To make  matters worse the Cubs again have only two hits through four innings. Alfonso Soriano who has returned tonight is hitless as are almost everyone else. The Cubs do have a run on a Derrek Lee solo shot in the first. This was his first home run since June 20. I was surprised to hear the big Lee is hitting .329 in  July. The seems like a quiet .329 but that’s subjective.

Ramirez and Soto continue to be mired in 0 for 20 somethings slumps. And the bats are asleep- although Mark DeRosa just got a hit to lead off the fifth. Maybe this blogging during the game will break us out of our slump and I will be committed to doing this for the rest of the year out of superstition. As I wrote that sentence Reed Johnson  hit a ground rule double- runners at second and third nobody out for Lilly.

In the bottom of the fourth the Cubs were leading 1-0. Chris Young hit his second double to lead off an inning in the game…maybe Lilly will learn how to pitch to him some day. Following this Tony Clark clubbed a home run to give the D-Backs the lead. Have you noticed the stupid hop Ted Lilly does  after giving up a home run. I hate that hop.

Now Ted Lilly just hit a ground ball that bounced over the head of a drawn in infield to tie the game. First and third with Soriano up. “Very  superstitious…writing on the wall (blog).”

The Brewers won again today. They have not lost since the break. C.C. Sabathia threw his third complete game since joining the Brewers. Good news- Monday night I am going to see the Cubs-Brewers and Sabathia is pitching. Bad news- I want the Cubs to win and Sabathia is pitching.

Soriano hit a ground ball and the go ahead run scores. Ted Lilly just stole third base…no joke. Lilly scores on a Theriot ground ball and the Cubs lead 4-2.

In the bottom of the inning Ojeda walks and scores on a triple by Conor Jackson. Jackson is thrown out in a run down and Chris Young, who reached during the run down, is caught trying to steal third with two outs on a real pretty play by Aramis. We dodge a bullet and still lead 4-3.

While we are in a lull in the game- this game has been a giant lull - I want to comment on what was discussed yesterday and is everybody’s favorite topic…potential trades…YES!!!! So I agree with the thinking that the Cubs do not need another infielder but could use another outfielder. The Cubs have great potential to improve in center- if there is a center fielder out there. Edmonds and Johnson have been good and I am comfortable with them, but you could improve. I know the number five starter is not a gigantic issue but I wonder what the Blue Jays want for A.J. Burnett. Supposedly, the Cubs have had scouts at his past couple games. Again I know it is the fifth starter spot, but Marquis is mediocre and I don’t like Sean Marshall at all. And you don’t have to  worry about a number five starter if you have two one’s and three three’s. A reliever might be a good add especially with Kid K’s blister issues and achy tired Marmol. It might be beneficial to go out and try to get another bat off the bench that can play the field as well. Daryle Ward is a pretty good pinch hitter- or he has been in the past- but he cannot play anywhere in the field adequately and this is a problem.

We are in the top of the seventh of this epic battle and Cedeno will bat for Lilly and the lead will be entrusted to the ‘pen.  While I am at it, why are the Cubs not putting Kerry Wood on the DL? He is days away from returning and they are a guy short for as long as this lasts. I don’t get it.

In the top of the eighth A-Ram got a single to break an 0 for 26 and put Ryan Theriot at third with one out. Soto follows and breaks out of an 0 for 21 to drive in Theriot and give the Cubs a 5-3 lead. Fukudome then took his third walk of the game to load the bases with one out for Mark DeRosa. DeRosa walks and the Cubs lead is 6-3. Johnson hits a fly ball to left that keeps carrying for a slam and the  bats have finally come through 10-3. Soriano doubles and the inning ends a batter later.

While I am here I think I must do a mea culpa about Soriano. I guess it is just you have to take the bad with the good. He is what he is and there will be times that this is not good, but he is the most explosive hitter in the line up. While I have said before that I think that signing will go down as one of the worst in team history, I think this is wrong. While I don’t know that he will ever live up to the contract,  I think it will not be an embarrassment and will give us pop for at least a couple more years.

Howry and Marmol come in and pitch a shaky eighth and ninth but the Cubs win it.

They stay a game up on the Brewers and return home with Big Z pitching tomorrow. The bats come alive but they were more patient taking five walks and working into deep counts. Hopefully, they rediscover this element.

The time of the game was like 3:20. The time seemed like three days. But we get the win. And we can sleep easier tonight.

I’m angry with this team. We can’t score. Jason Marquis is complete garbage. It’s time to move him from the rotation and give the shot to Sean Marshall. It’s time to call up Soriano for tonight’s game. I’m sick of getting swept by the Diamondbacks. It’s complete garbage.

