NY Mets (10-7) at Chi Cubs (12-6)

TV: SNY, ESPN | Radio: WFAN 660, WADO 1280 7:05 pm ET Wrigley Field TV: WCIU, ESPN | Radio: WGN 720
nym

Mets no strangers to 'grind' of season

Marty Noble / MLB.com
Every player loves the spotlight of nationally televised games. It's the domino-effect hassle that comes with it, like playing an 8 p.m. ET game on Sunday on a travel day, which makes it a little grueling. The Mets did just that on Sunday night as they lost, 5-4, to the Phillies and were scheduled to arrive in Chicago at 4:30 a.m. Monday to open a two-game series with the Cubs.
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Mets probable pitcher

John Maine

  • RHP
  • (1-1) 3.78 ERA
Mets: Though dissatisfied with his work, Maine pitched effectively enough against the Nationals on Wednesday night to gain his first victory -- five hits, four walks, four strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. He senses the spring chill had affected his command and wouldn't be upset if summer paid an early, one-day visit to Wrigley Field on Monday. In three starts, he has yet to approach the level of effectiveness his final Spring Training appearances suggested.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 24-20 4.17 341.1 147 286 .236
Season 1-1 3.78 16.2 12 10 .286
April 1-1 3.78 16.2 12 10 .286

Series at a Glance

Standings - 04/21/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
New York Mets (NL East) 10 7 .588 0.5 6-3 4-4
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 12 6 .667 - 8-4 4-2
Stats - 04/21/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
NYM .264 86 10 81 13 108 3.29 158.2 130 63 132
CHC .282 111 22 101 16 121 4.11 171.0 160 60 129
chc

Hot-hitting Cubs ready to host Mets

Kerry Walls / Special to MLB.com
After scoring 13 runs in consecutive wins at home, the Cubs are peaking at the plate just in time to welcome the Mets to Wrigley Field on Monday at 6:05 p.m. CT.
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Cubs probable pitcher

Carlos Zambrano

  • RHP
  • (2-1) 3.04 ERA
Cubs: Zambrano matched a career high with three hits, including an RBI single, and picked up the win in his last start against the Reds. He gave up two runs on eight hits over seven innings. The switch-hitter helped himself by hitting singles from each side of the plate, and a double in the seventh. Zambrano is finally doing what the athletic trainers tell him to do as far as staying hydrated to avoid cramps. He's now fueled by bananas, drinks plenty of water, and avoids coffee.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 84-56 3.40 1220.0 551 1065 .226
Season 2-1 3.04 26.2 3 23 .262
April 2-1 4.05 20.0 2 18 .296

Mets hitters vs Carlos Zambrano

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Beltran, Carlos - - - - .059 17 1 2
Bowman, Shawn - - - - - - - -
Carter, Chris - - - - - - - -
Castillo, Luis - - - - .400 10 0 0
Evans, Nick - - - - - - - -
Francoeur, Jeff - - - - .286 14 2 8
Green, Andy - - - - - - - -
Hernandez, Anderson - - - - - - - -
Martinez, Fernando - - - - - - - -
Murphy, Daniel - - - - .000 2 0 0
Pagan, Angel - - - - - - - -
Reed, Jeremy - - - - - - - -
Reyes, Jose - - - - .167 18 0 0
Santos, Omir - - - - - - - -
Sullivan, Cory - - - - .667 3 0 0
Thole, Josh - - - - - - - -
Wright, David - - - - .200 15 0 3

Cubs hitters vs John Maine

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Adduci, James - - - - - - - -
Baker, Jeff - - - - .667 3 1 2
Blanco, Andres - - - - - - - -
Bradley, Milton - - - - .286 7 1 2
Castillo, Welington - - - - - - - -
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike - - - - .000 2 0 0
Fox, Jake - - - - - - - -
Fukudome, Kosuke - - - - .333 3 0 0
Fuld, Sam - - - - - - - -
Hill, Koyie - - - - - - - -
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - - - - -
Lee, Derrek - - - - .250 4 0 0
Miles, Aaron - - - - .429 7 0 0
Ramirez, Aramis - - - - .300 10 1 3
Soriano, Alfonso - - - - .118 17 2 4
Soto, Geovany - - - - .000 3 0 0
Theriot, Ryan - - - - .400 5 0 1

Too close? Fine. Cubs rev for rout (10-8) (13-6)

Cubs 7, Mets 1

Potential turns sour

Anthony DiComo / MLB.com
The Mets trailed the Cubs by one run in the eighth inning, but Aaron Heilman and Jorge Sosa combined to allow five runs in the inning to prevent any sort of a comeback. John Maine dueled with Carlos Zambrano early before allowing a two-run homer in the fourth, allowing five hits in six innings.

