Chi Cubs (15-12) at Houston (11-17)

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chc

Fontenot, Theriot feel at home in Houston

Gene Duffey / Special to MLB.com
Playing in Houston is about as close as Mike Fontenot and Ryan Theriot get to their Louisiana homes. Fontenot's home is in Lafayette, Theriot was born in Baton Rouge and the two infielders were teammates on LSU's national championship team in 2000.
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Cubs probable pitcher

Ted Lilly

  • #30 LHP
  • (3-2) 3.13 ERA 26 SO
Lilly will have to pretend he's at Wrigley Field. So far, the lefty has given up one earned run over 21 2/3 innings at home, and has held opponents to a .151 average. In his last outing, he gave up five hits, including a solo homer by Florida's Cody Ross, and went eight innings in a 6-1 win. Lilly struck out 10, the 13th time in his career he's reached double digits. He also recorded only one groundout; the rest were strikeouts or fly-ball outs. And the wind was blowing out. He did beat the Astros in Houston on April 8, but has given up 10 earned runs over 10 innings in two road starts.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 94-77 4.37 1379.1 507 1183 .246
Season 3-2 3.13 31.2 6 26 .216
May 1-0 1.13 8.0 0 10 .172
Vs. Houston 1-0 9.00 5.0 0 3 .348

Series at a Glance

Standings - 05/07/2009 W L PCT GB Home Away
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 15 12 .556 2.5 8-6 7-6
Houston Astros (NL Central) 11 17 .393 7.0 5-9 6-8
Stats - 05/07/2009 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
CHC .246 129 32 121 18 202 4.47 241.2 224 112 222
HOU .257 109 22 104 17 164 4.43 249.2 265 114 188
hou

Arias gives Astros 13 arms on roster

Alyson Footer / MLB.com
It's rather unconventional for a team to carry 13 pitchers, but in the Astros' case, it's entirely necessary. So Houston dipped into its farm system for Alberto Arias, designating infielder Jason Smith for assignment to compensate.
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Astros probable pitcher

Russ Ortiz

  • #23 RHP
  • (2-0) 5.21 ERA 14 SO
Ortiz was skipped during the last time through the rotation due to Oswalt's availability after making a 17-pitch start in a rain-delayed game in Atlanta. Ortiz earned his second win of the season after allowing two runs over five innings in a 96-pitch outing against the Brewers in his last start. Ortiz walked four, but only one walk resulted in a run scored. He's frustrated that he's not going deeper into games, which is taxing the bullpen. Ortiz is working on getting ahead earlier in the count, which is something that has eluded him the last couple of starts.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 112-82 4.43 1587.2 824 1135 .255
Season 2-0 5.21 19.0 17 14 .239
May 0-0 0.00 0.1 2 0 .000
Vs. Chi Cubs 0-0 9.00 3.0 4 6 .308

Cubs hitters vs Russ Ortiz

  2009 2004-2008
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Adduci, James - - - - - - - -
Baker, Jeff - - - - - - - -
Blanco, Andres - - - - .000 2 0 0
Bradley, Milton .000 1 0 0 .286 14 1 3
Castillo, Welington - - - - - - - -
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike .500 2 1 3 .429 7 1 4
Fox, Jake - - - - .500 2 1 1
Fukudome, Kosuke 1.000 1 0 0 .800 5 0 3
Fuld, Sam - - - - - - - -
Hill, Koyie .500 2 0 0 .571 7 0 2
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - .250 4 0 1
Lee, Derrek .000 2 0 0 .000 7 0 0
Miles, Aaron - - - - .333 3 0 0
Ramirez, Aramis .000 1 0 0 .333 6 0 0
Soriano, Alfonso .000 1 0 0 .375 8 0 0
Soto, Geovany - - - - 1.000 1 0 0
Theriot, Ryan 1.000 1 0 0 .429 7 0 2

Astros hitters vs Ted Lilly

  2009 2004-2008
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Berkman, Lance .333 3 1 1 .115 26 1 2
Blum, Geoff - - - - .222 9 0 1
Bogusevic, Brian - - - - - - - -
Bourgeois, Jason - - - - - - - -
Bourn, Michael .000 2 0 0 .125 8 0 1
Johnson, Chris - - - - - - - -
Keppinger, Jeff .667 3 1 1 .280 25 1 3
Lee, Carlos .333 3 0 0 .240 25 1 2
Manzella, Tommy - - - - - - - -
Matsui, Kazuo .333 3 1 1 .200 15 1 1
Maysonet, Edwin - - - - .000 2 0 0
Pence, Hunter .000 2 0 0 .217 23 0 1
Quintero, Humberto - - - - .111 9 0 0
Ramirez, Yordany - - - - - - - -
Sutil, Wladimir - - - - - - - -
Towles, J.R. - - - - .000 2 0 0
Vallejo, Jose - - - - - - - -

Cubs perform Texas two-step (16-12) (11-17)

Cubs 8, Astros 5

Cubs get mini-sweep

Gene Duffey / Special to MLB.com
Alfonso Soriano hit a pair of homers, including a two-run shot in a four-run ninth inning that broke the game open and lifted the Cubs to a two-game sweep in Houston. Ted Lilly overcame a shaky first inning to blank the Astros over the next five frames to earn his fourth victory.

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Series at a Glance

 

Tejada does his part

Alyson Footer / MLB.com
Miguel Tejada went 4-for-5, including a two-run homer -- his first of the season -- and two doubles, but Russ Ortiz lasted just 2 1/3 innings and an overworked bullpen was unable to contain Alfonso Soriano and the Cubs late. Chris Sampson was a bright spot, tossing three perfect innings.
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Cubs 8, Astros 5

Chi Cubs AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Soriano, A, LF 5 2 2 3 0 0 2 .276
Theriot, SS 4 2 2 0 1 1 0 .312
Fukudome, CF-RF 4 2 1 0 1 0 1 .298
Ramirez, A, 3B 4 1 3 1 1 0 0 .369
  Fox, C, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
  Gregg, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Hoffpauir, M, 1B 4 0 2 1 1 0 3 .313
Bradley, RF 4 0 1 1 0 2 4 .143
  Gathright, CF 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .214
Fontenot, 2B-3B 3 0 0 2 1 1 2 .247
Soto, C 5 0 1 0 0 1 7 .162
Lilly, P 3 0 0 0 0 1 2 .154
  Heilman, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
  Marmol, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
  a-Miles, PH-2B 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .215
Totals 38 8 14 8 5 6 21  

a-Singled for Marmol in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Hoffpauir, M (4, Wright, W), Theriot (4, Paulino, F).
HR: Soriano, A 2 (9, 4th inning off Byrdak, 0 on, 1 out; 9th inning off Paulino, F, 1 on, 0 out).
TB: Soriano, A 8; Theriot 3; Fukudome; Ramirez, A 3; Hoffpauir, M 3; Bradley; Gathright; Soto; Miles.
RBI: Hoffpauir, M (9), Bradley (3), Fontenot 2 (17), Soriano, A 3 (17), Ramirez, A (16).
2-out RBI: Hoffpauir, M.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Bradley; Soto 3.
SF: Fontenot.
GIDP: Soriano, A; Soto.
Team RISP: 5-for-15.
Team LOB: 9.

BASERUNNING
PO: Theriot (3rd base by Rodriguez, I).

FIELDING
E: Ramirez, A (1, throw).
DP: (Lilly-Fontenot-Hoffpauir, M).
 
Houston AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Matsui, K, 2B 3 1 0 1 1 0 1 .264
Tejada, SS 5 1 4 2 0 0 0 .308
Berkman, 1B 5 0 0 0 0 4 3 .184
Lee, C, LF 3 0 1 0 1 1 1 .295
Pence, RF 4 0 1 0 0 1 3 .308
Michaels, CF 2 1 0 0 2 0 2 .261
Rodriguez, I, C 4 1 1 1 0 2 1 .247
Keppinger, 3B 4 0 0 1 0 0 1 .333
Ortiz, R, P 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .143
  Byrdak, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
  a-Blum, PH 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .268
  Sampson, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
  b-Bourn, PH 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .296
  Wright, W, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
  Paulino, F, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167
  Arias, A, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
  c-Erstad, PH 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .179
Totals 34 5 8 5 4 11 14  

a-Struck out for Byrdak in the 4th. b-Struck out for Sampson in the 7th. c-Tripled for Arias, A in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Tejada 2 (10, Lilly, Marmol).
3B: Rodriguez, I (1, Fox, C), Erstad (1, Fox, C).
HR: Tejada (1, 1st inning off Lilly, 1 on, 0 out).
TB: Tejada 9; Lee, C; Pence; Rodriguez, I 3; Erstad 3.
RBI: Tejada 2 (10), Rodriguez, I (12), Keppinger (3), Matsui, K (12).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Pence 2; Blum; Matsui, K.
SF: Matsui, K.
GIDP: Michaels.
Team RISP: 0-for-11.
Team LOB: 7.

BASERUNNING
SB: Michaels (1, 2nd base off Lilly/Soto).

FIELDING
E: Berkman (2, missed catch).
DP: 2 (Keppinger-Matsui, K-Berkman 2).
Pickoffs: Rodriguez, I (Theriot at 3rd base).
 
Chi Cubs IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Lilly (W, 4-2) 6.0 4 2 2 3 5 1 3.11
Heilman (H, 4) 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 4.15
Marmol (H, 8) 1.0 1 0 0 0 3 0 4.50
Fox, C 0.1 2 3 3 1 0 0 81.00
Gregg 0.2 1 0 0 0 1 0 4.40
 
Houston IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Ortiz, R (L, 2-1) 2.1 6 3 3 3 1 0 5.91
Byrdak 1.2 1 1 1 0 1 1 2.31
Sampson 3.0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1.89
Wright, W 0.2 2 0 0 0 2 0 6.97
Paulino, F 0.2 5 4 4 2 1 1 5.23
Arias, A 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.86

Pitches-strikes: Lilly 88-52, Heilman 17-10, Marmol 14-11, Fox, C 17-8, Gregg 9-6, Ortiz, R 57-29, Byrdak 26-18, Sampson 33-24, Wright, W 15-12, Paulino, F 43-24, Arias, A 4-2.
Groundouts-flyouts: Lilly 5-8, Heilman 1-0, Marmol 0-0, Fox, C 1-0, Gregg 0-1, Ortiz, R 2-3, Byrdak 1-3, Sampson 4-4, Wright, W 0-0, Paulino, F 0-1, Arias, A 2-0.
Batters faced: Lilly 24, Heilman 4, Marmol 4, Fox, C 4, Gregg 3, Ortiz, R 15, Byrdak 6, Sampson 9, Wright, W 4, Paulino, F 9, Arias, A 1.
Inherited runners-scored: Gregg 1-1, Byrdak 3-1, Paulino, F 2-0, Arias, A 3-0.
Umpires: HP: Adrian Johnson. 1B: Marvin Hudson. 2B: John Hirschbeck. 3B: Wally Bell.
Weather: 73 degrees, roof closed.
Wind: 1 mph, Varies.
T: 3:17.
Att: 28,620.
May 7, 2009

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