
C Izturis ss  
A Pagan lf  
A Ramirez 3b  
J Jones rf  
J Mabry 1b  
R Cedeno 2b  
H Blanco c  
J Mateo p  

 Houston

W Taveras cf  
C Biggio 2b  
M Lamb 1b  
L Berkman rf  
L Scott lf  
A Huff 3b  
A Everett ss
B Ausmus c  
R Clemens p  

If you come here, you undoubtedly know that Willy's 17-game hit streak is the longest current streak in the majors.

You're also probably not much in the mood to forgive Morgan for the execrable game he had last night, although it was an 11-game onbase streak that was broken byh the 0 for 4.

Garner wasn't in a forgiving mood, either, evidently.

Unfortunately, since I suspect most of his issues are mental, sitting him will probably serve to exacerbate the execrableness.

Izturis singles to center, and Cubs lead 1 - 0.

Cubs looking for speed, not power, evidently.  Angel Pagan hitting third?  He grounds to Bidge and Izturis moves to second.

Ramirez takes a first pitch ball, but ends up striking out swinging

Jacque Jones is HBP, ball was more behind him than in front.  If it's a message it's a worrisome one.

Mabry K's and that's all she wrote.

Biggio has a long at bat and hammers a hanging breaking ball but it stays on and Pierre gloves it for the out.

Clemens wins.

Where's that clutch-hitting Rocket we knew last year?

Brad flies to Pierre.  <Yawn>

He gets Cedeno to pop out and Blanco grounded to Adam, but Dusty removes Mateo, and it's Theriot to pinch hit.

Roger misses Theriot on his first pitch but gets him on the second.  Ump gives Clemens a warning, and Roger's OK with that.

'Course now Theriot has got a point to prove, and he takes off.  

Brad does his best to satisfy the Astro honor--throw looks like it got Theriot but he is called safe.

With all the honor and duty stuff out of the way, Pierre k's on a foul tip, inning over.

But the umpire doesn't react, and Lamb ends up opping to second.

Which is a game he can play; certainly Roger was playing a game of his own.  

But it sure as hell backfired as the Cubs bullpen couldn't hold the 'Stros down the way Mateo had.

the first entry in the Baseball Encyclopedia, David Aardsma,  in to face Taveras.

Whom he induces to strikeout swinging.

Mabry hits it to deep center, hits it to Willy at the foot of the hill.

Flies to Jones on the third pitch.

Lidge to pitch.

Murton waves feebly at a slider.  I hope this is a good sign.  Now he fouls back a a fastball.

0 - 2.  

Fastbll's high.

Lidge bounces one and here we go, 2 - 2.

Murton homers.

6 - 6, adios Clemens victory.

Curveball from Novoa starts it off, and it's called a strike, stayed high in the zone.

Two more like it, but these are balls, 2 - 1.

In on his hands, fould right back.

Broke down and inside on him, and the count is full.

Another pitch up high, and fouled back again.  

He reaches for ball four (bad idea!) and he hits it to the gap and tries for two (bad idea!) and gets it. . . .

Awesome decision-making, dude.

Pierre taking, strike one.  Another fastball taken, full count.

High and there's the walk.  

He's got a 7.39 ERA and is 0 - 3.

Baker figures even his chump can get Brad and Lane and Willy, then he can come with Dempster next inning?

Alright, he's facing Ausmus.

Who grounds to Mabry.

I hate Brad Lidge because he stole a victory from Roger Clemens, and there won't be many more of those in this world.

Nieve still in, and Ramirez flies the first pitch to Willy.

The count runs to 2 - 2, and this is where he was when he hit the double in the tenth.

A high pitch runs in on him, but it hits his bat.

Hey!  After an eight-pitch at bat, he singles.

Cedeno takes a strike, and may we see many more from Super Dave.

Strike two.  Fouled away.  A couple more.  

Another.   Flies to Lane.

Maybe six or seven feet.  That would have made Adam a lock for Game Hero let me say that.

Goes to 2 - 1, then a foul to even it up.

Swings at something low and away would have been ball three.

Ouch!  Hanging curve is fouled back!

There's a better curve, also fouled.

Pitch in the dirt, and I can safely say that Adam could have walked there, simply by showing some discipline.

It's 0 - 2 to JP and all Borkowski does is throw strikes.

Lined to Lane.

Burke tries to bunt but fouls it off.

A single to left.

3 for 3 off the bench, that's something.

As the hitters around him turn to jelly, Chris Burke is nails.

sorry.

Oh wait let me tell you Ramirez flies to Lane.