MLB Team Report – Chicago Cubs – INSIDE PITCH
The Cubs need to do a better job of hitting with runners in scoring position. More to the point, they need to do a better job of hitting, period.
Entering Tuesday night’s 6-3 come-from-behind victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at frigid Wrigley Field, the Cubs were second from the bottom in the National League with a .186 batting average (the Pirates were at .126). With runners in scoring position, they were 6-for-44 (.136).
They were only 2-for-8 Tuesday, but those hits counted, as Anthony Rizzo hit a game-tying RBI double in the seventh inning, and David DeJesus added insurance with a two-run single in the eighth.
“That’s obviously something we’ve got to get better at,” manager Dale Sveum said. “That doesn’t have anything to do with the wind. That’s just something we have to get better at as a team. Yesterday, we had some great at-bats in that last inning, but we have to sustain those throughout the whole course of the game.”
Perhaps the cold weather in Chicago has something to do with it, but the Cubs also played in Atlanta over the weekend, and the home opener started out at 60 degrees.
The bottom line is that the Cubs need to get more out of their veterans. Leadoff man and OBP threat DeJesus is 5-for-26 with a .222 OBP. But he did go 3-for-5 Tuesday. Left fielder Alfonso Soriano, whom the Cubs count on for power, doesn’t have an RBI, and he was 0-for-3 with men in scoring position Tuesday.
THE GAME: Cubs snap out of losing funk
The Cubs scored twice in the seventh to tie and went ahead with three runs in the eighth as they snapped a four-game losing streak with a 6-3 win over Milwaukee on Tuesday.
One of the biggest blows came from light-hitting Scott Hairston, who delivered a game-winning sacrifice fly.
A pinch-hitter with a .125 average, Hairston drove home Nate Schierholtz from third with a high fly ball off Milwaukee reliever Alfredo Figaro for what proved to be the winning run.
Schierholtz tagged up and beat the throw from center fielder Carlos Gomez.
But Chicago wasn’t finished. With two runners still on base, leadoff batter DeJesus followed with a single to right to drive home Alberto Gonzalez and Luis Valbuena.
Travis Wood departed after 6 1/3 innings, including a sloppy second that resulted in all three Milwaukee runs. He gave up seven hits and two earned runs. He walked three and struck out a pair.
“I’ve been fortunate to throw well the two good outings,” Wood said. “I ran into some trouble there in the second, but I was able to come back after that and ended up going into the seventh.”
The win went to reliever Carlos Marmol (1-1), who worked one inning. Kyuji Fujikawa worked the ninth and earned his second save.
“Tonight was cold (39 degrees), and it’s tough when you come out of the bullpen,” said Marmol, who lost his closer’s job after poor outings last week. “I feel great. I was glad he (manager Dale Sveum) gave me that situation.”
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MLB Team Report – Chicago Cubs – NOTES, QUOTES
RECORD: 3-5.
STREAK: Won one.
NEXT: Brewers (Kyle Lohse, 0-0, 1.50) at Cubs (Scott Feldman, 0-1, 7.71)
PLAYER NOTES:
–OF David DeJesus added nearly 100 points to his batting average on Tuesday, going 3-for-5 with a double, two runs and a pair of RBI. It was his first multi-hit game of the season as his average jumped from .092 to .192. He has hit in three of his last four games.
–INF Starlin Castro extended his hitting streak to four games as he went 1-for-5 with a single up the middle in the third inning. He has hit .316 in that span and is batting .257 for the season.
–C Welington Castillo extended his hitting streak to four with a fourth-inning single to right Tuesday. He’s batting .400 over the last four games and leads the Cubs with a .381 batting average.
–LHP Travis Wood went 6 1/3 innings Tuesday but failed to get a decision and remains winless in his last 10 Wrigley Field starts dating back to July 17, 2012. He’s 0-5 with a 4.99 ERA in that stretch and has received two or fewer runs in seven of those 10 games.
–RHP Scott Feldman makes his second start of the season and first at Wrigley Field as a member of the Cubs in Wednesday’s series finale. He suffered the loss in a 4-1 decision at Atlanta on April 5. He gave up four runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings while walking four and striking out one. He finished the spring with an 0-3 record and an 11.25 ERA.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “That’s obviously something we’ve got to get better at. That doesn’t have anything to do with the wind. That’s just something we have to get better at as a team. (Monday), we had some great at-bats in that last inning, but we have to sustain those throughout the whole course of the game.” — Manager Dale Sveum, on his team’s offense.
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MLB Team Report – Chicago Cubs – ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
–2B Darwin Barney (gash on left knee) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 31. He was injured March 30 in an exhibition game at Houston and needed five stitches. He may be out longer than the minimum 15 days.
–RHP Matt Garza (strained left lat) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 22. He threw off a mound April 3 and is aiming to return in early May.
–RHP Scott Baker (Tommy John surgery in April 2012) went on the 60-day disabled list March 31. Baker made only one Cactus League appearance.
–3B Ian Stewart (strained left quadriceps) was hurt early in spring training and he went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 22. He will need at-bats in Arizona and a minor league rehab stint before rejoining the Cubs.
–RHP Arodys Vizcaino (Tommy John surgery in March 2012) went on the 60-day disabled list March 27.
ROTATION:
RHP Jeff Samardzija
RHP Edwin Jackson
LHP Travis Wood
RHP Scott Feldman
RHP Carlos Villanueva
BULLPEN:
RHP Kyuji Fujikawa (closer)
RHP Carlos Marmol
RHP Shawn Camp
LHP James Russell
RHP Michael Bowden
RHP Hector Rondon
LHP Hisanori Takahashi
CATCHERS:
Welington Castillo
Dioner Navarro
Steve Clevenger
INFIELDERS:
1B Anthony Rizzo
2B Brent Lillibridge
SS Starlin Castro
3B Luis Valbuena
INF Alberto Gonzalez
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Alfonso Soriano
CF David DeJesus
RF Nate Schierholtz
RF Scott Hairston
OF Dave Sappelt