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Series at a Glance

 
Carlos Zambrano improved to 3-1 on the season. (Brian Kersey/AP)

Making it look easy

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
After scoring 13 runs in two straight wins, it looked as if Aramis Ramirez's two-run homer would be just enough to edge the Mets. But the Cubs erupted for five runs in the eighth inning, capped by Felix Pie's three-run blast, to erase any doubt. Carlos Zambrano shined through seven.
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Cubs 7, Mets 1

NY MetsABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Reyes, J, SS4010001.296
Castillo, 2B3010101.232
Wright, 3B3000112.343
Beltran, CF4000003.222
Delgado, 1B3010000.206
Church, RF3010001.338
Casanova, C3000022.200
Chavez, LF3110000.188
Maine, P1000010.000
  Sanchez, P0000000.000
  a-Anderson, PH1000010.067
  Heilman, P0000000.000
  Sosa, Jo, P0000000.000
Totals281502510 

a-Struck out for Sanchez in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Chavez (1, Zambrano, C).
TB: Reyes, J; Castillo; Delgado; Church; Chavez 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Beltran 2.
S: Maine.
GIDP: Wright; Casanova; Reyes, J.
Team LOB: 3.

BASERUNNING
SB: Castillo (4, 2nd base off Zambrano, C/Soto).
CS: Church (1, 2nd base by Zambrano, C/Soto).

FIELDING
E: Wright (4, fielding), Reyes, J (2, fielding).
 
Chi CubsABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Johnson, R, CF-LF4010001.346
Fontenot, 2B3000112.206
  Marmol, P0000000.000
  Wood, P0000000.000
Lee, 1B4210001.358
Ramirez, A, 3B2212100.282
Fukudome, RF4120001.328
DeRosa, LF-2B4010025.313
Soto, C4000026.306
Cedeno, SS4112001.333
Zambrano, C, P2000020.214
  a-Ward, PH1000001.077
  Pie, CF1113000.172
Totals337872718 

a-Grounded out for Zambrano, C in the 7th.

BATTING
HR: Ramirez, A (5, 4th inning off Maine, 1 on, 0 out), Pie (1, 8th inning off Sosa, Jo, 2 on, 2 out).
TB: Johnson, R; Lee; Ramirez, A 4; Fukudome 2; DeRosa; Cedeno; Pie 4.
RBI: Ramirez, A 2 (13), Cedeno 2 (8), Pie 3 (5).
2-out RBI: Cedeno 2; Pie 3.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Soto; Fontenot.
Team LOB: 6.

BASERUNNING
CS: Johnson, R (2, 2nd base by Maine/Casanova).

FIELDING
DP: 4 (Ramirez, A-Fontenot-Lee, Fontenot-Lee-Cedeno, Cedeno-Lee, Soto-Cedeno).
 
NY MetsIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Maine (L, 1-2)6.05222613.57
Sanchez 1.00000000.00
Heilman 0.22400104.97
Sosa, Jo 0.11110015.25
 
Chi CubsIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Zambrano, C (W, 3-1)7.05112402.67
Marmol (H, 6)1.00000102.02
Wood 1.00000003.27

WP: Maine.
HBP: Johnson, R (by Maine), Ramirez, A (by Heilman).
Pitches-strikes: Maine 109-64, Sanchez 17-12, Heilman 30-23, Sosa, Jo 10-5, Zambrano, C 101-61, Marmol 9-7, Wood 6-4.
Groundouts-flyouts: Maine 6-5, Sanchez 3-0, Heilman 0-1, Sosa, Jo 1-0, Zambrano, C 14-3, Marmol 0-2, Wood 1-2.
Batters faced: Maine 25, Sanchez 4, Heilman 6, Sosa, Jo 2, Zambrano, C 25, Marmol 3, Wood 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Sosa, Jo 2-2.
Umpires: HP: Angel Hernandez. 1B: Eric Cooper. 2B: Marty Foster. 3B: Derryl Cousins.
Weather: 59 degrees, clear.
Wind: 8 mph, R to L.
T: 2:45.
Att: 40,582.
April 21, 2008

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