Game 65: Cubs 3 – M’s 2

Mariners 35-28 Cubs 30-35, win series POTG: SS Cesar Izturis (2 H, 2 RBI, 2B) Runner Up: LF Alfonso Soriano (2 H, R, 2B), CF Felix Pie (3B, R, RBI), RF Cliff Floyd (3 H, R, RBI), 2B Mike Fontenot (3B, H, RBI), RP Carlos Marmol (1.1 IP, BB, 3 K), RP Bobby Howry (1.1 … Continue reading “Game 65: Cubs 3 – M’s 2”

Mariners 35-28
Cubs 30-35, win series

POTG: SS Cesar Izturis (2 H, 2 RBI, 2B)
Runner Up: LF Alfonso Soriano (2 H, R, 2B), CF Felix Pie (3B, R, RBI), RF Cliff Floyd (3 H, R, RBI), 2B Mike Fontenot (3B, H, RBI), RP Carlos Marmol (1.1 IP, BB, 3 K), RP Bobby Howry (1.1 IP, 2 K, W [3/32])

Murton going down the day before isn’t much of a surprise. It’s something I was looking for much easier, and it makes even more sense with a spare righty on the bench and the lack off outfield spots. Floyd (and not Jacque, who would be gone if the Cubs were willing to swallow his contract, I think) still needs a platoon partner, but I guess they’re going to work with Pagan in that spot for now. Matt needs to get regular at bats to get back on track – for the Cubs or for whomever he ends up with.

What I’m wondering is – will Fontenot hot hitting (if with no power) steal his college teammate’s spot when Ram comes back and a roster move has to be made. It sure was sign when Fontenot started over Ryan in this game.

Fontenot: 417/440/792 (25 PA)
Theroit: 268/332/338
Izturis: 253/310/310

Both those numbers are awful. The league’s figured out something about Ryan that Ryan’s really failed to adjust to, and he’s becoming as much a black hole of offense as Izturis’ rep.

APR: 299/347/328
MAY: 256/330/367
JUN: 244/311/293

Anyway, this game and the game before are two games I’m sure they’ve lost at some point in the first sixty games. Somehow, instead of the fatal error by DeRosa killing the team or Cesar striking out in a big situation, things worked out for the best. That’s so weird!

Marquis is back to pitching like an average pitcher (up from horrid), and luckily the bullpen got a break the night before. They could use a long start by Lilly on Friday to straighten things back up, and perhaps it’d allow them to add one more hitter to the bench.

This was yet another game where it seemed like they should’ve gotten far more runs based on the hits and walks, but at least they ran their way into some extra bases.

Game 64: Cubs 3 – M’s 2

Mariners 35-27 Cubs 29-35 POTG: SP Sean Marshall (8 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 K, 0 BB, W[3/9]) Runner Up: 2B Mike Fontenot (2 H, 2 RBI), C Koyie Hill (2 H – all the way up to .150!), 3B Mark DeRosa (H, R, BB), 1B D Lee (2 H, R, BB), CF Felix … Continue reading “Game 64: Cubs 3 – M’s 2”

Mariners 35-27
Cubs 29-35

POTG: SP Sean Marshall (8 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 K, 0 BB, W[3/9])
Runner Up: 2B Mike Fontenot (2 H, 2 RBI), C Koyie Hill (2 H – all the way up to .150!), 3B Mark DeRosa (H, R, BB), 1B D Lee (2 H, R, BB), CF Felix Pie (2 BB, H, R, SB, CS)

Got there in the bottom of the 2nd – we got to 90/94 and thought “Eh, we’ll take Lake Shore.” Not the best call we’ve made, but we did find our secret half filled parking lot. Seats were obstructed by a piller, but what are you going to expect in the 200 section. We had people going back and forth thru our row at annoying rate; I eventually decided it’d be quicker just to go get food and be able sit down when I got back. (Pretzel, Pizza, Mountian Dew – a healthy dinner.)

A beer vendor kept walking up and down the aisle, with random non-beer concessions she’d apparently picked up to sell to someone else in the section. She’d be walking up the stairs with four trays of pretzels or nachos, stop to sell them, and then sit on the stairs while talking to the people and selling beer. And then she’d back with more an inning later. It was odd.

Marshall seemed okay, though not great. Looking at his line, it was all about the Mariners not taking walking and not working the count. Anytime you can get thru 8 IP and only throw 94 pitches, people are hacking. He could’ve come back for the 9th if the situation required it, but it gave Dempster a chance to get a save. Barrett’s PH at bat – he seems to be on his second vacation in as many weeks – got mostly cheers, but there’s some boos.

There’s non-Lee part of the infield is hilariously lacking in power. Theriot and Fontenot are the kings of the 40 feet hits; Fontenot’s go ahead hit went all of 120. Once again, it was a game with no extra base hits, which is how you end up with only 3 runs from 9 hits and 5 walks. The Riot is starting to press – 7 pitches in 4 at bats is bad.