Chi Cubs (28-19) at Pittsburgh (22-25)

TV: CSN Chicago | Radio: WGN 720 7:05 pm ET PNC Park TV: FSNP | Radio: WPGB-FM 104.7
chc

Reed ready as southpaws await Cubs

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
The Pirates are slated to start three left-handers in the series against the Cubs, which opens Friday. That means Reed Johnson gets to play. Johnson, the right-handed option in the Cubs' center-field platoon, is batting .255 against lefties so far.
Full story >

Cubs probable pitcher

Carlos Zambrano

  • RHP
  • (6-1) 2.45 ERA
Cubs: "Big Z" had his worst start of the season, getting pulled with no outs in the fifth in the Cubs' 7-6 loss to Pittsburgh on May 17. Zambrano gave up three runs in the inning and was off-kilter from the start. He gave up seven hits and five runs (four earned), walking three and striking out three. He hasn't lost since April 11, when he gave up five runs in six innings against the Phillies. He also broke a bat over his right knee after striking out at the plate.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 88-56 3.36 1259.1 567 1088 .227
Season 6-1 2.45 66.0 19 46 .243
May 2-0 2.84 25.1 10 14 .237
Vs. Pittsburgh 0-0 9.00 4.0 3 3 .368

Series at a Glance

Standings - 05/23/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 28 19 .596 - 19-8 9-11
Pittsburgh Pirates (NL Central) 22 25 .468 6.0 13-10 9-15
Stats - 05/23/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
CHC .283 267 52 252 30 319 3.73 426.2 385 157 343
PIT .252 230 46 216 15 318 4.92 424.1 484 193 266
pit

Familiarity hasn't been good to Pirates

Todd Krise / MLB.com
The 2008 season is a little under two months old, but the Pirates and Cubs are already meeting for the 10th time in 48 games on Friday. The Cubs are enjoying the close encounter the most, dominating the series between the two teams with an 8-1 record and a 69-38 advantage in runs scored.
Full story >

Pirates probable pitcher

Zach Duke

  • LHP
  • (2-2) 4.23 ERA
Pirates: Despite leaving with a lead, Duke didn't pick up a decision in his last start. He allowed three runs early, but settled in to allow just one in his final five innings of work. The left-hander will be facing the Cubs for the second consecutive start and will take the same approach into this game as he did into the last. Duke mixed up his pitches and limited the number of first-pitch fastballs that he threw in order to keep the free-swinging Cubs off balance.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 23-27 4.20 462.2 135 236 .308
Season 2-2 4.23 55.1 19 20 .304
May 2-0 3.04 26.2 11 11 .255
Vs. Chi Cubs 0-1 5.19 17.1 4 10 .338

Cubs hitters vs Zach Duke

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Adduci, James - - - - - - - -
Baker, Jeff - - - - .333 6 1 2
Blanco, Andres - - - - - - - -
Bradley, Milton - - - - .500 4 0 0
Castillo, Welington - - - - - - - -
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike - - - - - - - -
Fox, Jake - - - - - - - -
Fukudome, Kosuke .167 6 0 0 .167 6 0 0
Fuld, Sam - - - - - - - -
Hill, Koyie - - - - - - - -
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - - - - -
Lee, Derrek .111 9 0 0 .286 35 1 3
Miles, Aaron - - - - .385 13 0 1
Ramirez, Aramis .250 8 0 1 .314 35 1 4
Soriano, Alfonso .714 7 1 2 .560 25 2 3
Soto, Geovany .333 6 0 0 .250 12 0 0
Theriot, Ryan .667 6 0 2 .320 25 0 2

Pirates hitters vs Carlos Zambrano

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Alvarez, Pedro - - - - - - - -
Bixler, Brian .500 2 0 1 .500 2 0 1
Cedeno, Ronny - - - - - - - -
Clement, Jeff - - - - - - - -
Cruz, Luis - - - - - - - -
Diaz, Argenis - - - - - - - -
Doumit, Ryan - - - - .357 14 0 1
Hernandez, Gorkys - - - - - - - -
Iwamura, Akinori - - - - .000 2 0 0
Jaramillo, Jason - - - - - - - -
Jones, Garrett - - - - - - - -
LaRoche, Andy - - - - .250 4 0 2
McCutchen, Andrew - - - - - - - -
Milledge, Lastings .333 3 0 0 .333 3 0 0
Moss, Brandon - - - - .600 5 1 1
Pearce, Steve - - - - .500 2 0 0
Tabata, Jose - - - - - - - -
Vazquez, Ramon - - - - .143 7 0 0
Walker, Neil - - - - - - - -
Young, Delwyn - - - - .000 1 0 0

Big night for Big Z (29-19) (22-26)

Cubs 12, Pirates 3

Zambrano shines

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano did it all on the way to earning his sixth consecutive win. In addition to limiting the Pirates to just two runs in seven innings, the ace right-hander set a personal career high with four hits at the plate.

