Houston (2-3) at Chi Cubs (1-3)

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hou

Ausmus to again pair up with Oswalt

Alyson Footer / MLB.com
Brad Ausmus will catch Roy Oswalt on Saturday for the second game of the Astros' three-game weekend set with the Cubs, but it's likely J.R. Towles will work with the ace pitcher the next time through the rotation.
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Astros probable pitcher

Roy Oswalt

  • #44 RHP
  • (0-1) 5.06 ERA 6 SO
Oswalt lost his Opening Day start to reigning Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy, who shut out the Astros through seven innings. Oswalt said he had no feel for his breaking pitches, which forced him to use the fastball 85 percent of the time. As a result, hitters were fouling off multiple pitches, causing Oswalt's pitch count to skyrocket. The right-hander set a club record with his sixth consecutive Opening Day start. Oswalt has a career mark of 5-4 with a 5.28 ERA over 11 games at Wrigley Field.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 112-55 3.08 1418.2 324 1176 .257
Season 0-1 5.06 5.1 1 6 .440

Series at a Glance

Standings - 04/05/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Houston Astros (NL Central) 2 3 .400 1.5 0-0 2-3
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 1 3 .250 2.0 1-3 0-0
Stats - 04/05/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
HOU .194 16 5 15 6 25 3.86 42.0 55 12 30
CHC .220 14 5 14 5 24 3.65 37.0 32 10 31
chc

Cubs set to line up once more vs. Astros

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Let's see if Lou Piniella can have the same lineup three games in a row. On Saturday, Jason Marquis will face Roy Oswalt in the second of the Cubs' three-game series against the Houston Astros. And unless Piniella calls someone late Friday night, Alfonso Soriano will be leading off.
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Cubs probable pitcher

Jason Marquis

  • #21 RHP
  • (0-0) -.-- ERA 0 SO
Marquis battled all spring for this spot, competing with Ryan Dempster and Jon Lieber. Marquis was 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA in two games against the Brewers last year. He worked with someone this offseason on the mental part of the game in hopes of having a good full season, not a half. Marquis was 12-0 in 17 starts in which he went at least six innings. He's got to go deep.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 68-61 4.56 1102.0 428 661 .268

Astros hitters vs Jason Marquis

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Berkman, Lance - - - - .476 42 1 13
Blum, Geoff - - - - .000 9 0 1
Bogusevic, Brian - - - - - - - -
Bourgeois, Jason - - - - - - - -
Bourn, Michael - - - - .333 3 0 0
Johnson, Chris - - - - - - - -
Keppinger, Jeff - - - - .286 7 0 1
Lee, Carlos - - - - .333 30 3 11
Manzella, Tommy - - - - - - - -
Matsui, Kazuo - - - - .250 16 0 1
Maysonet, Edwin - - - - - - - -
Pence, Hunter - - - - .375 16 0 3
Quintero, Humberto - - - - .375 8 0 1
Ramirez, Yordany - - - - - - - -
Sutil, Wladimir - - - - - - - -
Towles, J.R. - - - - - - - -
Vallejo, Jose - - - - - - - -

Cubs hitters vs Roy Oswalt

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Adduci, James - - - - - - - -
Baker, Jeff - - - - - - - -
Blanco, Andres - - - - - - - -
Bradley, Milton - - - - .600 5 1 2
Castillo, Welington - - - - - - - -
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike - - - - .250 8 0 0
Fox, Jake - - - - - - - -
Fukudome, Kosuke - - - - .167 6 0 0
Fuld, Sam - - - - - - - -
Hill, Koyie - - - - .500 2 0 0
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - - - - -
Lee, Derrek - - - - .349 43 3 8
Miles, Aaron - - - - .176 17 0 0
Ramirez, Aramis - - - - .275 40 2 11
Soriano, Alfonso - - - - .188 32 2 5
Soto, Geovany - - - - .333 6 0 0
Theriot, Ryan - - - - .250 8 0 0

Seventh heaven (2-4) (2-3)

Cubs 9, Astros 7

Oswalt struggles

Alyson Footer / MLB.com
Right fielder Carlos Lee had two doubles and a home run Saturday, but it wasn't enough to overcome a shaky start by Astros ace Roy Oswalt, who was knocked around for six runs (five earned) and 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings.