I’ve got nothing else to say. Instead, watch a video put out by my friends Rhett & Link. I loved the crushed rosemary idea.

We always hear the excuse that cold water shrinks a penis. We hear the excuse that cold weather curbs hitting. How do you explain not being able to hit in a hot weather environment? The Cubs wasted a gem of an outing that I really felt had the making of a no-hitter. So much, in fact that I set the Tivo in the 5th so I could record the last few innings and have them on DVD. Rich Harden was that good last night. Unfortunately, Randy Johnson got it done and the Cubs went down 2-0.

If you throw out the 9 run explosion in Houston on Sunday, the Cubs have put up the following numbers over the last few games: 0, 1, 1, 2. That’s not gonna get it done. It’s become very clear that this team, specifically this offense, sorely misses the bat of Alfonso Soriano. Now the key is to try to get some offense over the next few days in his absence and try to keep this lead in the division.

News & Notes

• Cubs draft corp. gets fined - According to ESPN.com, MLB has fined the Cubs for “failure to notify the League office prior to signing a player.” Seriously, if this is really that big of a deal that MLB has to fine a team, they’ve got to get out more. Why not try to figure out a better solution to the All Star game fiasco that almost turned into a complete farce. Fix things like that rather than fine teams for forgetting to let you know they signed a player. (Source)
• No DL for Kerry Wood? - I’m crossing my fingers that this is the case, but the more I think about it, the more I feel like maybe it would almost be the best scenario for Woody to go on the DL and let the blister fully heal. If you’ve ever had a blister, and who hasn’t, it’s hard to do anything without aggravating it. It might be a better idea to have him let that thing really get better and then come back around August 1st. That would give him, essentially, 2+ weeks of heal time.
• Rehab Start # 1 for Soriano - Alfonso Soriano played yesterday with the AZ Cubs and went 0-2 with a walk. The most amusing part was that he was brushed back off the plate in his first at bat. I wonder if the pitcher did that on purpose or if he really had a lack of control. You’ve got to wonder with a kid that low facing a guy that big.
• The One That Got Away? - Brian Dopirak, one of the most talked about prospects in the system over the last few years is currently playing DH in the Toronto organization in Dunedin (A+). He’s finally having the kind of breakout year in the power and overall offensive area that many believed he was capable of when he was with the Cubs. The only problem is that it’s in an area that’s lower than AA and he’s 24. It’s nice to see him doing well, but I’m not quite sure why Baseball America keeps highlighting it every time he hits a HR.

Farm Recaps

Peoria 7, Great Lakes 1 - The Peoria Chiefs won the final game of their three-game series with Great Lakes today with a score of 7-1 in front of 5,607 fans at O’Brien Field. The win puts the Chiefs at 21-10 in the second half and at 51-48 overall.

The Chiefs put up the first run of the game in the second inning off Loons starter Josh Lindblom. Lindblom walked Jovan Rosa to lead off the inning, and after Rebel Ridling flew out to left, Luis Bautista singled. Brandon Guyer doubled to left to score Rosa and put the Chiefs up 1-0.

Great Lakes matched the Chiefs with a run of their own in the fourth. With one out, Andrew Lambo hit a solo home run to right field off Jay Jackson to tie the teams 1-1.

The game didn’t stay tied for long as the Chiefs answered back in their half of the fourth with two more runs to again take the lead. Bautista singled with one down off Loons reliever Justin Miller, and Guyer reached on an error by Great Lakes third baseman Brandon Taylor. Luis Flores added a base hit to score Bautista and put the Chiefs ahead 2-1. Elvis Lara then reached on a fielders choice as Flores was thrown out, and Guyer scored to extend the lead to 3-1.

Peoria pulled even further ahead in the sixth thanks to a three-run homer from Guyer. Rosa was put into scoring position courtesy of Miller, as he walked and then moved to second on an error by the pitcher. Ridling followed with an infield single, and Bautista advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt. Guyer hit a three-run homer, his eighth of the season, over the left field wall and out to the street to make it 6-1.

Bautista led off the eighth inning with a solo home run, his 11th of the season, to left field off Loons reliever Miguel Ramirez to extend the Chiefs lead to 7-1.

Jose Pina started for the Chiefs and threw three innings, keeping the Loons scoreless and allowing only one hit. Jackson (2-0) came in to throw four innings and allow one run on four hits while striking out seven. Ashwood pitched one inning, giving up one hit and no runs.

Boise 9, Everett 5 - A six-run third inning helped guide the Boise Hawks to their eighth victory in nine games and their sixth-straight home win, knocking off the Everett AquaSox, 9-5, before 2,187 fans at Memorial Stadium.

