Washington (46-84) at Chi Cubs (79-50)

TV: MASN 2 | Radio: WWWT 1500 2:20 pm ET Wrigley Field TV: WGN | Radio: WGN 720
was

Milledge should be fine for series finale

Bill Ladson / MLB.com
Despite being hit in the right hand by a pitch Saturday, outfielder Lastings Milledge expects to play Sunday in the series finale at Wrigley Field.
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Nationals probable pitcher

Jason Bergmann

  • #57 RHP
  • (2-9) 4.50 ERA 83 SO
Nationals: The right-hander rebounded nicely from an effort in which he allowed six earned runs in three innings against the Mets on Aug. 13 to keep the Phillies to four runs (three earned) in 6 1/3 innings on Tuesday. Bergmann, however, ended up with a no-decision after the Nats' bullpen allowed Philadelphia to come back. In two career starts against the Cubs, Bergmann is 0-1 with a 4.76 ERA.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 10-17 4.82 315.2 113 244 .263
Season 2-9 4.50 116.0 33 83 .276
August 1-1 6.04 22.1 11 14 .300

Series at a Glance

Standings - 08/24/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
Washington Nationals (NL East) 46 84 .354 26.0 23-39 23-45
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 79 50 .612 - 48-19 31-31
Stats - 08/24/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
WSH .245 485 90 455 57 874 4.56 1154.0 1202 467 845
CHC .281 695 149 659 74 935 3.77 1162.1 1061 426 1004
chc

Piniella set to meet with Fukudome

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Lou Piniella hopes a meeting in his office with Kosuke Fukudome before Sunday's finale vs. the Nats will help the outfielder get on track offensively.
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Cubs probable pitcher

Rich Harden

  • #40 RHP
  • (8-2) 2.04 ERA 151 SO
Cubs: Harden is making it look easy since moving to the National League. His seventh start since flying from Oakland to Chicago was his most dominant. The baffling right-hander held Cincinnati to two hits in seven innings and struck out 10 on Tuesday, his fourth double-digit strikeout game as a member of the Cubs. He was pulled after 94 pitches, as manager Lou Piniella continues to monitor his workload to keep him healthy for the stretch run and the playoffs. Harden has never faced the Nationals, but he's got to be salivating at the chance to face the National League's worst-hitting team following his best performance in his new uniform.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 39-20 3.28 583.2 246 582 .220
Season 8-2 2.04 119.0 45 151 .194
August 2-0 2.04 17.2 6 20 .188

Nationals hitters vs Rich Harden

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Bernadina, Roger - - - - - - - -
Desmond, Ian - - - - - - - -
Dukes, Elijah - - - - - - - -
Dunn, Adam - - - - .000 2 0 0
Flores, Jesus - - - - .000 2 0 0
Gonzalez, Alberto - - - - - - - -
Guzman, Cristian - - - - .000 6 0 0
Harris, Willie - - - - .000 8 0 0
Maxwell, Justin - - - - - - - -
Morgan, Nyjer - - - - - - - -
Morse, Mike - - - - .000 1 0 0
Nieves, Wil - - - - - - - -
Willingham, Josh .000 1 0 0 .000 1 0 0
Zimmerman, Ryan - - - - .000 3 0 0

Cubs hitters vs Jason Bergmann

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Adduci, James - - - - - - - -
Baker, Jeff .250 4 0 0 .400 5 0 0
Blanco, Andres - - - - .000 1 0 0
Bradley, Milton - - - - - - - -
Castillo, Welington - - - - - - - -
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike - - - - .429 7 0 0
Fox, Jake - - - - - - - -
Fukudome, Kosuke - - - - - 0 0 0
Fuld, Sam - - - - - - - -
Hill, Koyie - - - - .000 2 0 0
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - .000 4 0 0
Lee, Derrek - - - - .667 3 1 2
Miles, Aaron - - - - - 0 0 0
Ramirez, Aramis - - - - .333 9 0 1
Soriano, Alfonso - - - - .222 9 0 1
Soto, Geovany - - - - .500 4 1 4
Theriot, Ryan - - - - .333 3 0 2

Series-ly: Cubs make it eight straight (46-85) (80-50)

Cubs 6, Nationals 1

Tough-luck Bergmann

Bill Ladson / MLB.com
Starter Jason Bergmann allowed just four hits in 6 1/3 innings against a powerful Cubs lineup. Unfortunately for the right-hander, two of those hits were homers. Meanwhile, the Nationals' offensive struggles continued, with Austin Kearns' homer accouting for their only run.

