Chi Cubs (45-25) at Tampa Bay (40-29)

TV: CSN Chicago | Radio: WGN 720 7:10 pm ET Tropicana Field TV: ION-HD | Radio: WHNZ 1250, WGES 680
chc

It's home sweet home for Sweet Lou

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Lou Piniella is no stranger to Tampa Bay -- the place or the team. Piniella, who makes his home there in the offseason and used to manage the team, takes his Cubs home for a three-game series on Tuesday.
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Cubs probable pitcher

Ryan Dempster

  • RHP
  • (8-2) 2.81 ERA
Cubs: Dempster is right at home back in the Cubs' starting rotation. In his last start, he threw a complete game, his first since Sept. 25, 2002. Not bad for a guy who was a closer for three seasons. He notched his ninth quality start and remained unbeaten at home. He may want to ask Lou Piniella to only pitch at Wrigley Field. Against the Braves in his last start, he struck out 11, and gave up two runs on four hits. It was the second time he reached double-digit strikeouts this year.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 67-77 4.69 1308.0 666 1082 .261
Season 8-2 2.81 89.2 35 75 .185
June 1-0 3.14 14.1 2 12 .173

Series at a Glance

Standings - 06/17/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 45 25 .643 - 29-8 16-17
Tampa Bay Rays (AL East) 40 29 .580 2.0 26-11 14-18
Stats - 06/17/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
CHC .283 387 76 367 46 492 3.61 638.2 582 241 527
TB .262 313 69 300 80 503 3.88 617.2 573 221 458
tb

Rays welcome Cubs' Piniella home

Bill Chastain / MLB.com
The Cubs are coming to Tropicana Field to meet the Rays, which means Lou Piniella will be in the opposing dugout. In addition to being a Tampa, Fla. native, Piniella was the skipper of the Rays prior to Joe Maddon's tenure. He remains a popular and highly visible figure in the Tampa Bay area.
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Rays probable pitcher

Scott Kazmir

  • LHP
  • (6-2) 1.74 ERA
Rays: The 24-year-old left-hander took his first loss of the season on Wednesday against the Angels, ending a streak that saw him earn six wins in six consecutive starts. Kazmir moved up a spot in the rotation to take James Shields' spot while Shields serves a six-game suspension from the Rays' June 5 fracas against the Red Sox. Despite moving up in the rotation, Kazmir will be pitching on his regular day due to the off-day on Monday. Kazmir will be making his first career start against the Cubs.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 41-31 3.49 622.1 278 671 .243
Season 6-2 1.74 51.2 16 54 .187
June 1-1 3.07 14.2 3 16 .222

Cubs hitters vs Scott Kazmir

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Baker, Jeff - - - - - - - -
Blanco, Andres - - - - - - - -
Bradley, Milton .167 6 0 0 .222 9 0 0
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike - - - - - - - -
Fox, Jake - - - - - - - -
Fukudome, Kosuke - - - - - - - -
Fuld, Sam - - - - - - - -
Hill, Koyie - - - - - - - -
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - - - - -
Johnson, Reed - - - - .265 34 1 6
Lee, Derrek - - - - .000 1 0 0
Miles, Aaron - - - - - - - -
Ramirez, Aramis - - - - .000 2 0 0
Soriano, Alfonso - - - - .167 6 0 0
Soto, Geovany - - - - .000 2 0 0
Theriot, Ryan - - - - .500 2 0 1

Rays hitters vs Ryan Dempster

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Aybar, Willy - - - - .250 4 0 0
Bartlett, Jason - - - - .333 3 0 0
Brignac, Reid - - - - - - - -
Burrell, Pat - - - - .125 8 0 1
Crawford, Carl - - - - .333 3 0 0
Gross, Gabe - - - - .200 5 0 0
Jaso, John - - - - - - - -
Jennings, Desmond - - - - - - - -
Johnson, Elliot - - - - - - - -
Joyce, Matt - - - - - - - -
Kapler, Gabe - - - - - - - -
Lobaton, Jose - - - - - - - -
Longoria, Evan - - - - .000 2 0 0
Navarro, Dioner - - - - .667 3 0 0
Pena, Carlos - - - - - - - -
Perez, Fernando - - - - - - - -
Riggans, Shawn - - - - - - - -
Rodriguez, Sean - - - - - - - -
Ruggiano, Justin - - - - - - - -
Upton, B.J. - - - - .500 2 0 0
Zobrist, Ben - - - - - - - -

Rays edge Cubs in opener (45-26) (41-29)

Rays 3, Cubs 2

Cubs drop squeaker

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Ryan Dempster continues to thrive as a starting pitcher, striking out six and walking two in five innings, but the Cubs' offense notched its first hits in the fifth inning in a loss to the Rays. Reed Johnson and Kosuke Fukudome each doubled.

