Colorado (20-33) at Chi Cubs (32-21)

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col

Spilborghs prepared to fill any role

Andy Jasner / Special to MLB.com
Many players would be frustrated if they arrived at the ballpark and found out they weren't in the starting lineup. Not Rockies outfielder Ryan Spilborghs, who will most certainly get his share of at-bats when the Rockies open a four-game series against the Cubs on Thursday.
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Rockies probable pitcher

Jeff Francis

  • LHP
  • (1-5) 6.18 ERA
Rockies: Francis displayed rushed mechanics and no fastball command -- which eliminated his changeup -- during a five-run, 37-pitch first inning in Saturday afternoon's loss to the Mets. Francis gave up just one run the rest of the way, and he lasted six innings. He finished by tying his season high with eight strikeouts. Still, innings like the first on Saturday are not what the Rockies need from their No. 1 pitcher, who says he feels healthy but is making mistakes in his windup and delivery.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 48-39 4.81 694.1 239 488 .281
Season 1-5 6.18 59.2 24 46 .292
May 1-3 7.57 27.1 12 25 .328

Series at a Glance

Standings - 05/29/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Colorado Rockies (NL West) 20 33 .377 10.0 12-14 8-19
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 32 21 .604 - 22-8 10-13
Stats - 05/29/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
COL .255 220 38 210 45 356 4.93 484.0 507 218 325
CHC .283 296 56 280 30 364 3.56 487.2 443 182 386
chc

Cubs pleased with professional Cedeno

Nick Zaccardi / MLB.com
Ronny Cedeno is one of several Cubs finding Wrigley Field hitter-friendly with a .351 average at home and will look to continue his part-time prowess as the Cubs host the Rockies for a four-game set beginning Thursday night.
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Cubs probable pitcher

Jason Marquis

  • RHP
  • (2-3) 4.97 ERA
Cubs: Marquis had beaten the Pirates twice this season, but he couldn't pull it off a third time. He did not get a decision in his last start against Pittsburgh, giving up three runs on seven hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings. Against the Rockies last year, Marquis was 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA. Pitching at Wrigley should be a little bit of an advantage for Marquis, who is winless in four road starts. He's 2-2 with a 5.14 ERA in five home games.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 70-64 4.58 1152.2 448 690 .270
Season 2-3 4.97 50.2 20 29 .313
May 1-2 5.64 22.1 10 12 .303
Vs. Colorado 0-0 2.57 7.0 2 4 .286

Rockies hitters vs Jason Marquis

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Atkins, Garrett .333 3 0 0 .190 21 0 0
Barmes, Clint .000 4 0 0 .000 11 0 0
Fowler, Dexter - - - - - - - -
Gomez, Hector - - - - - - - -
Gonzalez, Carlos - - - - - - - -
Hawpe, Brad .000 3 0 0 .444 18 1 6
Helton, Todd .250 4 0 1 .308 26 2 5
Iannetta, Chris .333 3 1 1 .333 3 1 1
McKenry, Michael - - - - - - - -
Murton, Matt - - - - .000 5 0 0
Nelson, Chris - - - - - - - -
Smith, Seth - - - - .667 3 0 0
Spilborghs, Ryan - - - - .375 8 0 2
Stewart, Ian - - - - .667 3 0 0
Tulowitzki, Troy .000 2 0 0 .125 8 0 1
Young, Eric - - - - - - - -

Cubs hitters vs Jeff Francis

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Adduci, James - - - - - - - -
Baker, Jeff - - - - - - - -
Blanco, Andres - - - - - - - -
Bradley, Milton - - - - .600 10 2 4
Castillo, Welington - - - - - - - -
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike - - - - 1.000 3 0 0
Fox, Jake - - - - - - - -
Fukudome, Kosuke - - - - 1.000 1 0 0
Fuld, Sam - - - - - - - -
Hill, Koyie - - - - .000 4 0 0
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - - - - -
Lee, Derrek - - - - .778 9 1 1
Miles, Aaron 1.000 2 0 0 .500 12 0 2
Ramirez, Aramis - - - - .286 14 1 5
Soriano, Alfonso - - - - .167 12 0 0
Soto, Geovany - - - - .000 6 0 0
Theriot, Ryan - - - - .500 4 0 0

Cubs enjoy Majors' best mark (20-34) (33-21)

Cubs 8, Rockies 4

Rox can't roll away

Thomas Harding / MLB.com
Ian Stewart's first Major League triple led to the Rockies' first run, but they wouldn't notch another run until the sixth, when Willy Taveras drove in a pair to tie the game at 3. Stewart hit an RBI double in the seventh to give Colorado the lead, but Matt Herges allowed the go-ahead run late.

