Milwaukee (2-0) at Chi Cubs (0-2)

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mil

Brewers, Bush go for sweep of Cubs

Adam McCalvy / MLB.com
Manager Ned Yost elected to start Dave Bush on Thursday afternoon against Chicago's Ryan Dempster as the Brewers aim for a three-game sweep. Carlos Villanueva will pitch Friday's home opener.
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Brewers probable pitcher

Dave Bush

  • #31 RHP
  • (0-0) -.-- ERA 0 SO
Manager Ned Yost had to choose between Bush and Carlos Villanueva for this assignment, and Bush was a somewhat surprising choice because he's 1-5 in eight career games against the Cubs and 0-2 (despite a 3.71 ERA) in four starts at Wrigley Field. That's history, argued Yost, who was impressed with Bush's Spring Training work on a slider and, to a lesser extent, a changeup.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 34-36 4.53 630.1 136 439 .268

Series at a Glance

Standings - 04/03/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Milwaukee Brewers (NL Central) 2 0 1.000 - 0-0 2-0
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 0 2 .000 2.0 0-2 0-0
Stats - 04/03/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
MIL .280 12 1 11 4 18 2.37 19.0 13 7 16
CHC .194 5 3 5 1 16 5.21 19.0 21 4 18
chc

Dempster returns to his roots

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Ryan Dempster's last start before he became the Cubs' closer was on May 4, 2005, and, coincidently, it was against the Milwaukee Brewers. On Thursday, Dempster will return to the rotation, again facing the Brewers in the series finale for the Cubs.
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Cubs probable pitcher

Ryan Dempster

  • #46 RHP
  • (0-0) -.-- ERA 0 SO
Dempster is back in the rotation for the first time, full-time since 2002. He spent the offseason getting in shape physically and building up endurance, and has looked sharp this spring. On the day, pitchers and catchers reported, he boldly predicted the Cubs would win the World Series. That's confidence.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 59-75 4.82 1218.1 631 1007 .267

Brewers hitters vs Ryan Dempster

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Braun, Ryan - - - - .133 15 0 3
Cain, Lorenzo - - - - - - - -
Escobar, Alcides - - - - - - - -
Fielder, Prince - - - - .250 16 1 3
Gamel, Mat - - - - - - - -
Gerut, Jody - - - - .333 6 0 0
Gomez, Carlos - - - - 1.000 1 0 0
Hart, Corey - - - - .071 14 0 1
Heether, Adam - - - - - - - -
Iribarren, Hernan - - - - - - - -
Kottaras, George - - - - - - - -
McGehee, Casey - - - - - - - -
Rivera, Mike - - - - .333 3 1 1
Salome, Angel - - - - - - - -
Weeks, Rickie - - - - .222 9 0 1

Cubs hitters vs Dave Bush

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Adduci, James - - - - - - - -
Baker, Jeff - - - - - - - -
Blanco, Andres - - - - .000 2 0 0
Bradley, Milton - - - - - - - -
Castillo, Welington - - - - - - - -
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike - - - - .200 5 0 0
Fox, Jake - - - - - - - -
Fukudome, Kosuke - - - - .333 6 0 0
Fuld, Sam - - - - - - - -
Hill, Koyie - - - - .000 2 0 0
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - .000 2 0 0
Lee, Derrek - - - - .167 24 0 1
Miles, Aaron - - - - .000 8 0 0
Ramirez, Aramis - - - - .320 25 3 9
Soriano, Alfonso - - - - .320 25 1 4
Soto, Geovany - - - - .167 6 0 1
Theriot, Ryan - - - - .188 16 0 0

Stopped cold: Cubs cuff Crew (2-1) (1-2)

Cubs 6, Brewers 3

Sweep not to be

Adam McCalvy / MLB.com
The Brewers started hot, with Rickie Weeks tying a club record by scoring in his 16th straight game on a collision in a two-run first. But starter Dave Bush could not keep the Cubs in check, allowing six runs in 5 1/3 innings, and the offense was unable to cash in enough to earn a sweep.