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Series at a Glance

 
Evan Longoria and Cliff Floyd each homered in Tuesday's win. (AP)

Homers lift Rays

Bill Chastain / MLB.com
Cliff Floyd and Evan Longoria each launched solo home runs to support starter Scott Kazmir, who struggled with his control, walking three but striking out seven in 4 2/3 innings at Tropicana Field. Eric Hinske drove in a run in the seventh.
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Rays 3, Cubs 2

Chi CubsABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Johnson, R, CF5020002.271
Theriot, SS3011110.310
Lee, 1B2000201.287
Ramirez, A, 3B4000035.296
Soto, DH4000011.283
DeRosa, RF3110101.300
Murton, LF3000021.176
  a-Fukudome, PH1010000.296
Blanco, H, C3110011.300
  b-Hoffpauir, PH1000011.370
Cedeno, 2B3000031.279
  c-Edmonds, PH0000100.234
Totals3226151214 

a-Doubled for Murton in the 9th. b-Struck out for Blanco, H in the 9th. c-Walked for Cedeno in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Johnson, R (12, Howell), Fukudome (14, Percival).
TB: Johnson, R 3; Theriot; DeRosa; Fukudome 2; Blanco, H.
RBI: Theriot (19).
2-out RBI: Theriot.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Ramirez, A 2; Johnson, R.
Team LOB: 8.

BASERUNNING
CS: Johnson, R (4, 3rd base by Howell/Navarro).

FIELDING
E: Cotts (1, throw).
 
Tampa BayABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Iwamura, 2B4110123.273
Aybar, W, 1B4010112.261
Upton, CF3010205.294
Hinske, LF4011025.250
  Ruggiano, LF0000000.259
Longoria, 3B4111002.249
Floyd, DH2111100.274
  a-Gomes, PH-DH0000000.223
Navarro, C4010014.326
Gross, RF4010012.233
Bartlett, SS4020001.253
Totals3331035724 

a-Hit by pitch for Floyd in the 7th.

BATTING
2B: Bartlett (5, Howry).
HR: Floyd (6, 2nd inning off Dempster, 0 on, 2 out), Longoria (11, 6th inning off Cotts, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Iwamura; Aybar, W; Upton; Hinske; Longoria 4; Floyd 4; Navarro; Gross; Bartlett 3.
RBI: Floyd (15), Longoria (33), Hinske (35).
2-out RBI: Floyd.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Hinske 3; Navarro 2; Upton.
Team LOB: 12.

BASERUNNING
SB: Bartlett (15, 3rd base off Howry/Blanco, H).
CS: Upton (9, 2nd base by Dempster/Blanco, H).

FIELDING
PB: Navarro (2).
 
Chi CubsIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Dempster 5.06112612.76
Cotts (L, 0-1)1.02221014.91
Wuertz 0.21001002.67
Eyre 0.20000000.87
Howry 0.21001104.98
 
Tampa BayIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Kazmir 4.23114701.76
Balfour (W, 1-0)1.10000102.08
Howell (H, 4)1.01000203.30
Wheeler (H, 16)1.00000101.99
Percival (S, 16)1.02101102.59

Cotts pitched to 1 batter in the 7th.

HBP: Gomes (by Eyre).
Pitches-strikes: Dempster 107-64, Cotts 23-12, Wuertz 20-10, Eyre 10-5, Howry 20-11, Kazmir 110-65, Balfour 21-11, Howell 17-11, Wheeler 12-9, Percival 23-15.
Groundouts-flyouts: Dempster 2-6, Cotts 1-2, Wuertz 1-1, Eyre 0-2, Howry 0-1, Kazmir 1-6, Balfour 1-2, Howell 0-0, Wheeler 0-2, Percival 1-1.
Batters faced: Dempster 22, Cotts 6, Wuertz 4, Eyre 3, Howry 4, Kazmir 21, Balfour 4, Howell 3, Wheeler 3, Percival 6.
Inherited runners-scored: Wuertz 1-1, Eyre 2-0, Balfour 3-0.
Umpires: HP: Paul Schrieber. 1B: Kerwin Danley. 2B: Laz Diaz. 3B: Wally Bell.
Weather: 72 degrees, dome.
Wind: Indoors.
T: 3:30.
Att: 31,607.
June 17, 2008

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