Houston (54-57) at Chi Cubs (67-46)

TV: FSN | Radio: KTRH 740, KLAT 1010 2:20 pm ET Wrigley Field TV: CSN Chicago | Radio: WGN 720
hou

Berkman may get a breather Tuesday

Alyson Footer / MLB.com
The Astros have one off-day in August, and it doesn't arrive until Aug. 21 -- 20 days after their last day off. The August schedule is forcing manager Cecil Cooper to find breathers for his regulars, and first up may be Lance Berkman, who could sit out Tuesday's afternoon game at Wrigley Field.
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Astros probable pitcher

Wandy Rodriguez

  • #51 LHP
  • (6-4) 3.61 ERA 83 SO
Astros: Rodriguez struggled in his last start against the Reds, even though only one of the five runs he allowed was categorized as earned. Rodriguez allowed six runs on nine hits, including two home runs to Adam Dunn and another three-run shot to Ken Griffey Jr. in the series finale. The last time Rodriguez faced the Cubs, he dominated. On July 19 at Minute Maid Park, he yielded one earned run over 6 2/3 innings in a winning effort.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 34-37 4.91 539.1 205 419 .269
Season 6-4 3.61 92.1 27 83 .259
Vs. Chi Cubs 1-0 1.35 6.2 0 7 .321

Series at a Glance

Standings - 08/05/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Houston Astros (NL Central) 54 57 .486 12.0 29-26 25-31
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 67 46 .593 - 41-16 26-30
Stats - 08/05/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
HOU .262 484 113 466 90 683 4.45 982.1 1043 353 727
CHC .279 593 128 560 66 827 3.75 1017.1 935 377 874
chc

Lee doesn't mind rare day off

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Derrek Lee didn't argue when Lou Piniella suggested he take a day off Monday. The Cubs' first baseman will be back in the lineup Tuesday for the second game of the series against the Houston Astros. It's part of Piniella's plan to keep everyone fresh.
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Cubs probable pitcher

Rich Harden

  • #40 RHP
  • (6-2) 2.04 ERA 131 SO
Cubs: Harden finally got his first win with the Cubs. The right-hander had fanned 10 in each of his first three starts for Chicago, but in his fourth against the Brewers, he struck out nine and got the "W." Harden gave up one run on a solo homer by Prince Fielder. In fact, he's given up three runs in his four starts with the Cubs, and all have been on solo homers.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 37-20 3.32 566.0 240 562 .221
Season 6-2 2.04 101.1 39 131 .196

Astros hitters vs Rich Harden

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Berkman, Lance - - - - - - - -
Blum, Geoff - - - - .429 7 1 2
Bogusevic, Brian - - - - - - - -
Bourgeois, Jason - - - - - - - -
Bourn, Michael - - - - - - - -
Johnson, Chris - - - - - - - -
Keppinger, Jeff - - - - .333 3 0 0
Lee, Carlos - - - - .250 12 0 2
Manzella, Tommy - - - - - - - -
Matsui, Kazuo - - - - .333 3 0 1
Maysonet, Edwin - - - - - - - -
Pence, Hunter - - - - .333 3 0 0
Quintero, Humberto - - - - .000 2 0 0
Ramirez, Yordany - - - - - - - -
Sutil, Wladimir - - - - - - - -
Towles, J.R. - - - - - - - -
Vallejo, Jose - - - - - - - -

Cubs hitters vs Wandy Rodriguez

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Adduci, James - - - - - - - -
Baker, Jeff - - - - - - - -
Blanco, Andres - - - - .167 6 0 0
Bradley, Milton .333 3 0 0 .167 6 0 0
Castillo, Welington - - - - - - - -
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike - - - - .000 3 0 0
Fox, Jake - - - - - - - -
Fukudome, Kosuke .333 3 0 0 .167 6 0 0
Fuld, Sam - - - - - - - -
Hill, Koyie - - - - .500 2 0 0
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - - - - -
Lee, Derrek .333 3 0 0 .500 22 2 7
Miles, Aaron .000 5 0 0 .125 8 0 0
Ramirez, Aramis .000 3 0 0 .217 23 0 1
Soriano, Alfonso - - - - .111 9 0 1
Soto, Geovany .000 3 0 0 .167 6 0 1
Theriot, Ryan .750 4 0 0 .500 16 1 1

Cubs get last blast (54-58) (68-46)

Cubs 11, Astros 7

Streak ends at four

Alyson Footer / MLB.com
Three homers and 11 hits weren't enough for the Astros, who overcame a five-run deficit to briefly take a lead on Carlos Lee's two-run long ball in the seventh. But the 'pen couldn't hold it, yielding five runs in the bottom of the frame.

