Chi Cubs (64-44) at Milwaukee (60-48)

TV: WGN | Radio: WGN 720 2:05 pm ET Miller Park TV: FSN | Radio: WTMJ 620, ESPN Deportes 1510
chc

With Soriano back, Cubs cruising

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
With the Cubs battling the Brewers this week for control of the NL Central, Alfonso Soriano has shown how valuable he is atop the Chicago lineup.
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Cubs probable pitcher

Rich Harden

  • #40 RHP
  • (5-2) 2.10 ERA 122 SO
Cubs: It's almost impossible to believe that Harden doesn't have a win. He has struck out 10 in each of his three starts for the Cubs, and despite all those K's, he doesn't have a "W." In his last outing against Florida, he was pulled after throwing 87 pitches in five innings in an effort to keep him strong. He had thrown 112 pitches the outing before. Over 17 1/3 innings in his three Chicago starts, Harden has given up two runs.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 36-20 3.35 559.0 240 553 .221
Season 5-2 2.10 94.1 39 122 .193
July 0-2 1.98 27.1 13 39 .186

Series at a Glance

Standings - 07/31/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 64 44 .593 - 39-14 25-30
Milwaukee Brewers (NL Central) 60 48 .556 4.0 32-22 28-26
Stats - 07/31/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
CHC .280 569 121 538 62 801 3.79 973.1 896 365 830
MIL .254 501 141 482 74 798 4.08 966.0 963 369 735
mil

Not a must-win, but finale important

Dave Fultz / MLB.com
The Brewers have run up against a hot Cubs team just as their own bats have gone cold, a bad combination as they ready for the series finale.
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Brewers probable pitcher

Dave Bush

  • #31 RHP
  • (5-8) 4.51 ERA 71 SO
Brewers: Bush struggled somewhat in his first appearance since July 10, a delay that came about when Bush and Seth McClung were inserted into an unusual home/road platoon. The right-hander, who has had plentiful success at Miller Park this year, allowed nine hits in five innings and surrendered four runs -- three on home runs by Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence in the fourth. Still, Milwaukee rallied for victory and now have triumphs in the last start from both platooned pitchers. Thursday's game will mark the first time one of the two pitchers has made two consecutive turns in the new system.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 39-44 4.52 742.0 162 510 .265
Season 5-8 4.51 111.2 26 71 .247
July 1-0 2.14 21.0 0 25 .205
Vs. Chi Cubs 0-1 10.13 5.1 5 4 .286

Cubs hitters vs Dave Bush

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Adduci, James - - - - - - - -
Baker, Jeff - - - - - - - -
Blanco, Andres - - - - .000 2 0 0
Bradley, Milton - - - - - - - -
Castillo, Welington - - - - - - - -
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike 1.000 1 0 0 .200 5 0 0
Fox, Jake - - - - - - - -
Fukudome, Kosuke 1.000 1 0 0 .333 6 0 0
Fuld, Sam - - - - - - - -
Hill, Koyie - - - - .000 2 0 0
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - .000 2 0 0
Lee, Derrek .000 3 0 0 .167 24 0 1
Miles, Aaron - - - - .000 8 0 0
Ramirez, Aramis .500 2 1 1 .320 25 3 9
Soriano, Alfonso .333 3 0 2 .320 25 1 4
Soto, Geovany .000 1 0 1 .167 6 0 1
Theriot, Ryan .000 3 0 0 .188 16 0 0

Brewers hitters vs Rich Harden

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Braun, Ryan - - - - .167 6 0 0
Cain, Lorenzo - - - - - - - -
Escobar, Alcides - - - - - - - -
Fielder, Prince - - - - .200 5 1 2
Gamel, Mat - - - - - - - -
Gerut, Jody - - - - .167 6 0 1
Gomez, Carlos - - - - .000 1 0 0
Hart, Corey - - - - .000 2 0 0
Heether, Adam - - - - - - - -
Iribarren, Hernan - - - - - - - -
Kottaras, George - - - - - - - -
McGehee, Casey - - - - - - - -
Rivera, Mike - - - - - - - -
Salome, Angel - - - - - - - -
Weeks, Rickie - - - - .333 3 0 0

Cubs front and Central (65-44) (60-49)

Cubs 11, Brewers 4

A sweeping beauty

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
The Cubs made a statement with a dominant four-game sweep in Milwaukee. Jim Edmonds homered twice, including a grand slam, Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome went yard and Rich Harden earned his first Cubs win with seven innings of one-run ball, including nine K's.

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Series at a Glance

 

Bushwhacked

Adam McCalvy / MLB.com
The Brewers find themselves five games behind in the NL Central after coming up winless in a four-game series with the Cubs. Dave Bush allowed two homers to Jim Edmonds, including a grand slam, and three overall, while Prince Fielder's 22nd homer began a late rally that fell way short.
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Cubs 11, Brewers 4

Chi CubsABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Soriano, LF4111011.291
Theriot, SS5100002.319
Lee, 1B5000002.291
Ramirez, A, 3B3211100.274
  Cedeno, 3B0000000.283
Fukudome, RF4222010.282
DeRosa, 2B3100020.271
  Howry, P0000000.000
  Eyre, P0000000.000
  Marshall, P0000000.500
Edmonds, CF3325100.241
Soto, C4120010.278
Harden, P2000001.083
  a-Ward, PH1000000.246
  Fontenot, 2B1012000.287
Totals3511911256 

a-Grounded out for Harden in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Fukudome (21, Bush), Ramirez, A (28, Riske), Soto (26, McClung), Fontenot (16, McClung).
HR: Edmonds 2 (13, 3rd inning off Bush, 0 on, 0 out; 4th inning off Bush, 3 on, 2 out), Soriano (18, 8th inning off Bush, 0 on, 1 out), Fukudome (8, 8th inning off Riske, 1 on, 2 out).
TB: Soriano 4; Ramirez, A 2; Fukudome 6; Edmonds 8; Soto 3; Fontenot 2.
RBI: Edmonds 5 (42), Soriano (47), Ramirez, A (73), Fukudome 2 (40), Fontenot 2 (30).
2-out RBI: Edmonds 4; Ramirez, A; Fukudome 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Lee.
GIDP: Theriot; Harden.
Team LOB: 1.

FIELDING
Outfield assists: Soriano (Weeks at 1st base).
DP: (Soriano-Lee).
 
MilwaukeeABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Weeks, 2B4010132.223
Counsell, 3B4000013.231
Hardy, SS4000021.288
Fielder, 1B4111000.278
Braun, LF4120010.302
Kapler, RF4030001.303
Cameron, CF4111022.227
Kendall, C4100013.246
Bush, P2010010.105
  Riske, P0000000.000
  a-Durham, PH1000000.288
  Gagne, P0000000.000
  McClung, P0000000.294
  b-Hall, PH1012000.230
Totals36410411112 

a-Popped out for Riske in the 8th. b-Doubled for McClung in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Kapler 2 (13, Harden, Harden), Braun (27, Harden), Hall (18, Marshall).
HR: Fielder (22, 7th inning off Harden, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Weeks; Fielder 4; Braun 3; Kapler 5; Cameron; Bush; Hall 2.
RBI: Fielder (61), Cameron (42), Hall 2 (44).
2-out RBI: Hall 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cameron; Kapler; Kendall; Hardy; Weeks.
Team LOB: 6.

FIELDING
E: Counsell (3, throw).
DP: 2 (Counsell-Hardy-Weeks, Hardy-Weeks-Fielder).
 
Chi CubsIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Harden (W, 6-2)7.06110912.04
Howry 1.00001105.19
Eyre 0.13330007.15
Marshall 0.21000104.13
 
MilwaukeeIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Bush (L, 5-9)7.15761334.69
Riske 0.22220114.46
Gagne 0.00111006.59
McClung 1.02110104.41

Gagne pitched to 1 batter in the 9th.

HBP: Soriano (by Bush), DeRosa (by Bush).
Pitches-strikes: Harden 105-71, Howry 23-13, Eyre 25-16, Marshall 10-7, Bush 106-66, Riske 23-14, Gagne 4-0, McClung 20-15.
Groundouts-flyouts: Harden 2-9, Howry 1-1, Eyre 0-1, Marshall 1-0, Bush 9-10, Riske 0-1, Gagne 0-0, McClung 2-0.
Batters faced: Harden 26, Howry 4, Eyre 4, Marshall 3, Bush 29, Riske 4, Gagne 1, McClung 5.
Inherited runners-scored: Marshall 2-2, Riske 1-1, McClung 1-1.
EjectionsMilwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder ejected by HP umpire Doug Eddings. (9th); Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Eric Gagne ejected by HP umpire Doug Eddings. (9th).
Umpires: HP: Doug Eddings. 1B: Ted Barrett. 2B: Dana DeMuth. 3B: Lance Barksdale.
Weather: 83 degrees, sunny.
Wind: 5 mph, L to R.
T: 2:59.
Att: 45,346.
July 31, 2008

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