St. Louis (80-74) at Chi Cubs (93-60)

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stl

Looper ready to take on Cubs

Matthew Leach / MLB.com
It would be more fun if it meant a little more, but the Cardinals and Cubs will surely play to a lively atmosphere when they meet on Sunday at Wrigley Field. Right-hander Braden Looper will take the mound for the visitors, looking to even his record at 13-13.
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Cardinals probable pitcher

Braden Looper

  • #41 RHP
  • (12-13) 4.06 ERA 96 SO
Cardinals: Somehow, some way, things are going to break right for Looper to get a win. He was in control for five innings on Tuesday against the Reds, then he lost a handle in the sixth. Overall, Looper has been better than his record would indicate, and in recent weeks that difference is even starker. Over his last 11 starts, Looper has averaged more than 6 1/3 innings per game, he has a 3.18 ERA -- and his record is 3-6.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 58-57 3.91 968.1 307 557 .267
Season 12-13 4.06 186.0 43 96 .276
September 0-2 2.33 19.1 2 15 .240
Vs. Chi Cubs 0-2 2.37 19.0 3 12 .263

Series at a Glance

Standings - 09/21/2008 W L PCT GB Home Away
St. Louis Cardinals (NL Central) 80 74 .519 13.5 40-34 40-40
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 93 60 .608 - 54-26 39-34
Stats - 09/21/2008 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
STL .277 727 165 696 67 939 4.20 1383.0 1451 471 905
CHC .277 815 175 773 84 1114 3.85 1381.0 1266 510 1203
chc

Clinching lets Cubs set up pitching staff

Nick Zaccardi / MLB.com
The benefits to clinching early didn't end with champagne showers. The Cubs have a full week to get their pitching staff in line for the playoffs. Those who need rest can relax while others can work out the kinks. Ryan Dempster (16-6) is slated to throw four or five innings on Sunday.
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Cubs probable pitcher

Ryan Dempster

  • #46 RHP
  • (16-6) 3.02 ERA 182 SO
Cubs: Dempster won his career-high 16th game of the season Tuesday, tossing six innings of two-run, seven-hit ball. After surrendering Prince Fielder's two-out double to center in the first, he retired the next 11 batters he faced. He struck out nine batters and is now 18 shy of 200 K's for the second time in his career. In two starts against St. Louis this season, Dempster is 1-0 with a 3.29 ERA.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 75-81 4.57 1415.0 706 1189 .261
Season 16-6 3.02 196.2 75 182 .225
September 1-1 3.60 20.0 6 22 .282
Vs. St. Louis 1-0 3.29 13.2 5 12 .245

Cardinals hitters vs Ryan Dempster

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Anderson, Bryan - - - - - - - -
Craig, Allen - - - - - - - -
Freese, David - - - - - - - -
Greene, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Hamilton, Mark - - - - - - - -
Jay, Jon - - - - - - - -
Jones, Daryl - - - - - - - -
Ludwick, Ryan .333 6 0 0 .500 10 1 1
Lugo, Julio - - - - .000 6 0 0
Mather, Joe .333 3 0 1 .333 3 0 1
Molina, Yadier .250 4 0 0 .333 12 0 0
Pagnozzi, Matt - - - - - - - -
Pujols, Albert .200 5 1 3 .217 23 2 7
Rasmus, Colby - - - - - - - -
Robinson, Shane - - - - - - - -
Ryan, Brendan - - - - .000 1 0 0
Schumaker, Skip .375 8 0 0 .389 18 0 1
Stavinoha, Nick - - - - .500 2 0 0

Cubs hitters vs Braden Looper

  2008 2003-2007
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Adduci, James - - - - - - - -
Baker, Jeff .000 1 0 0 .000 1 0 0
Blanco, Andres - - - - 1.000 1 0 0
Bradley, Milton - - - - .000 2 0 0
Castillo, Welington - - - - - - - -
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike - - - - .111 9 0 1
Fox, Jake - - - - - - - -
Fukudome, Kosuke .222 9 1 1 .308 13 1 1
Fuld, Sam - - - - - - - -
Hill, Koyie - - - - .000 3 0 0
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - .333 3 0 1
Lee, Derrek .333 9 0 0 .292 24 1 2
Miles, Aaron - - - - - - - -
Ramirez, Aramis .375 8 0 1 .304 23 0 2
Soriano, Alfonso .333 6 0 1 .231 13 0 1
Soto, Geovany .429 7 1 1 .400 10 1 1
Theriot, Ryan .222 9 0 0 .250 20 0 0

Dempster cruises past Cards in finale (80-75) (94-60)

Cubs 5, Cardinals 1

Looper outpitched

Matthew Leach / MLB.com
The Cardinals jumped out to an early lead when Skip Schumaker scored in the first, but the Cubs, who rested most of their starters, rallied against Braden Looper, and Ryan Dempster and a quartet of Chicago relievers kept St. Louis off the board from the second on.

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Series at a Glance

 

Dempster earns 17th

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
In the Cubs' final regular-season game at Wrigley, Ryan Dempster needed just 67 pitches to get through five innings. Backed by Felix Pie's two runs and Casey McGehee's two RBIs, the right-hander coasted to his 17th win. Chicago will finish with 55 home wins, its most since 1935.
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Cubs 5, Cardinals 1

St. LouisABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Schumaker, CF4130000.304
Ludwick, RF3010121.294
  1-Barton, PR-RF0000000.284
Pujols, 1B3001002.349
  Motte, P0000000.000
Lopez, F, 2B-3B4010011.264
Glaus, 3B2000101.266
  McClellan, P0000000.000
  Phelps, 1B1000001.269
Stavinoha, LF4010012.200
LaRue, C2000101.228
  b-Kennedy, PH1000011.269
Looper, P2000001.233
  a-Miles, PH-2B1000002.311
Izturis, C, SS3010002.250
Totals301713515 

a-Flied out for Looper in the 7th. b-Struck out for LaRue in the 9th.
1-Ran for Ludwick in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Ludwick (39, Dempster), Lopez, F (25, Howry).
TB: Schumaker 3; Ludwick 2; Lopez, F 2; Stavinoha; Izturis, C.
RBI: Pujols (106).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Glaus; Izturis, C; Kennedy.
SF: Pujols.
GIDP: Looper; Pujols.
Team LOB: 6.

BASERUNNING
SB: Izturis, C (21, 2nd base off Dempster/Hill, K).

FIELDING
E: Lopez, F (14, throw).
Outfield assists: Ludwick (Cedeno at home).
DP: (Miles-Izturis, C-Pujols).
 
Chi CubsABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Fukudome, RF4120001.260
Cedeno, SS4120011.284
Hoffpauir, LF3011111.315
Ward, 1B4000016.223
Fontenot, 2B3110100.288
Pie, CF4220020.243
McGehee, C, 3B3022010.222
Hill, K, C3000021.200
Dempster, P2000010.167
  Samardzija, P0000000.000
  a-Edmonds, PH0001000.236
  Gaudin, P0000000.000
  Wells, R, P0000000.000
  Howry, P0000000.000
Totals3051042910 

a-Hit a sacrifice fly for Samardzija in the 6th.

BATTING
2B: Fukudome (24, Looper), Hoffpauir (7, Looper), Cedeno (11, McClellan).
3B: Pie (1, Looper).
TB: Fukudome 3; Cedeno 3; Hoffpauir 2; Fontenot; Pie 4; McGehee, C 2.
RBI: Hoffpauir (3), McGehee, C 2 (4), Edmonds (54).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Ward 2; Fukudome.
S: Hill, K.
SF: McGehee, C; Edmonds.
GIDP: Ward.
Team LOB: 6.

FIELDING
Outfield assists: Fukudome (Izturis, C at home).
DP: 2 (McGehee, C-Fontenot-Ward, Dempster-Cedeno-Ward).
 
St. LouisIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Looper (L, 12-14)6.09441604.13
McClellan 1.01111004.04
Motte 1.00000300.00
 
Chi CubsIPHRERBBSOHRERA
Dempster (W, 17-6)5.06110102.99
Samardzija (H, 3)1.00000202.16
Gaudin (H, 3)1.00002103.83
Wells, R 1.00001000.00
Howry 1.01000105.27

WP: Looper, McClellan.
Pitches-strikes: Looper 102-64, McClellan 16-7, Motte 19-11, Dempster 67-47, Samardzija 10-9, Gaudin 20-9, Wells, R 13-5, Howry 15-9.
Groundouts-flyouts: Looper 6-5, McClellan 2-1, Motte 0-0, Dempster 7-6, Samardzija 1-0, Gaudin 1-1, Wells, R 2-1, Howry 1-1.
Batters faced: Looper 28, McClellan 4, Motte 3, Dempster 19, Samardzija 3, Gaudin 5, Wells, R 3, Howry 4.
Umpires: HP: Chad Fairchild. 1B: Sam Holbrook. 2B: Greg Gibson. 3B: Jeff Kellogg.
Weather: 72 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 6 mph, In from RF.
T: 2:26.
Att: 40,551.
September 21, 2008

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