Astros 2 - 3 Cubs
Final
  for this game

Ramirez, Soriano hope to warm up bats

Apr 6, 2008 - 1:40 PM Houston (2-4) at Chicago Cubs (2-3) 2:20 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) - Derrek Lee got going after a four-game funk on Saturday. He hopes his fellow big bats can follow suit.

The Chicago Cubs look to take two of three games from the Houston Astros as the teams meet in the rubber game on Sunday.

Lee, who went 4-for-18 through his first four games, belted a home run among his four hits and knocked in two runs in Saturday's 9-7 win. That support complemented Kosuke Fukudome's 2-for-4 effort, adding to the great start for the Japanese outfielder, who is 8-for-16 with five RBI through five contests.

However, the two biggest bats in the order have yet to heat up. Leadoff hitter Alfonso Soriano has managed just one hit in his first 22 at-bats while cleanup-hitter Aramis Ramirez has managed just a solo homer as one of his two hits.

Hoping to prolong their agony will be Brandon Backe (0-1, 3.60 ERA), who allowed two runs and five hits in a 2-1 loss to the San Diego Padres on Tuesday.

His counterpart on the mound will be Carlos Zambrano (0-0, 0.00), who was forced out of his Opening Day start with a forearm cramp after 6 2/3 innings. The righthander yielded just three hits, one walk and struck out five in Chicago's 10-inning loss to Milwaukee, 4-3.








  • NL
    FINAL
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
    - - - - - - - - - - - -
    HOUSTON 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 7 1
    CHICAGO CUBS 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 x 3 8 0 (FINAL)

    BATTERIES: HOU - BRANDON BACKE, OSCAR VILLARREAL (7TH), DAVE BORKOWSKI (8TH)
    AND J.R. TOWLES
    CHN - CARLOS ZAMBRANO, CARLOS MARMOL (8TH), KERRY WOOD
    (9TH) AND HENRY BLANCO

    H

    Apr 6 4:54 PM
  • 40
    roots
    RUWTbot Added 35 roots (Close Finish)

    Astros 2, Cubs 3  Top 9, 0 OutsApr 6 4:48 PM


  • NL
    AT CHICAGO CUBS - SCORING UPDATE
    SOLO HOME RUN BY DERREK LEE (3) TO CENTER WITH 1 OUT IN THE
    7TH OFF OSCAR VILLARREAL.
    CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 2, CHICAGO CUBS 3
    DUE UP FOR CHICAGO CUBS: A RAMIREZ (.222, 2-FOR-2, BB)

    Astros 2, Cubs 3  Bot 7, 0 OutsApr 6 4:27 PM


  • NL
    AT CHICAGO CUBS - SCORING UPDATE
    SOLO HOME RUN BY MIGUEL TEJADA (1) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN
    THE 7TH OFF CARLOS ZAMBRANO.
    CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 2, CHICAGO CUBS 2
    DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: G BLUM (.333, 0-FOR-2)

    Astros 2, Cubs 2  Top 7, 0 OutsApr 6 4:16 PM


  • NL
    AT CHICAGO CUBS - SCORING UPDATE
    SOLO HOME RUN BY ALFONSO SORIANO (1) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN
    THE 5TH OFF BRANDON BACKE.
    CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 1, CHICAGO CUBS 2
    DUE UP FOR CHICAGO CUBS: R JOHNSON (.375, 0-FOR-2)

    Astros 1, Cubs 2  Bot 5, 0 OutsApr 6 3:47 PM


  • NL
    AT CHICAGO CUBS - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY DARIN ERSTAD SCORED BRANDON BACKE.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, D ERSTAD ON FIRST, 2 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 1
    CHICAGO CUBS 1 TOP, 3RD
    DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: C LEE (.269, 0-FOR-1)

    Astros 1, Cubs 1  Top 3, 0 OutsApr 6 3:10 PM


  • NL
    AT CHICAGO CUBS - SCORING UPDATE
    CARLOS ZAMBRANO HIT INTO DOUBLE PLAY SCORING MARK DEROSA.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, R THERIOT ON SECOND, 2 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 0
    CHICAGO CUBS 1 BOTTOM, 2ND
    DUE UP FOR CHICAGO CUBS: A SORIANO (.043, 0-FOR-1)

    Astros 0, Cubs 1  Bot 2, 0 OutsApr 6 3:01 PM

Related News