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Series at a Glance

 

Clutch Kosuke

Jon Greenberg / MLB.com
The Cubs capped off a comeback win Saturday with five runs in the seventh, highlighted by Kosuke Fukudome's go-ahead two-run double. Derrek Lee had a breakout game with four hits, including his second homer of the season.
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Cubs 9, Astros 7

HoustonABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Bourn, CF5120000.200
Pence, RF5110011.185
Berkman, 1B2000001.227
  Erstad, 1B2221000.400
Lee, LF4232010.280
Tejada, SS3101102.227
Wigginton, 3B3020011.250
  Perez, T, 2B0000000.000
  a-Blum, PH-3B1011000.429
Loretta, 2B-3B-2B4011013.222
Ausmus, C4000003.000
Oswalt, P3000001.000
  Villarreal, P0000000.000
  Wright, P0000000.000
  Geary, P0000000.000
  Brocail, P0000000.000
  b-Cruz, PH1000000.250
Totals3771261412 

a-Singled for Perez, T in the 8th. b-Flied out for Brocail in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Erstad (1, Marquis), Lee 2 (3, Marquis, Howry).
3B: Bourn (1, Hart, K).
HR: Lee (2, 4th inning off Marquis, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Bourn 4; Pence; Erstad 3; Lee 8; Wigginton 2; Blum; Loretta.
RBI: Loretta (2), Lee 2 (3), Erstad (1), Tejada (3), Blum (2).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Oswalt; Loretta; Pence.
GIDP: Berkman; Ausmus; Loretta.
Team LOB: 4.

BASERUNNING
SB: Pence (1, 2nd base off Marquis/Soto), Bourn (4, 2nd base off Marquis/Soto).

FIELDING
E: Wigginton (1, throw).
PB: Ausmus (1).
Outfield assists: Bourn (Marquis at 3rd base).
DP: 2 (Loretta-Erstad, Bourn-Wigginton).
 
Chi CubsABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Soriano, LF5000005.045
Johnson, R, CF5022001.500
Lee, 1B4342000.364
Ramirez, A, 3B3100103.125
Fukudome, RF4122002.500
DeRosa, 2B4021001.375
  Marmol, P0000000.000
  Wood, P0000000.000
Soto, C4110013.188
  Blanco, H, C0000000.000
Theriot, SS3100111.190
Marquis, P2011000.500
  Hart, K, P0000000.000
  a-Fontenot, PH1110000.500
  Howry, P0000000.000
  Cedeno, 2B1110000.500
Totals3691482216 

a-Singled for Hart, K in the 7th.

BATTING
2B: Marquis (1, Oswalt), Lee (2, Oswalt), Fukudome (3, Wright), DeRosa (2, Geary).
3B: Soto (1, Oswalt).
HR: Lee (2, 3rd inning off Oswalt, 0 on, 1 out).
TB: Johnson, R 2; Lee 8; Fukudome 3; DeRosa 3; Soto 3; Marquis 2; Fontenot; Cedeno.
RBI: Marquis (1), Lee 2 (3), Johnson, R 2 (2), Fukudome 2 (5), DeRosa (3).
2-out RBI: Marquis; Lee; Fukudome 2; DeRosa; Johnson, R.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Fukudome; Soriano; Soto 2.
GIDP: Soto.
Team LOB: 5.

BASERUNNING
CS: Johnson, R (1, 2nd base by Brocail/Ausmus).

FIELDING
E: Lee (1, missed catch).
DP: 3 (Marquis-Theriot-Lee 2, DeRosa-Theriot-Lee).
 
HoustonIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Oswalt (L, 0-2)6.210651016.00
Villarreal 0.00111004.50
Wright 0.011100013.50
Geary 0.11000100.00
Brocail 1.02110103.00
 
Chi CubsIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Marquis 5.18541216.75
Hart, K (W, 1-0)1.21000200.00
Howry (H, 1)0.132200016.88
Marmol (H, 1)0.20000002.25
Wood (S, 2)1.00000009.00

Villarreal pitched to 1 batter in the 7th.
Wright pitched to 1 batter in the 7th.

Balk: Geary.
Pitches-strikes: Oswalt 92-59, Villarreal 5-1, Wright 8-5, Geary 10-5, Brocail 10-7, Marquis 81-50, Hart, K 25-16, Howry 16-10, Marmol 7-5, Wood 12-8.
Groundouts-flyouts: Oswalt 13-6, Villarreal 0-0, Wright 0-0, Geary 0-0, Brocail 1-0, Marquis 11-3, Hart, K 1-2, Howry 1-0, Marmol 1-1, Wood 2-1.
Batters faced: Oswalt 30, Villarreal 1, Wright 1, Geary 2, Brocail 4, Marquis 23, Hart, K 6, Howry 4, Marmol 2, Wood 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Villarreal 1-0, Wright 2-2, Geary 1-1, Hart, K 1-0, Marmol 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Kerwin Danley. 1B: Brian Runge. 2B: Chris Guccione. 3B: Charlie Reliford.
Weather: 57 degrees, sunny.
Wind: 7 mph, Out to RF.
T: 2:53.
Att: 40,707.
April 5, 2008

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