Ten men came to plate in the third, as the Hawks got an RBI fielders choice from Josh Harrison, a bases loaded walk from Ryan Keedy, and RBI infield single from Carlos Perez, a Kyler Burke sacrifice fly, and a Drew Rundle RBI double to build the big lead.

Everett would make it tight late, as Welington Dotel’s second homer of the night in the ninth made it 9-2, with the Frogs closing to 9-5 on a wild pitch with two outs in the inning. However, John Muller got Nate Tenbrink to ground out to first with the tying run on deck to end the game, notching his eighth save.

Harol Tolentino got the win, throwing five shutout innings, becoming the first Hawk pitcher to win as a starter this season. Marwin Gonzalez and Keedy each had three hits in the game, while Harrison drove in three. Dotel went 4-for-4 in the loss for Everett.

Game 3 of the series is tomorrow night, with James Leverton of Boise meeting Steven Hensley of Everett.

While I’m thinking about it, if you haven’t had a chance to watch the ESPY’s, which I never do, you missed this courtesy of Justin Timberlake, who I now have new respect for.

Probable Pitchers

Monday - Rich Harden vs. Randy Johnson (9:40pm EDT)

Tuesday - Jason Marquis vs. Micah Owings (9:40pm EDT)

Wednesday - Ted Lilly vs. Doug Davis (9:40pm EDT)

Question of the Day

Which team that currently trails us scares you more? Milwaukee or St. Louis? Why? For me, I’ve maintained that it’s Milwaukee, who appears to be going all in. They know they can’t resign CC Sabathia or probably even Ben Sheets. They just added Ray Durham, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them make another move for the bullpen. St. Louis doesn’t appear to be looking into anything, which has Tony LaRussa frustrated. All that considered, I look for the Cards to begin to fall off as the year wears on into August. Milwaukee is the team to catch us in my opinion. What do you think?

News & Notes

• Apparently A.J. Burnett has slowed on his trade demands and no longer wants to leave Toronto, let alone come to the Cubs. - (Source)
• Kerry Wood appears to be headed to the DL, which would be the 12th time in his career. The good thing is that it’s just due to a blister and not arm trouble. In addition, because the Cubs haven’t used him in a few days, the DL stint can be back dated, which shortens the trip if needed.
• Rich Hill mentioned that he seems to have figured out what has caused the control issues. He blames it on back pain, which I can attest can mess you up big time. I don’t pitch, but I’ve tweaked my back on two separate occasions and they’ve been quite painful and debilitating for a few days. I really hope that’s the issue because that would be a great insurance addition if Rich Harden were to flop down the stretch. At the same time, if Hill starts to come back strong, does that mean Dempster is gone after this season?
• Alfonso Soriano is set to play the first game of his rehab stint tonight for the Arizona Cubs. My fear is that he hits a home run tonight and thinks he’s back for good. Rookie league is a lot different that big league pitching. Please be patient and get your cuts in and come back for the Florida series this weekend.

Farm Recaps

Iowa 2, Nashville 1 - Jeff Samardzija tossed six solid innings as the Iowa Cubs defeated the Nashville Sounds 2-1 at Principal Park Sunday afternoon.

Samardzija (4-1) allowed just three Sounds to reach base in his six innings of work, including two hits, to pick up the win.

After striking out two in the top of the first inning, Samardzija worked
with a 1-0 Cubs lead when Andres Torres roped a lead-off home run to left field off Nashville starter Chris Narveson.

Third basemen Casey McGehee made it a 2-0 lead with a solo home run to right field. Originally ruled a triple, umpires later overturned the call.

That was all Samardzija needed, as the right-hander went on to retire eight in a row from the third to fifth inning. He allowed hits to Brendan Katin in the first and pinch hitter Mel Stocker in the sixth. Stocker would score the Sounds lone run that inning after stealing second and advancing to third on a wild pitch. Vinny Rottino brought Nashville to within one when he drove Stocker in with a two-out sacrifice fly in the sixth inning.

Narveson took the loss (3-12) giving up the two runs on four hits, while
striking out seven in five innings on the mound. Iowa reliever Michael Wuertz pitched a perfect ninth inning for his first save of the season.

Samardzija, Hector Carrasco, and Wuertz combined to strike out 12 on the day. Samardzija’s nine strikeouts tied a season-high for the right-hander.

Peoria 7, Great Lakes 1 - The Peoria Chiefs bounced back to beat the visiting Great Lakes Loons 7-1 in the middle game of a three-game series on Sunday afternoon at O’Brien Field. The win improves the Chiefs to 20-10 in the second half and will give them at least a two game lead over second place Beloit in the Western Division. Peoria jumped on Great Lakes starter Bryan Morris to claim a first inning lead. Jonathan Wyatt hustled his way into a double on a ball blooped into center field. Nate Samson followed with an opposite field double to score Wyatt from second and put the Chiefs in front 1-0. After Samson stole third base and Jovan Rosa struck out, Rebel Ridling hit a ball back up the middle to score Samson to make it 2-0. Samson helped spark the Chiefs offense in the third inning after drawing a one-out walk against Morris. He picked up his second stolen base of the game when he swiped second to move into scoring position. Rosa’s league-leading 31st double of the season scored Samson from second to extend the Chiefs lead to 3-0.

Kreier retired the first ten batters in the Loons batting order before giving up a one out double to Erik Kanaby in the fourth inning. A fly out to the warning track in center field by Andrew Lambo moved Kanaby to third base, but Kreier got Eduardo Perez to fly out to left field to end the inning.
The Chiefs chased Morris from the game in the fifth inning. Jake Opitz walked to start the inning, and Wyatt followed with his second hit of the day to put two on with no outs. Samson moved bother runners into scoring position with his 19th sacrifice bunt of the season. With two outs, Ridling dropped a base hit into left field that scored both Opitz and Samson and give the Chiefs a 5-0 lead.

Peoria broke the game open in the sixth inning against Loons reliever Miguel Sanfler. Opitz reached on a fielders choice and stole second base to move into scoring position with one out. Wyatt collected his third hit of the afternoon with a single up the middle to score Opitz and make it a 6-0 Chiefs advantage. After a walk to Samson, Rosa laced a single into left field to score Wyatt and make it a 7-0 game.

Great Lakes broke up the shutout in the ninth inning against Chiefs reliever Jordan Latham. Kanaby got his third hit of the game with a leadoff base hit and moved to second on a ground out by Andrew Lambo. A passed ball moved Kanaby to third base, and Eduardo Perez grounded out to score Kanaby and make it 7-1.

The 20-year old Kreier tossed six scoreless innings for the second time this season. The right-hander allowed just two hits, both to Kanaby, while striking out one and walking just one as he notched his fifth win of the season. Jake Muyco worked two scoreless innings out of the Chiefs bullpen while allowing just one hit. Latham allowed an unearned run in the ninth inning on one hit, and he struck out one.

Player of the Game – Kevin Kreier (P) – Kreier held the Loons scoreless for his six innings pitched, completing this feat for the second time this season. He allowed only two hits while striking out one and walking one as he took the win, his fifth of the season.

Tennessee 7, Huntsville 3 - The Tennessee Smokies (45-58, 18-12) snapped a three game slide to the Huntsville Stars (58-42, 17-13), by winning 7-3 at Joe W. Davis Stadium Sunday night in front of 1,532. The win gives Tennessee a one game lead for first in the Southern League North division over the Stars. The Smokies tagged a pair of two-run homeruns in the third inning for an early 4-0 advantage. Sam Fuld followed a Mark Holliman single by launching a missile of the right field wall. Jake Fox then singled with two outs and Blake Lalli crushed another ball to right and out of the park.

Mark Holliman was fantastic in the start going 5 innings of shutout baseball. He would issue a walk along with four strikeouts. Tennessee added to their lead in the sixth. Fuld singled with two outs and scored on a Nate Spears double. Lorenzo Cain helped get Huntsville on the board. He tripled past a diving leftfielder Jake Fox. Cain scored on an Alcides Escobar groundout to short. The Stars took advantage of four walks in the eighth inning which plated two more runs to make the score 6-3. Fox then celebrated his 27th birthday in style by connecting on a solo homerun in the ninth.

Boise 9, Everett 6 - Drew Rundle gapped an RBI triple in the seventh inning to break a 6-6 tie, as the Boise Hawks won their fifth straight home game with a 9-6 victory over the Everett AquaSox before 1,891 fans at Memorial Stadium. The win for the Hawks was their seventh in eight games and pulled Boise within five games of first-place Spokane in the Northwest League’s Eastern Division. The Hawks scored three in the second inning to take an early lead, as RBI doubles from Michael Brenly and Josh Harrison, along with a Kurt Calvert RBI single gave Boise the 3-0 lead.

The AquaSox would rally, getting back-to-back RBI doubles from Luis Nunez and Kevin Reynolds in the third to cut the lead to 3-2, then take the lead in the fifth on a Nunez RBI single, building a 5-3 advantage. Boise would retake the lead in the sixth on a bases loaded walk to Kyler Burke and a Harrison two-run single, but a Reynolds RBI single in the seventh re-tied the game, setting up Rundle’s heroics. Luke Sommer got the win for the Hawks, tossing three innings of two-hit relief, retiring the final seven men in order. Calvert went 3-for-4 in the win, with Harrison, Rundle, and Burke each recording two hits. Nunez went 3-for-4 in the loss for the Frogs.