Pittsburgh (7-8) at Chi Cubs (9-6)

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pit

Bucs aim to play clean baseball

Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com
After dropping two of three in Los Angeles, the Pirates head to Chicago looking to avenge a three-game sweep that was handed to them by the Cubs last week at PNC Park.
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Pirates probable pitcher

Ian Snell

  • RHP
  • (2-0) 3.93 ERA
Pirates: Snell is the only Pirates starting pitcher to win this season; he pitched 6 1/3 innings for a 4-3 victory in his last start on April 11 against Cincinnati. He wasn't as sharp as he has been, allowing nine hits and walking two. Snell followed up a 9-2 win over Florida on April 6 despite striking out only two, down from 10 in his last start.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 26-26 4.38 466.1 179 404 .271
Season 2-0 3.93 18.1 4 15 .274
April 2-0 2.92 12.1 2 12 .265

Series at a Glance

Standings - 04/18/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Pittsburgh Pirates (NL Central) 7 8 .467 3.5 3-3 4-5
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 9 6 .600 1.5 5-4 4-2
Stats - 04/18/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
PIT .248 72 13 66 5 103 4.85 143.0 166 59 87
CHC .266 82 19 76 12 108 4.31 144.0 138 50 100
chc

Hill back in rotation to face Pirates

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Ted Lilly was unable to get that first "W." Now it's Rich Hill's turn. Hill returns to the Cubs rotation on Friday to open a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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Cubs probable pitcher

Rich Hill

  • LHP
  • (0-0) 5.00 ERA
Cubs: Hill has been tough to figure out. The lefty gave up three runs on four walks and three hits over three innings in his last start against the Pirates. He needed 30 pitches to get through the first inning, and was pulled after throwing 72. Only 34 were strikes. That ratio definitely has to improve. Lou Piniella says all Hill has to do is throw the ball. Apparently, the young lefty is trying to be too fine. He spent Saturday and Sunday of the Phillies series in the 'pen.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 17-17 4.40 327.0 126 301 .234
Season 0-0 5.00 9.0 7 7 .219
April 0-0 5.00 9.0 7 7 .219
Vs. Pittsburgh 0-0 9.00 3.0 4 3 .300

Pirates hitters vs Rich Hill

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Alvarez, Pedro - - - - - - - -
Bixler, Brian .000 1 0 0 .000 1 0 0
Cedeno, Ronny - - - - - - - -
Clement, Jeff - - - - - - - -
Cruz, Luis - - - - .000 2 0 0
Diaz, Argenis - - - - - - - -
Doumit, Ryan - - - - .250 4 0 0
Hernandez, Gorkys - - - - - - - -
Iwamura, Akinori - - - - - - - -
Jaramillo, Jason - - - - - - - -
Jones, Garrett - - - - - - - -
LaRoche, Andy - - - - .000 1 0 0
McCutchen, Andrew - - - - - - - -
Milledge, Lastings - - - - - - - -
Moss, Brandon - - - - - - - -
Pearce, Steve - - - - .400 5 0 0
Tabata, Jose - - - - .500 2 0 1
Vazquez, Ramon - - - - - - - -
Walker, Neil - - - - - - - -
Young, Delwyn - - - - - - - -

Cubs hitters vs Ian Snell

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Adduci, James - - - - - - - -
Baker, Jeff - - - - .167 6 0 0
Blanco, Andres - - - - - - - -
Bradley, Milton - - - - .500 2 0 1
Castillo, Welington - - - - - - - -
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike - - - - - - - -
Fox, Jake - - - - - - - -
Fukudome, Kosuke - - - - .200 5 0 0
Fuld, Sam - - - - - - - -
Hill, Koyie - - - - - - - -
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - - - - -
Lee, Derrek - - - - .240 25 0 7
Miles, Aaron - - - - .154 13 1 3
Ramirez, Aramis - - - - .296 27 0 1
Soriano, Alfonso - - - - .500 18 3 5
Soto, Geovany - - - - .667 6 0 5
Theriot, Ryan - - - - .389 18 0 2

One big inning (7-9) (10-6)

Cubs 3, Pirates 2

Snell's first 'L'

Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com
Pirates starter Ian Snell blanked the Cubs for five of the six innings he was on the mound Friday. However, the three runs Snell allowed in the fourth inning ultimately sent the right-hander to his first loss of '08.

