cubsfan1980
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Prince Fielder was the star of Saturday evening’s game, as the Milwaukee Brewers’ slugging first baseman doubled three times & drove in four runs during their 6-0 shutout win over the Chicago Cubs from Miller Park.
The Cubs had an early scoring chance in the top of the first, as Marlon Byrd hit an opposite-field two out double off Brewers starter Chris Narveson.
Aramis Ramirez struck out swinging, but reached first base safely thanks to a wild pitch from Narveson.
That brought up Geovany Soto with runners on the corners, as he drew a walk to load the bases with two outs for Carlos Pena.
Pena struck out swinging to end the scoring threat.
The Brewers then scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, as Rickie Weeks reached on a lead-off single after the ball hit off Cubs starter Matt Garza’s leg.
Nyjer Morgan laid down a sacrifice bunt, as it advanced Weeks to second base with just one out for Ryan Braun.
Braun hit an RBI double to left center, as Weeks scored from 2nd to give Milwaukee a 1-0 lead.
Prince Fielder kept it going with an RBI double down the right field line, as Braun scored from second to give the Brewers a 2-0 lead.
Casey McGehee then popped up to Jeff Baker at 2nd base, which left it up to Yuniesky Betancourt.
Betancourt grounded out to Starlin Castro at shortstop to end the inning.
Milwaukee added onto their lead in the bottom of the third, as Morgan hit a one-out triple to the gap in right center off Garza.
Braun drew a walk, as it put runners at the corners for Fielder.
Fielder lashed an opposite-field two-run double to score both Morgan & Braun, as the Brewers doubled their lead to 4-0.
McGehee then lined out to Castro at shortstop, which left it up to Betancourt.
Betancourt hit a liner to center, but Marlon Byrd made a nice leaping grab to end the inning.
Chicago then got a rally cooking in the top of the fourth, as Ramirez got it started with a lead-off single against Narveson.
Soto then reached on an error by Weeks at 2nd base, as it put runners on first & second with nobody out for Pena.
Pena struck out looking, which brought up Alfonso Soriano.
Soriano hit into a doubleplay to end the scoring threat.
The Cubs also had a scoring opportunity in the fifth, as Baker & Castro hit back-to-back 2-out singles off Narveson.
That brought up Byrd, who flied out to Braun in left to end the inning.
The Brewers got another run in the bottom of the fifth, as Braun hit a opposite-field two-out single off Garza.
Fielder then continued his monster game, as his RBI double to the left field wall scored Braun from 1st base & gave Milwaukee a 6-0 lead.
McGehee grounded out to Ramirez at 3rd base to end the inning.
Milwaukee rallied again in the bottom of the sixth, as Mark Kotsay hit a 1-out single to right off Garza.
Wil Nieves then drew a walk, as that put runners on 1st & 2nd for Narveson.
Narveson laid down a sacrifice bunt, as it advanced both Kotsay & Nieves up 90 feet for Weeks.
Weeks was issued an intentional walk, as that loaded the bases for Morgan.
Mike Quade then called upon lefthander John Grabow from the bullpen to face Morgan, who struck out looking to end the scoring threat.
The Brewers then added onto their lead in the bottom of the eighth, as Kotsay drew a 1-out walk from Cubs reliever Jeff Samardzija.
Pinch-running for Kotsay, Carlos Gomez then stole 2nd base as the throw from Soto hit Castro in the mouth.
After a brief visit from trainer Mark O’Neill, Castro stayed in the game.
Nieves drew a walk, as Gomez stole 3rd base on the play.
That put runners on the corners with just 1 out for pinch-hitter Jeremy Reed, who struck out swinging.
Weeks then came to the plate & drew a walk, which loaded the bases for Morgan.
Morgan took a bases-loaded walk, as that forced in Gomez from 3rd & gave Milwaukee a 6-0 lead.
Braun grounded out to Castro at shortstop to end the inning.
Chris Narveson (1-0) improves to 4-0 lifetime against the Cubs, as he pitched 7 shutout innings & allowed 6 hits while walking one & striking out nine.
Matt Garza (0-1) takes the loss for the Cubs after allowing 5 runs on 8 hits in 5.2 innings of work, while walking three & striking out eight.
My CubsHub.com Player of the Game Award goes to…
C Geovany Soto.
While a 6-hit shutout isn’t something to be proud about, Soto did reach base three times tonight & was the only Cub who drew a walk offensively. As long as Soto is taking good at-bats and working deep into opposing pitcher’s counts, that .231 average of his will rise in no time.
The Cubs will look to take the finale of this 3-game weekend series on Sunday afternoon at 1:10 PM cst, as Casey Coleman (0-0, 0.00) makes his 2011 team debut against Brewers ace righthander Yovanni Gallardo (1-0, 1.20).
Coleman lost his only career start to the Brewers on September 12th, 2010 despite giving up just 1 run on 5 hits in 6 innings of work during the Cubs’ 2-0 loss.
