Pirates are 0-6 this season against the Cubs. Hopefully it will come to a halt over the week end series. Now being 19-20 they have a chance to make to 500 if they take 2 out of 3. The Bucs are starting to look like a decent team now and have been worth watching lately.
2 out of 3 would be great against the Cubs. Its hard to imagine that there is a chance they are .500 after the series. After so many losing years, ending the season with a winning record would be like winning the world series. I live in Connecticut now so everyone is either Red Sox or Yankees. They all think Im crazy for being happy they are 1 under .500. They just dont know. I am happy and enjoying this hot streak very much. Keep it going!
This is it, gentlemen, the long awaited return to CHI. They are in first place largely because of their dominance of the Buccos. If we had split, it would be a very tight race in the NL Central and we would be in the mix. They have owned us, knocking us down and taking our lunch money.
And we still have lots to do. They have particilarly roughed up local boy Gorzy, our pitcher tonight. If he can have a good night, our surprisingly potent offense can perhaps figure out newbie Gallagher.
Tomorrow night will be tougher against Zambrano. I like the Dumatrait match-up again, and hopefully he can give us at least another quality start.
Good point, BR91. I really hadn't thought about how the 0-6 record against the Cubs really changes the complexion of the NL Central. We all know that the Pirates could have very easily won a couple of the games in Pittsburgh earlier in the year against the Cubs. Had they split like someone suggested, 3-3, the Pirates would be at 23-18, the Cubs would be at 22-19. We'd all have a much different feeling about the team. The just shows how getting swept really hurts in the standings. I'd probably be happy winning 1 out of 3, winning 2 or 3 would be gravy. The team needs to continue winning at home and holding their own on the road. Gorzo has had some really good games in Wrigley, but some terrible ones too. We'll see how he does this afternoon.
The problem, as I see it, against the Cubs is that we have 4 lefty starters, 3 going in this series, Soriano, Lee, Ramirez, and Soto all hit right-handed. Basically all of their power and run production matches up statistically in their favor.
I think today's game is a big one because Gorzo vs. Marshall is probably the only matchup in our favor. Zambrano has been lights out this year and Marquis has always given us trouble.
The Pirates have been impressing me lately....I can see them taking two in this series because of their strong pitching of late and I like how McClouth and Bay have been hitting.
0-7 against the Cubs, and this was the game we really needed. Uphill climb now against Zambrano and Marquis.
Looks like we are hitting and Mient continues to impress with what he brings from the bench, but our pitching, our STARTING pitching must contain the Cubs bats, they kill us early and then we cannot catch up.
We need AT LEAST a win in Chicago and then we need to win the series at home in order to turn tis around. We're still in the hunt for .500 but the north side is an obstacle.
Bats came around to late. Soriano didn't help by hitting the first pitch he saw into left field. The pitchers gotta avoid that power they have and take the chances with the smaller bats.
Zambrano is human, hopefully he has a bad day and the bucs can steal one in Chicago.
The Cubs are single handedly crushing the Pirates hopes of .500 and competing. Gotta win on the road and in your division.