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Series at a Glance

 

Soto seals it

Nick Zaccardi / MLB.com
Derrek Lee's 13th homer in the third gave Jason Marquis some insurance, but the Rockies came back to knot things up at 3. One night after hitting a sac fly to tie the game, Geovany Soto's sac fly in the seventh sealed it before the Cubs pulled away to notch the best mark in the bigs.
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Cubs 8, Rockies 4

ColoradoABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Podsednik, CF3000001.250
  b-Taveras, PH-CF2012010.245
Smith, Seth, RF5020022.292
  Buchholz, P0000000.000
  Arias, P0000000.000
Helton, 1B3010221.281
Atkins, 3B5000027.322
Spilborghs, LF5130003.320
Stewart, 2B5231012.316
Torrealba, C3111001.223
Quintanilla, SS3000113.239
Francis, P1000002.125
  a-Baker, PH1000013.188
  Corpas, P0000000.000
  Herges, P0000000.000
  c-Sullivan, PH-RF1000000.200
Totals37411431025 

a-Struck out for Francis in the 6th. b-Singled for Podsednik in the 6th. c-Flied out for Herges in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Spilborghs (6, Marquis), Helton (11, Marquis), Stewart (2, Wuertz).
3B: Stewart (1, Marquis).
TB: Taveras; Smith, Seth 2; Helton 2; Spilborghs 4; Stewart 6; Torrealba.
RBI: Torrealba (13), Taveras 2 (9), Stewart (1).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Francis; Spilborghs 2; Podsednik; Atkins 2; Stewart.
S: Francis.
SF: Torrealba.
Team LOB: 11.

BASERUNNING
SB: Spilborghs (4, 2nd base off Wuertz/Soto).

FIELDING
E: Herges (1, throw), Buchholz (1, throw).
DP: 2 (Atkins-Helton, Quintanilla-Stewart-Helton).
 
Chi CubsABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Soriano, LF5122003.287
Theriot, SS3220210.317
Lee, 1B5111014.292
Ramirez, A, 3B4011002.301
Soto, C3001012.299
Fukudome, RF3110112.305
DeRosa, 2B3010112.308
  1-Cedeno, PR-2B0100000.321
Johnson, R, CF3121001.262
Marquis, P1000012.158
  Cotts, P0000000.000
  Wuertz, P0000000.000
  a-Fontenot, PH1000010.246
  Marmol, P0000000.000
  b-Hoffpauir, PH1111000.417
  Wood, P0000000.000
Totals3281174718 

a-Struck out for Wuertz in the 7th. b-Singled for Marmol in the 8th.
1-Ran for DeRosa in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Ramirez, A (14, Francis), Fukudome (13, Francis), DeRosa (13, Buchholz).
HR: Lee (13, 3rd inning off Francis, 0 on, 1 out).
TB: Soriano 2; Theriot 2; Lee 4; Ramirez, A 2; Fukudome 2; DeRosa 2; Johnson, R 2; Hoffpauir.
RBI: Ramirez, A (38), Lee (37), Johnson, R (24), Soto (37), Hoffpauir (1), Soriano 2 (31).
2-out RBI: Ramirez, A.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Soto; Soriano 2; Fukudome; Ramirez, A.
S: Marquis; Johnson, R.
SF: Soto.
GIDP: Lee.
Team LOB: 8.

BASERUNNING
SB: Hoffpauir (1, 2nd base off Buchholz/Torrealba), Johnson, R (2, 3rd base off Buchholz/Torrealba).

FIELDING
E: Theriot (6, fielding), DeRosa (6, fielding).
Outfield assists: Johnson, R (Stewart at 2nd base).
DP: (Johnson, R-DeRosa).
 
ColoradoIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Francis 5.06332516.12
Corpas 1.00001005.60
Herges (BS, 2)(L, 2-2)1.02200203.64
Buchholz 0.03320001.84
Arias 1.00001003.18
 
Chi CubsIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Marquis 5.17332304.98
Cotts (BS, 1)0.11001100.00
Wuertz (W, 1-1)1.12110103.12
Marmol (H, 15)1.00000201.59
Wood 1.01000303.14

Buchholz pitched to 4 batters in the 8th.

HBP: Ramirez, A (by Herges).
Pitches-strikes: Francis 85-52, Corpas 11-5, Herges 34-21, Buchholz 16-11, Arias 10-4, Marquis 95-53, Cotts 19-14, Wuertz 19-13, Marmol 13-9, Wood 17-13.
Groundouts-flyouts: Francis 4-6, Corpas 1-1, Herges 0-1, Buchholz 0-0, Arias 2-1, Marquis 9-4, Cotts 0-0, Wuertz 1-1, Marmol 0-1, Wood 0-0.
Batters faced: Francis 23, Corpas 3, Herges 7, Buchholz 4, Arias 3, Marquis 27, Cotts 3, Wuertz 5, Marmol 3, Wood 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Arias 1-0, Cotts 3-2, Wuertz 3-0.
Umpires: HP: Gerry Davis. 1B: Paul Nauert. 2B: James Hoye. 3B: Brian O'Nora.
Weather: 56 degrees, cloudy.
Wind: 4 mph, In from RF.
T: 3:14.
Att: 39,851.
May 29, 2008

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