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Series at a Glance

 
Mark DeRosa homered in each of the final four games of the homestand. (AP)

Harden dominates

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Backed by Mark DeRosa's fourth homer in as many games and rookie Geovany Soto's 19th long ball, Rich Harden allowed just two hits while fanning 11 in seven innings. The Cubs' eighth consecutive series win put them 30 games over .500 for the first time since 1984.
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Cubs 6, Nationals 1

WashingtonABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Harris, LF4010010.255
Guzman, SS4000013.293
Zimmerman, R, 3B4000040.268
Milledge, CF4010020.260
Belliard, 1B4010031.278
Flores, C4000012.264
Kearns, RF3111011.217
Hernandez, A, 2B3000002.438
Bergmann, P2000010.000
  Shell, P0000000.000
  Manning, P0000000.000
  a-Langerhans, PH0000100.250
  Hanrahan, P0000000.000
Totals321411149 

a-Walked for Manning in the 8th.

BATTING
HR: Kearns (7, 3rd inning off Harden, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Harris; Milledge; Belliard; Kearns 4.
RBI: Kearns (32).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Hernandez, A; Guzman 2.
Team LOB: 5.

FIELDING
E: Zimmerman, R (7, throw).
DP: (Hernandez, A-Belliard).
 
Chi CubsABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Soriano, LF3100100.283
Theriot, SS3010111.317
Ramirez, A, 3B4011002.288
Ward, 1B4000013.218
DeRosa, RF-2B4121011.287
Edmonds, CF2100202.231
Soto, C4112012.284
Fontenot, 2B3110010.286
  Marmol, P0000000.000
  b-Cedeno, PH1000001.274
  Samardzija, P0000000.000
Harden, P2000020.105
  a-Fukudome, PH-RF1112000.264
Totals316764712 

a-Homered for Harden in the 7th. b-Grounded out for Marmol in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Ramirez, A (36, Bergmann), Fontenot (18, Bergmann).
HR: DeRosa (18, 2nd inning off Bergmann, 0 on, 0 out), Soto (19, 2nd inning off Bergmann, 1 on, 0 out), Fukudome (9, 7th inning off Shell, 1 on, 1 out).
TB: Theriot; Ramirez, A 2; DeRosa 5; Soto 4; Fontenot 2; Fukudome 4.
RBI: DeRosa (77), Soto 2 (71), Fukudome 2 (49), Ramirez, A (91).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Ward; Edmonds.
Team LOB: 5.

BASERUNNING
SB: Theriot (19, 2nd base off Bergmann/Flores).

FIELDING
E: Ramirez, A (11, fielding).
 
WashingtonIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Bergmann (L, 2-10)6.14444624.56
Shell 0.12210012.25
Manning 0.10000105.12
Hanrahan 1.01000003.72
 
Chi CubsIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Harden (W, 9-2)7.021101112.00
Marmol 1.01001102.79
Samardzija 1.01000201.06

WP: Harden.
Pitches-strikes: Bergmann 112-64, Shell 11-6, Manning 5-3, Hanrahan 17-10, Harden 109-77, Marmol 26-15, Samardzija 19-10.
Groundouts-flyouts: Bergmann 4-8, Shell 1-0, Manning 0-0, Hanrahan 1-2, Harden 3-7, Marmol 0-2, Samardzija 0-1.
Batters faced: Bergmann 26, Shell 4, Manning 1, Hanrahan 4, Harden 23, Marmol 6, Samardzija 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Shell 1-1, Manning 1-0.
Umpires: HP: Angel Hernandez. 1B: Eric Cooper. 2B: Marty Foster. 3B: Derryl Cousins.
Weather: 69 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 10 mph, In from CF.
T: 2:22.
Att: 40,682.
August 24, 2008

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