Full story >

Cubs Wrap >

More Cubs Headlines

Tickets | MLB.TV | Multimedia | Shop

Series at a Glance

 

Struggles continue

Chris Adamski / Special to MLB.com
Any hopes the Pirates had of reversing their season-long woes against the Cubs were extinguished early, as Chicago scored in each of the first six innings on its way to handing the Bucs their ninth loss in 10 meetings this year.
Full story >

Pirates Wrap >

More Pirates Headlines

Tickets | MLB.TV | Multimedia | Shop

Cubs 12, Pirates 3

Chi CubsABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Soriano, LF4120002.285
  Hoffpauir, LF2010001.429
Theriot, SS5010102.320
Lee, 1B6112015.296
Ramirez, A, 3B4330102.296
  a-Blanco, H, PH-C1000000.308
Soto, C4000116.306
  Fontenot, 2B0000000.254
Cedeno, 2B-3B5220003.329
DeRosa, RF3223102.312
Johnson, R, CF5234002.269
Zambrano, C, P5142012.343
  Ascanio, P0000000.000
  Wood, P0000000.000
Totals441219114327 

a-Grounded out for Ramirez, A in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Soriano (8, Duke), Johnson, R 2 (8, Duke, Burnett), DeRosa 2 (11, Duke, Salas), Cedeno (7, Burnett).
HR: Johnson, R (2, 5th inning off Burnett, 2 on, 0 out).
TB: Soriano 3; Hoffpauir; Theriot; Lee; Ramirez, A 3; Cedeno 3; DeRosa 4; Johnson, R 8; Zambrano, C 4.
RBI: Lee 2 (34), Zambrano, C 2 (4), DeRosa 3 (26), Johnson, R 4 (23).
2-out RBI: DeRosa; Zambrano, C.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: DeRosa; Johnson, R; Soto; Zambrano, C 2.
SF: DeRosa.
GIDP: Lee; Soriano; Theriot.
Team LOB: 10.
 
PittsburghABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Sanchez, F, 2B3110000.253
  a-Rivas, L, PH-2B1000000.212
McLouth, CF4122010.317
Bay, LF3020001.273
  Michaels, LF1000001.221
LaRoche, Ad, 1B3011012.220
Nady, RF4000012.316
Mientkiewicz, 3B2000102.212
  Salas, P0000000.000
  b-Chavez, R, PH1000000.333
Paulino, C4000012.211
Gomez, SS4120011.316
Duke, P1000000.100
  Burnett, P1000011.000
  Bautista, J, 3B2000011.216
Totals343831713 

a-Flied out for Sanchez, F in the 7th. b-Flied out for Salas in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: LaRoche, Ad (9, Zambrano, C), McLouth (16, Ascanio).
3B: Bay (1, Zambrano, C), McLouth (3, Zambrano, C).
TB: Sanchez, F; McLouth 5; Bay 4; LaRoche, Ad 2; Gomez 2.
RBI: McLouth 2 (38), LaRoche, Ad (21).
2-out RBI: McLouth 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Mientkiewicz; Bay; Paulino.
SF: LaRoche, Ad.
Team LOB: 6.

FIELDING
E: Mientkiewicz (3, fielding), Gomez (4, missed catch).
DP: 3 (Gomez-Sanchez, F-LaRoche, Ad 2, LaRoche, Ad-Gomez-Burnett).
 
Chi CubsIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Zambrano, C (W, 7-1)7.06221602.47
Ascanio 1.01110003.00
Wood 1.01000103.42
 
PittsburghIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Duke (L, 2-3)4.010540104.55
Burnett 2.04444119.39
Salas 3.05330106.75

Pitches-strikes: Zambrano, C 109-75, Ascanio 11-7, Wood 10-9, Duke 63-41, Burnett 54-25, Salas 53-35.
Groundouts-flyouts: Zambrano, C 7-8, Ascanio 2-1, Wood 0-2, Duke 7-4, Burnett 3-2, Salas 5-3.
Batters faced: Zambrano, C 28, Ascanio 4, Wood 4, Duke 23, Burnett 13, Salas 13.
Umpires: HP: Laz Diaz. 1B: Wally Bell. 2B: Mike Winters. 3B: Paul Schrieber.
Weather: 62 degrees, cloudy.
Wind: 8 mph, Out to RF.
T: 2:45.
Att: 32,656.
May 23, 2008

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