Just like that, Cubs flat
Emotion seems missing vs. Astros, who coast on two Pence homers
Cubs manager Lou Piniella didn't let the reporter finish the question Friday, quickly dismissing the notion his team had an emotional letdown after an electric series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
''We just didn't hit and didn't pitch good,'' Piniella said of a 6-1 loss to the Houston Astros, who are 3-1 since manager Phil Garner and general manager Tim Purpura were fired Monday. ''You can see why we've gone out and gotten a pitcher who's been through this.''
''We just didn't hit and didn't pitch good,'' Piniella said of a 6-1 loss to the Houston Astros, who are 3-1 since manager Phil Garner and general manager Tim Purpura were fired Monday. ''You can see why we've gone out and gotten a pitcher who's been through this.''
That pitcher is Steve Trachsel, the onetime Cub acquired from Baltimore on Friday for two minor-leaguers. The pitcher who hasn't been through it was lefty Sean Marshall (7-7), who lasted 3 2/3 innings and was hurt most by one bad pitch to Astros rookie Hunter Pence.
(John J. Kim/Sun-Times)
(AP)
PHOTO GALLERY
Cubs vs. Astros
That pitcher is Steve Trachsel, the onetime Cub acquired from Baltimore on Friday for two minor-leaguers. The pitcher who hasn't been through it was lefty Sean Marshall (7-7), who lasted 3 2/3 innings and was hurt most by one bad pitch to Astros rookie Hunter Pence.
Pence, a Cubs nemesis all season, defied the Wrigley Field wind twice, hitting a three-run homer off Marshall in the fourth and a two-run homer off Michael Wuertz in the sixth to give the Astros all the offense they needed.
''Wuertzy and I gave him a pitch to hit even with the wind blowing in,'' Marshall said. ''Hopefully we can keep him in the park [today].''
The emotions of their three-game series against the Brewers seemed to have drained away despite a crowd of 41,297 on hand hoping to see a victory. The Cubs, who won the Brewers series 2-1, are 1½ games ahead of the Brewers in first place in the National League Central.
The life was drained from the Cubs' bats, too -- once again by a left-handed starter.
Wandy Rodriguez (8-12) held the Cubs in check the last time he faced them in Houston on Aug. 6, giving up one run in eight innings. This time, they didn't touch him at all through six innings, their only run coming in the eighth when they bunched three singles off reliever Dave Borkowski.
''Down the stretch, we'll have to swing the bats better, no question,'' Piniella said.
But pitching also is a priority. The Cubs consider themselves fortunate to have landed Trachsel over several other contending teams, including the Atlanta Braves.
Though Piniella and general manager Jim Hendry said Trachsel will supplement the staff, his addition could impact one of the starters. Marshall admitted as much.
''It is a little bit [unsettling],'' he said of Trachsel's acquisition. ''I'm just pitching to have good starts. It's up to the management and the skipper what they do. But we got a veteran added to the staff, and it will be nice to pick his brain. I don't know what they're planning to do. We'll find out soon enough.''
Marshall had pitched well enough in his last three starts, winning his last two against St. Louis and Arizona. In truth, it has been Carlos Zambrano who has struggled the most in August, but he still is the Cubs' ace and not likely to be skipped in the rotation.
Marshall was in trouble immediately Friday, walking Pence to start the game -- one of three walks in the inning, including one intentional. A wild pitch added to his woes after Pence scored on a double by Lance Berkman.
''I had to battle through that [first inning],'' Marshall said. ''I don't think I've had one like that all season.''
But Marshall also had no run support this time. The Cubs managed just four singles off Rodriguez, and only seven singles for the game.
''They shut us down,'' Derrek Lee said. ''He [Rodriguez] did the last time at their place and again today. It's a little frustrating. We should have done a little better today.''
Lee said the day game after a Thursday night game wasn't an excuse for the meager offense.
''We were ready for the game,'' he said.
Remarked Cliff Floyd, who pinch-hit in the eighth: ''Just one of those days. Sometimes good pitching beats good hitting. I bet [Rodriguez] went back to his tape when he beat us in Houston.
''There are no favors right now. It's going to be tough. We'll battle, and hopefully the outcome will be in our favor.''
ASTROS 6, CUBS 1
Houston AB R H BI BB SO Avg.
Pence cf 4 3 2 5 1 2 .325
Biggio 2b 5 0 2 0 0 2 .256
Scott rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 .256
Berkman 1b 4 0 2 1 1 0 .280
CaLee lf 3 0 0 0 2 0 .302
Loretta ss 5 0 1 0 0 2 .278
Wigginton 3b 4 1 0 0 1 3 .256
Burke rf-2b 4 1 1 0 0 0 .227
Ausmus c 2 1 0 0 2 0 .231
WRodriguez p 2 0 0 0 0 0 .122
a-OPalmeiro ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .234
Borkowski p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
TreMiller p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --
Totals 34 6 8 6 7 9
CUBS AB R H BI BB SO Avg.
Theriot ss 5 0 1 0 0 0 .281
DeRosa 2b 3 0 0 0 1 1 .289
DeLee 1b 4 0 0 0 0 2 .307
ARamirez 3b 4 1 3 0 0 0 .316
Monroe rf-lf 3 0 1 0 1 0 .267
Murton lf 2 0 1 0 1 1 .270
Wood p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --
b-Ward ph 1 0 1 1 0 0 .330
Eyre p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
HBlanco c 3 0 0 0 0 1 .190
c-CFloyd ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .286
Kendall c 0 0 0 0 0 0 .316
JJones cf-rf 4 0 0 0 0 1 .273
Marshall p 1 0 0 0 0 1 .071
Wuertz p 1 0 0 0 0 1 .000
Pie cf 2 0 0 0 0 1 .211
Totals 34 1 7 1 3 9
Houston 100 302 000--6 8 1
CUBS 000 000 010--1 7 1
a-flied out for Rodriguez in the 7th. b-singled for Wood in the 8th. c-popped out for Blanco in the 8th.
E--Burke (5), ARamirez (7). LOB--Houston 9, CUBS 9. 2B--Berkman 2 (19), Loretta (22). HR--Pence 2 (14), off Wuertz, Marshall. RBI--Pence 5 (52), Berkman (86), Ward (14). SB--Ausmus (6). CS--Biggio (3). S--WRodriguez. GIDP--Monroe.
Runners left in scoring position--Houston 5 (Loretta 2, Burke 3); CUBS 3 (DeLee, HBlanco, CFloyd). Runners moved up--Berkman, Ausmus. DP--Houston 1 (Loretta, Biggio and Berkman).
Houston IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA
Rodriguez W, 8-12 6 4 0 0 3 5 102 4.49
Borkowski 1.2 3 1 1 0 2 30 5.19
TreMiller 1.1 0 0 0 0 2 19 4.83
CUBS IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA
Marshall L, 7-7 3.2 5 4 1 4 3 84 3.98
Wuertz 2.1 3 2 2 2 2 47 3.77
Wood 2 0 0 0 1 2 34 3.18
Eyre 1 0 0 0 0 2 13 5.02
Inherited runners-scored--TreMiller 2-0, Wuertz 2-0.
IBB--off Marshall (CaLee) 1. WP--Marshall, Wuertz.
Umpires--Home, Greg Gibson; First, Larry Vanover; Second, Tony Randazzo; Third, Gerry Davis. T--3:06. A--41,297.
HOW THEY SCOREDAstros first Pence walked. Biggio struck out. Berkman doubled, Pence scored. One run. Astros 1, Cubs 0.
ASTROS FOURTH Wigginton safe on Ramirez's error. Burke singled, Wigginton to second. Ausmus flied out, Wigginton to third. Rodriguez sacrificed, Burke to second. Pence homered to left on a 1-1 count, Wigginton scored, Burke scored. Three runs. Astros 4, Cubs 0.
Astros sixth Ausmus walked on four pitches. Rodriguez flied out. Ausmus stole second. Pence homered to center on a 1-1 count, Ausmus scored. Two runs. Astros 6, Cubs 0.
Cubs eighth DeRosa struck out. Lee struck out. Ramirez singled. Monroe singled, Ramirez to second. Ward pinch-hitting for Wood. Ward singled, Ramirez scored, Monroe to second. One run. Astros 6, Cubs 1.
WELCOME HOME4.48 ERA 4.29
25 Starts 406
45 Strikeouts 1,564
69 Walks 909
2.88 K/9 innings 5.76
.279 Opponents Avg. .267