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Series at a Glance

 

Cubs even series

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
On a day that saw 18 runs and 26 hits, Alfonso Soriano's three-run homer in the seventh broke a 7-7 tie and proved to be decisive. Fresh off the DL, Kerry Wood tossed a scoreless eighth while Bob Howry got his fourth victory.
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Cubs 11, Astros 7

HoustonABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Matsui, 2B5121000.282
Tejada, SS5000012.278
Pence, RF5110031.276
Lee, LF4112011.304
Blum, 1B4222020.230
  Brocail, P0000000.000
Wigginton, 3B4111011.269
Erstad, CF4141000.284
Quintero, H, C3000123.194
Rodriguez, W, P2000011.097
  a-Loretta, PH1000002.275
  Sampson, P0000000.143
  Wright, P0000000.000
  Berkman, 1B1000001.332
Totals38711711112 

a-Grounded into a forceout for Rodriguez, W in the 6th.

BATTING
3B: Matsui (3, Harden).
HR: Wigginton (11, 5th inning off Harden, 0 on, 0 out), Blum (10, 6th inning off Harden, 1 on, 1 out), Lee (26, 7th inning off Howry, 1 on, 2 out).
TB: Matsui 4; Pence; Lee 4; Blum 5; Wigginton 4; Erstad 4.
RBI: Erstad (19), Wigginton (28), Matsui (26), Blum 2 (32), Lee 2 (92).
2-out RBI: Erstad; Matsui; Lee 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Tejada; Loretta.
Team LOB: 5.

BASERUNNING
CS: Blum (1, 2nd base by Harden/Blanco, H).

FIELDING
DP: (Tejada-Matsui-Blum).
 
Chi CubsABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Soriano, LF5234000.297
Theriot, SS3210202.315
Lee, 1B5241002.295
Ramirez, A, 3B4011105.275
Johnson, R, CF3111012.296
DeRosa, 2B5133002.275
Fukudome, RF4001014.274
Blanco, H, C3110000.291
  a-Ward, PH0000100.231
  1-Marquis, PR0100000.175
  Wood, P0000000.000
  Marmol, P0000000.000
Harden, P3110010.133
  Howry, P0000000.000
  b-Fontenot, PH0000000.289
  c-Soto, PH-C1000012.278
Totals361115114419 

a-Intentionally walked for Blanco, H in the 7th. b-Batted for Howry in the 7th. c-Struck out for Fontenot in the 7th.
1-Ran for Ward in the 7th.

BATTING
2B: Lee (30, Rodriguez, W), DeRosa 2 (19, Rodriguez, W, Sampson), Blanco, H (2, Rodriguez, W), Soriano (16, Sampson).
HR: Soriano (20, 7th inning off Brocail, 2 on, 2 out).
TB: Soriano 7; Theriot; Lee 5; Ramirez, A; Johnson, R; DeRosa 5; Blanco, H 2; Harden.
RBI: DeRosa 3 (58), Soriano 4 (52), Ramirez, A (75), Johnson, R (41), Fukudome (41), Lee (69).
2-out RBI: DeRosa 3; Soriano 3; Lee.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Fukudome 3; DeRosa.
SF: Johnson, R; Fukudome.
GIDP: Ramirez, A.
Team LOB: 8.

BASERUNNING
SB: Theriot (17, 2nd base off Brocail/Quintero, H).

FIELDING
E: DeRosa (8, missed catch).
 
HoustonIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Rodriguez, W 5.09662103.98
Sampson (L, 5-4)1.14331004.48
Wright 0.10000104.35
Brocail 1.12221214.13
 
Chi CubsIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Harden 5.28541822.27
Howry (BS, 3)(W, 4-4)1.12220215.30
Wood 1.01000002.96
Marmol 1.00000103.03

IBB: Ward (by Sampson).
HBP: Johnson, R (by Rodriguez, W).
Pitches-strikes: Rodriguez, W 81-50, Sampson 25-14, Wright 7-5, Brocail 30-17, Harden 93-67, Howry 17-14, Wood 7-6, Marmol 15-11.
Groundouts-flyouts: Rodriguez, W 3-11, Sampson 2-2, Wright 0-0, Brocail 1-1, Harden 5-4, Howry 2-0, Wood 0-3, Marmol 0-2.
Batters faced: Rodriguez, W 27, Sampson 8, Wright 1, Brocail 7, Harden 26, Howry 6, Wood 4, Marmol 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Wright 2-0, Brocail 2-2, Howry 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Adrian Johnson. 1B: Marty Foster. 2B: Wally Bell. 3B: Laz Diaz.
Weather: 83 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 4 mph, In from RF.
T: 2:46.
Att: 40,416.
August 5, 2008

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