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Series at a Glance

 
Reed Johnson makes a running catch in front of the wall Friday. (Nam Y. Huh/AP)

Cubs take opener

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
After a brief stay in the bullpen, lefty Rich Hill returned to a starting role Friday and limited the Pirates to one run in five innings to notch the first win by a southpaw Cubs starter so far this season.
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Cubs 3, Pirates 2

PittsburghABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
McLouth, CF3111101.380
Rivas, L, SS4000012.200
Sanchez, F, 2B4000010.216
Bay, LF3120100.278
Nady, RF4021011.355
LaRoche, Ad, 1B3000124.133
Paulino, C3000012.240
  b-Mientkiewicz, PH1000000.208
Bautista, J, 3B4010030.169
Snell, P1000112.000
  a-Morgan, PH1000010.150
  Osoria, P0000000.500
  c-Doumit, PH1000000.333
Totals3226241112 

a-Struck out for Snell in the 7th. b-Grounded out for Paulino in the 9th. c-Grounded out for Osoria in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Bautista, J (4, Hill, R).
HR: McLouth (3, 8th inning off Marmol, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: McLouth 4; Bay 2; Nady 2; Bautista, J 2.
RBI: Nady (15), McLouth (15).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Snell 2; LaRoche, Ad.
Team LOB: 7.

BASERUNNING
SB: Bay (2, 2nd base off Hill, R/Soto).
CS: McLouth (2, 2nd base by Hill, R/Soto).
PO: McLouth (1st base by Hill, R).
 
Chi CubsABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Patterson, 2B4001023.000
  Marmol, P0000000.000
  Wood, P0000000.000
Theriot, SS4020001.288
Lee, 1B4000002.357
Ramirez, A, 3B4010011.226
Fukudome, RF4110012.317
DeRosa, LF-2B4121000.321
Soto, C2110201.288
Johnson, R, CF-LF4021002.375
Hill, R, P2000013.000
  Lieber, P0000000.000
  Marshall, P0000000.000
  a-Ward, PH1000002.000
  Pie, CF0000000.154
Totals333932517 

a-Flied out for Marshall in the 6th.

BATTING
2B: DeRosa (5, Snell), Soto (5, Snell).
3B: Theriot (1, Snell), Fukudome (1, Snell).
TB: Theriot 4; Ramirez, A; Fukudome 3; DeRosa 3; Soto 2; Johnson, R 2.
RBI: DeRosa (11), Johnson, R (7), Patterson (1).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Fukudome; Hill, R; Ramirez, A; Theriot; Patterson.
Team LOB: 8.

BASERUNNING
SB: Patterson (1, 2nd base off Snell/Paulino).

FIELDING
Pickoffs: Hill, R (McLouth at 1st base).
 
PittsburghIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Snell (L, 2-1)6.09331504.07
Osoria 2.00001004.38
 
Chi CubsIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Hill, R (W, 1-0)5.03113403.86
Lieber (H, 1)0.21000101.64
Marshall (H, 1)0.10000000.00
Marmol (H, 5)2.02111512.19
Wood (S, 4)1.00000103.60

Pitches-strikes: Snell 93-67, Osoria 33-17, Hill, R 82-46, Lieber 9-8, Marshall 2-2, Marmol 43-28, Wood 6-6.
Groundouts-flyouts: Snell 5-8, Osoria 3-3, Hill, R 2-8, Lieber 0-1, Marshall 1-0, Marmol 1-0, Wood 2-0.
Batters faced: Snell 28, Osoria 7, Hill, R 20, Lieber 3, Marshall 1, Marmol 9, Wood 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Marshall 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Lance Barksdale. 1B: Ted Barrett. 2B: James Hoye. 3B: Dana DeMuth.
Weather: 63 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 8 mph, R to L.
T: 2:29.
Att: 39,118.
April 18, 2008

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