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Series at a Glance

 

Cubs claim finale

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Aramis Ramirez notched his first hit and homer, and Ryan Dempster shook off a shaky first to toss six strong innings in his return to the rotation, as the Cubs won the opening finale. Alfonso Soriano had two RBIs batting leadoff, and Kerry Wood earned his first career save.
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Cubs 6, Brewers 3

MilwaukeeABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Weeks, 2B3220101.250
Gwynn, CF3110012.571
  Kapler, CF1000011.167
Fielder, 1B3012011.300
Braun, LF4000011.286
  Turnbow, P0000000.000
Hall, 3B3000020.167
  McClung, P0000000.000
  a-Gross, PH-LF1000001.000
Hart, C, RF3000110.182
Hardy, SS4000001.077
Bush, P2000000.000
  Counsell, 3B10101001.000
Kendall, C4010012.400
Totals323623810 

a-Popped out for McClung in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Gwynn (1, Dempster), Weeks (1, Marmol).
TB: Weeks 3; Gwynn 2; Fielder; Counsell; Kendall.
RBI: Fielder 2 (2).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Fielder; Kendall.
SF: Fielder.
Team LOB: 6.

BASERUNNING
SB: Weeks (1, 2nd base off Dempster/Soto).
 
Chi CubsABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Soriano, LF4112114.077
Theriot, SS5011005.214
Lee, 1B5000013.214
Ramirez, A, 3B3211101.111
Fukudome, RF2210210.500
DeRosa, 2B3011001.250
Soto, C2001101.125
Pie, CF3010013.273
Dempster, P2000025.000
  a-Fontenot, PH1110000.400
  Marmol, P0000000.000
  b-Ward, PH0000100.000
  1-Cedeno, PR0000000.000
  Wood, P0000000.000
Totals306766623 

a-Doubled for Dempster in the 6th. b-Walked for Marmol in the 8th.
1-Ran for Ward in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Fukudome (2, Bush), Fontenot (1, Bush), Theriot (1, McClung).
HR: Ramirez, A (1, 5th inning off Bush, 0 on, 1 out).
TB: Soriano; Theriot 2; Ramirez, A 4; Fukudome 2; DeRosa; Pie; Fontenot 2.
RBI: DeRosa (1), Soto (2), Soriano 2 (2), Ramirez, A (1), Theriot (1).
2-out RBI: Soriano.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Soriano; Theriot 2; Ramirez, A; Lee 2.
SF: Soto.
Team LOB: 9.

BASERUNNING
SB: Pie (1, 2nd base off Turnbow/Kendall), Fukudome (1, 2nd base off Bush/Kendall), Soriano (1, 2nd base off McClung/Kendall), Theriot (1, 3rd base off McClung/Kendall).

FIELDING
E: Fukudome (1, throw).
 
MilwaukeeIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Bush (L, 0-1)5.166654110.13
McClung 1.21000200.00
Turnbow 1.00001000.00
 
Chi CubsIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Dempster (W, 1-0)6.03212501.50
Marmol 2.02111102.70
Wood (S, 1)1.010002013.50

HBP: DeRosa (by Bush), Pie (by Turnbow).
Pitches-strikes: Bush 105-56, McClung 27-16, Turnbow 23-13, Dempster 91-60, Marmol 42-24, Wood 17-11.
Groundouts-flyouts: Bush 7-5, McClung 0-3, Turnbow 2-1, Dempster 7-6, Marmol 0-5, Wood 1-0.
Batters faced: Bush 28, McClung 6, Turnbow 5, Dempster 23, Marmol 9, Wood 4.
Inherited runners-scored: McClung 1-1.
Umpires: HP: Jim Reynolds. 1B: Tim Timmons. 2B: Gary Cederstrom. 3B: Fieldin Culbreth.
Weather: 43 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 7 mph, In from LF.
T: 2:49.
Att: 37,973.
April 3, 2008

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner