Chi Cubs (28-26) at Houston (25-31)

TV: CSN | Radio: WGN 720 8:05 pm ET Minute Maid Park TV: FS-H HD | Radio: KTRH 740, KLAT 1010
chc

Guzman finally hitting stride in Cubs' 'pen

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Angel Guzman is six months younger than Carlos Zambrano, but the reliever looks up to the Cubs ace and is finally healthy, pitching to his potential and gaining confidence in his abilities.
Full story >

Cubs probable pitcher

Ted Lilly

  • #30 LHP
  • (6-4) 3.28 ERA 59 SO
Lilly turned in his team-best eighth quality start last Wednesday, allowing two runs (one earned) over seven innings in a no-decision at Atlanta. He gave up six hits, walked one and struck out seven. Lilly is 4-1 with a 1.29 ERA at home, but 2-3 on the road. The left-hander has always had good success against Houston, no matter where the game is. He was 2-0 against the Astros last year with a 1.40 ERA and is 3-1 with a 2.52 ERA lifetime. The only loss occurred in Houston.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 97-79 4.34 1419.0 519 1216 .246
Season 6-4 3.28 71.1 18 59 .226
June 0-0 1.29 7.0 1 7 .214
Vs. Houston 2-0 5.73 11.0 3 8 .273

Series at a Glance

Standings - 06/09/2009 W L PCT GB Home Away
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 28 26 .519 3.5 16-10 12-16
Houston Astros (NL Central) 25 31 .446 7.5 14-17 11-14
Stats - 06/09/2009 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
CHC .248 237 61 225 25 408 3.97 482.1 428 214 440
HOU .275 240 45 228 36 322 4.49 499.0 537 192 387
hou

Matsui could return to Astros vs. Cubs

Brian McTaggart / MLB.com
Out since May 26 with a strained right hamstring, second baseman Kazuo Matsui is nearing a return to the Astros and is likely to see action against the Cubs.
Full story >

Astros probable pitcher

Brian Moehler

  • #38 RHP
  • (2-3) 6.37 ERA 26 SO
Moehler started his last game strong, allowing only two hits in the first four innings, but he ran into trouble after that. The right-hander gave up four runs over the next two innings and came out after having given up seven and one walk while striking out two in six innings of work, getting a no-decision. Moelher has faced the Cubs twice already this season, going 1-1. In his most recent start against Chicago he gave up three runs on five hits and struck out four over five innings to earn the win. He was 1-2 with a 3.68 ERA in four starts versus the Cubs last year. In his career, Moehler is 3-3 with a 5.05 ERA in nine starts against them.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 77-94 4.77 1397.0 387 766 .294
Season 2-3 6.37 41.0 10 26 .329
June 0-0 6.00 6.0 1 2 .318
Vs. Chi Cubs 1-1 13.50 6.2 3 5 .394

Cubs hitters vs Brian Moehler

  2009 2004-2008
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Adduci, James - - - - - - - -
Baker, Jeff - - - - .200 5 0 0
Blanco, Andres - - - - .500 2 0 0
Bradley, Milton .000 3 0 0 .250 12 1 1
Castillo, Welington - - - - - - - -
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike .500 2 0 1 .417 12 1 2
Fox, Jake - - - - - - - -
Fukudome, Kosuke .600 5 0 0 .294 17 0 2
Fuld, Sam - - - - - - - -
Hill, Koyie .000 1 0 0 .333 3 0 1
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - .000 2 0 0
Lee, Derrek .600 5 1 3 .350 20 3 7
Miles, Aaron - - - - - 0 0 0
Ramirez, Aramis 1.000 2 0 2 .389 18 0 6
Soriano, Alfonso .400 5 0 0 .375 24 0 0
Soto, Geovany .000 2 0 0 .214 14 1 4
Theriot, Ryan .500 4 0 2 .214 14 0 2

Astros hitters vs Ted Lilly

  2009 2004-2008
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Berkman, Lance .167 6 1 1 .115 26 1 2
Blum, Geoff .000 1 0 0 .222 9 0 1
Bogusevic, Brian - - - - - - - -
Bourgeois, Jason - - - - - - - -
Bourn, Michael .000 2 0 0 .125 8 0 1
Johnson, Chris - - - - - - - -
Keppinger, Jeff .400 5 1 1 .280 25 1 3
Lee, Carlos .400 5 0 0 .240 25 1 2
Manzella, Tommy - - - - - - - -
Matsui, Kazuo .200 5 1 1 .200 15 1 1
Maysonet, Edwin - - - - .000 2 0 0
Pence, Hunter .200 5 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 - - - - - - - -

Lilly levels Astros with arm, bat (29-26) (25-31)

Cubs 7, Astros 1

Happy B-day Fontenot

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
Mike Fontenot homered and went 4-for-5 on his 29th birthday, and Ted Lilly tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings and hit his first big league triple to lead the Cubs, who pounded out 16 hits, to victory over the Astros in the opener.

Full story >

Cubs Wrap >

More Cubs Headlines

Tickets | MLB.TV | Multimedia | Shop

Series at a Glance

 

Bats held in check

Jason Grodsky / MLB.com
Brian Moehler allowed five runs on eight hits over just three innings, and the Astros were held at bay by Ted Lilly in the loss. Houston managed just five hits on the night, scoring its lone run on Lance Berkman's 11th homer in the ninth.
Full story >

Astros Wrap >

More Astros Headlines

Tickets | MLB.TV | Multimedia | Shop

Cubs 7, Astros 1

Chi Cubs AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Soriano, A, LF 5 1 1 0 1 1 2 .240
Theriot, SS 5 0 0 0 1 1 5 .284
Fukudome, CF 4 1 2 2 2 0 0 .296
Lee, D, 1B 3 2 2 1 3 1 1 .269
Bradley, RF 6 0 0 0 0 3 10 .208
Fontenot, 3B 5 2 4 1 0 0 0 .249
Soto, C 5 0 3 1 0 0 1 .218
Blanco, A, 2B 4 0 2 2 1 1 1 .250
Lilly, P 4 1 1 0 0 2 4 .107
  Heilman, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
  a-Fox, J, PH 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 .417
  Marshall, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .231
Totals 42 7 16 7 8 9 24  

a-Doubled for Heilman in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Soriano, A (14, Moehler), Fukudome (12, Moehler), Lee, D (10, Backe), Blanco, A (3, Backe), Fontenot (9, Arias, A), Fox, J (2, Byrdak).
3B: Lilly (1, Moehler).
HR: Fontenot (6, 3rd inning off Moehler, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Soriano, A 2; Fukudome 3; Lee, D 3; Fontenot 8; Soto 3; Blanco, A 3; Lilly 3; Fox, J 2.
RBI: Fukudome 2 (22), Lee, D (24), Soto (14), Fontenot (26), Blanco, A 2 (3).
2-out RBI: Soto; Blanco, A 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Bradley 4; Theriot 2; Lilly 2; Blanco, A.
GIDP: Bradley.
Team RISP: 6-for-19.
Team LOB: 16.
 
Houston AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Bourn, CF 4 0 0 0 0 3 1 .292
Tejada, SS 4 0 2 0 0 0 1 .357
Pence, RF 4 0 1 0 0 1 2 .340
Lee, C, LF 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .315
Berkman, 1B 4 1 2 1 0 0 0 .251
Rodriguez, I, C 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .259
Keppinger, 3B 3 0 0 0 1 0 0 .267
Maysonet, 2B 3 0 0 0 0 2 2 .341
Moehler, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
  a-Backe, PH-P 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .000
  b-Kata, PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
  Arias, A, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
  c-Erstad, PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .132
  Byrdak, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Totals 32 1 5 1 2 6 8  

a-Walked for Moehler in the 3rd. b-Grounded out for Backe in the 6th. c-Grounded out for Arias, A in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Pence (9, Lilly).
HR: Berkman (11, 9th inning off Marshall, 0 on, 1 out).
TB: Tejada 2; Pence 2; Berkman 5.
RBI: Berkman (33).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Lee, C; Maysonet.
Team RISP: 0-for-2.
Team LOB: 6.

FIELDING
E: Maysonet (2, throw).
Outfield assists: Bourn (Fontenot at home).
DP: (Maysonet-Tejada-Berkman).
 
Chi Cubs IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Lilly (W, 7-4) 6.2 3 0 0 2 4 0 3.00
Heilman 1.1 1 0 0 0 2 0 4.44
Marshall 1.0 1 1 1 0 0 1 4.88
 
Houston IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Moehler (L, 2-4) 3.0 8 5 5 2 3 1 6.95
Backe 3.0 6 2 2 3 4 0 10.50
Arias, A 2.0 1 0 0 1 1 0 3.38
Byrdak 1.0 1 0 0 2 1 0 3.68

IBB: Lee, D (by Moehler).
Pitches-strikes: Lilly 114-73, Heilman 16-13, Marshall 15-9, Moehler 70-41, Backe 68-41, Arias, A 33-19, Byrdak 24-10.
Groundouts-flyouts: Lilly 5-11, Heilman 1-1, Marshall 2-1, Moehler 4-1, Backe 1-4, Arias, A 3-2, Byrdak 1-1.
Batters faced: Lilly 25, Heilman 5, Marshall 4, Moehler 18, Backe 18, Arias, A 8, Byrdak 6.
Inherited runners-scored: Heilman 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Paul Nauert. 1B: Paul Schrieber. 2B: Ed Rapuano. 3B: Joe West.
Weather: 73 degrees, roof closed.
Wind: 0 mph, None.
T: 3:13.
Att: 29,669.
June 9, 2009

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