Gallardo is 3-1 against the Cubs in 7 career starts with a 3.19 ERA & was a perfect 2-0 in 3 starts against them last season with a 0.45 ERA. (1 earned run in 20 innings)
Signing off for now,
Matt T for Cubshub.com
The Cubs had an early scoring chance in the top of the first, as Marlon Byrd hit an opposite-field two out double off Brewers starter Chris Narveson.
Aramis Ramirez struck out swinging, but reached first base safely thanks to a wild pitch from Narveson.
That brought up Geovany Soto with runners on the corners, as he drew a walk to load the bases with two outs for Carlos Pena.
Pena struck out swinging to end the scoring threat.
The Brewers then scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, as Rickie Weeks reached on a lead-off single after the ball hit off Cubs starter Matt Garza’s leg.
Nyjer Morgan laid down a sacrifice bunt, as it advanced Weeks to second base with just one out for Ryan Braun.
Braun hit an RBI double to left center, as Weeks scored from 2nd to give Milwaukee a 1-0 lead.
Prince Fielder kept it going with an RBI double down the right field line, as Braun scored from second to give the Brewers a 2-0 lead.
Casey McGehee then popped up to Jeff Baker at 2nd base, which left it up to Yuniesky Betancourt.
Betancourt grounded out to Starlin Castro at shortstop to end the inning.
Milwaukee added onto their lead in the bottom of the third, as Morgan hit a one-out triple to the gap in right center off Garza.
Braun drew a walk, as it put runners at the corners for Fielder.
Fielder lashed an opposite-field two-run double to score both Morgan & Braun, as the Brewers doubled their lead to 4-0.
McGehee then lined out to Castro at shortstop, which left it up to Betancourt.
Betancourt hit a liner to center, but Marlon Byrd made a nice leaping grab to end the inning.
Chicago then got a rally cooking in the top of the fourth, as Ramirez got it started with a lead-off single against Narveson.
Soto then reached on an error by Weeks at 2nd base, as it put runners on first & second with nobody out for Pena.
Pena struck out looking, which brought up Alfonso Soriano.
Soriano hit into a doubleplay to end the scoring threat.
The Cubs also had a scoring opportunity in the fifth, as Baker & Castro hit back-to-back 2-out singles off Narveson.
That brought up Byrd, who flied out to Braun in left to end the inning.
The Brewers got another run in the bottom of the fifth, as Braun hit a opposite-field two-out single off Garza.
Fielder then continued his monster game, as his RBI double to the left field wall scored Braun from 1st base & gave Milwaukee a 6-0 lead.
McGehee grounded out to Ramirez at 3rd base to end the inning.
Milwaukee rallied again in the bottom of the sixth, as Mark Kotsay hit a 1-out single to right off Garza.
Wil Nieves then drew a walk, as that put runners on 1st & 2nd for Narveson.
Narveson laid down a sacrifice bunt, as it advanced both Kotsay & Nieves up 90 feet for Weeks.
Weeks was issued an intentional walk, as that loaded the bases for Morgan.
Mike Quade then called upon lefthander John Grabow from the bullpen to face Morgan, who struck out looking to end the scoring threat.
The Brewers then added onto their lead in the bottom of the eighth, as Kotsay drew a 1-out walk from Cubs reliever Jeff Samardzija.
Pinch-running for Kotsay, Carlos Gomez then stole 2nd base as the throw from Soto hit Castro in the mouth.
After a brief visit from trainer Mark O’Neill, Castro stayed in the game.
Nieves drew a walk, as Gomez stole 3rd base on the play.
That put runners on the corners with just 1 out for pinch-hitter Jeremy Reed, who struck out swinging.
Weeks then came to the plate & drew a walk, which loaded the bases for Morgan.
Morgan took a bases-loaded walk, as that forced in Gomez from 3rd & gave Milwaukee a 6-0 lead.
Braun grounded out to Castro at shortstop to end the inning.
Chris Narveson (1-0) improves to 4-0 lifetime against the Cubs, as he pitched 7 shutout innings & allowed 6 hits while walking one & striking out nine.
Matt Garza (0-1) takes the loss for the Cubs after allowing 5 runs on 8 hits in 5.2 innings of work, while walking three & striking out eight.
My CubsHub.com Player of the Game Award goes to…
C Geovany Soto.
While a 6-hit shutout isn’t something to be proud about, Soto did reach base three times tonight & was the only Cub who drew a walk offensively. As long as Soto is taking good at-bats and working deep into opposing pitcher’s counts, that .231 average of his will rise in no time.
The Cubs will look to take the finale of this 3-game weekend series on Sunday afternoon at 1:10 PM cst, as Casey Coleman (0-0, 0.00) makes his 2011 team debut against Brewers ace righthander Yovanni Gallardo (1-0, 1.20).
Coleman lost his only career start to the Brewers on September 12th, 2010 despite giving up just 1 run on 5 hits in 6 innings of work during the Cubs’ 2-0 loss.
Gallardo is 3-1 against the Cubs in 7 career starts with a 3.19 ERA & was a perfect 2-0 in 3 starts against them last season with a 0.45 ERA. (1 earned run in 20 innings)
Signing off for now,
Matt T for Cubshub.com
