5/26 CHC@LAD, 2:55 p.m.; TV: FOX; Radio: WGN

[ryno4ever]

RH Carlos Zambrano (4-4, 5.61) vs. LH Mark Hendrickson (2-1, 3.22)

Who's hot: Dodgers relievers have a combined 3.03 ERA, second in the league to San Diego. Cliff Floyd was 7-for-17 (.412) in seven games before Thursday night's start against the Padres. Will Ohman has limited left-handed hitters to a .136 average.

Who's not: Juan Pierre's .245 on-base percentage was second worst among NL leadoff men. The Cubs came into Thursday's action hitting .240 against left-handers and will face two of them in this series. Michael Barrett was hitless in 11 at-bats, hitting .179 in his previous eight games.

I'm not going to be able to do the play by play, but since it is on Fox and many can't get the game, I'll jump on and give some "highlights" for you!

[ryno4ever]

Z looks great today, so far (knock on wood). The offense is very impressive today... both on the mound and at the plate. He seems very relaxed today. He is pitching quickly and effectively. If he keeps his pace up, he should go deep into the game and not have to rely on the pen at all.

Ohman gave the "lineup" on Fox and called Zambrano the large Mammal!

Mark Grace is the color commentator today and is actually praising the Cubs!

They are focusing on the Cubs stats...not talking about the Dodgers.

One stat they keep going over, which really surprised me.... the Cubs are first place in the majors with the batting average with runners in scoring position!!!

Back to back jacks for the first time this year! Sweet times after a rough night.

Z's hustle down to first was awesome...he beat out the throw!

Grace also made a comment about the lack of consistency with this team.

[ryno4ever]

Grace also compllimented Ramirez as being the best productive current third basemen in the game today.

[ryno4ever]

Here's the play by play up until the top of the 5th inning.

Top 1st: Chi Cubs
- A. Soriano grounded out to second
- A. Pagan flied out to left
- D. Lee flied out to deep center

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 0, LA Dodgers 0

Bottom 1st: LA Dodgers
- J. Pierre flied out to right
- T. Abreu struck out swinging
- N. Garciaparra struck out swinging

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 0, LA Dodgers 0

Top 2nd: Chi Cubs
- A. Ramirez homered to deep right
- M. DeRosa homered to deep right
- M. Murton singled to second
- M. Murton to second on wild pitch
- H. Blanco grounded out to third
- C. Izturis singled to left, M. Murton to third
- C. Zambrano sacrificed to catcher, C. Izturis to second
- A. Soriano struck out swinging

2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 2, LA Dodgers 0

Bottom 2nd: LA Dodgers
- R. Martin struck out swinging
- L. Gonzalez singled to right center
- W. Betemit grounded into double play third to second to first, L. Gonzalez out at second

0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 2, LA Dodgers 0

Top 3rd: Chi Cubs
- A. Pagan struck out looking
- D. Lee lined out to first
- A. Ramirez struck out swinging

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 2, LA Dodgers 0

Bottom 3rd: LA Dodgers
- A. Ethier lined out to deep left
- R. Martinez grounded out to first
- M. Hendrickson struck out swinging

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 2, LA Dodgers 0

Top 4th: Chi Cubs
- M. DeRosa flied out to deep left center
- M. Murton doubled to deep left
- H. Blanco singled to left, M. Murton scored
- C. Izturis grounded into fielder's choice, H. Blanco out at second
- C. Zambrano singled to shortstop, C. Izturis to second
- A. Soriano singled to left center, C. Izturis scored, C. Zambrano to second
- A. Pagan struck out swinging

2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 4, LA Dodgers 0

Bottom 4th: LA Dodgers
- J. Pierre singled to left
- T. Abreu singled to right, J. Pierre to second
- N. Garciaparra fouled out to first
- R. Martin grounded out to third, J. Pierre to third, T. Abreu to second
- L. Gonzalez struck out looking

0 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 4, LA Dodgers 0

[ryno4ever]

Top 5th: Chi Cubs
- D. Lee grounded out to third
- A. Ramirez singled to second
- M. DeRosa grounded into double play shortstop to second to first, A. Ramirez out at second

0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 4, LA Dodgers 0

Bottom 5th: LA Dodgers
- W. Betemit struck out looking
- A. Ethier ground rule double to deep right
- R. Martinez grounded out to pitcher
- B. Clark hit for M. Hendrickson
- B. Clark lined out to first

0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 4, LA Dodgers 0

Top 6th: Chi Cubs
- C. Billingsley relieved M. Hendrickson
- M. Murton grounded out to pitcher
- H. Blanco struck out swinging
- C. Izturis singled to shortstop
- C. Zambrano grounded out to second

0 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 4, LA Dodgers 0

Bottom 6th: LA Dodgers
- J. Pierre flied out to center
- T. Abreu grounded out to shortstop
- N. Garciaparra flied out to right

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 4, LA Dodgers 0

Top 7th: Chi Cubs
- A. Soriano struck out swinging
- A. Pagan grounded out to pitcher
- D. Lee grounded out to second

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 4, LA Dodgers 0

Bottom 7th: LA Dodgers
- R. Martin struck out swinging
- L. Gonzalez lined out to center
- W. Betemit homered to deep right
- A. Ethier grounded out to second

1 runs, 1 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 4, LA Dodgers 1

[ryno4ever]

Fox just said that Betemit's homer was the first 0-2 HIT allowed by Big Z this year!

[ryno4ever]

Top 8th: Chi Cubs
- A. Ramirez fouled out to shallow right
- M. DeRosa struck out looking
- M. Murton grounded out to second

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 4, LA Dodgers 1

Bottom 8th: LA Dodgers
- R. Martinez grounded out to first
- O. Saenz hit for C. Billingsley
- O. Saenz singled to left
- J. Pierre singled to center, O. Saenz to second
- T. Abreu struck out swinging
- N. Garciaparra singled to center, O. Saenz scored, J. Pierre to third
- R. Martin walked, N. Garciaparra to second
- W. Ohman relieved C. Zambrano
- J. Kent hit for L. Gonzalez
- J. Kent struck out looking

1 runs, 3 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 4, LA Dodgers 2

Top 9th: Chi Cubs
- A. LaRoche in left field
- B. Tomko relieved C. Billingsley
- O. Saenz at first
- H. Blanco grounded out to second
- C. Izturis grounded out to second
- D. Ward hit for W. Ohman
- D. Ward struck out swinging

0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors
Chi Cubs 4, LA Dodgers 2

Bottom 9th: LA Dodgers
- R. Dempster relieved W. Ohman
- W. Betemit struck out swinging
- A. Ethier singled to right
- M. Lieberthal hit for R. Martinez
- M. Lieberthal singled to left, A. Ethier to second
- O. Saenz grounded into double play shortstop to second to first, M. Lieberthal out at second

[ryno4ever]

Batting
2B - M Murton (6, M Hendrickson).

HR - A Ramirez (12, 2nd inning off M Hendrickson 0 on, 0 Out), M Derosa (5, 2nd inning off M Hendrickson 0 on, 0 Out).

S - C Zambrano.

RBI - A Ramirez (36), M DeRosa (21), H Blanco (3), A Soriano (12).

2-out RBI - A Soriano.

Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - A Soriano 2, A Pagan 1.

GIDP - M DeRosa.

Team LOB - 5.
Fielding
DP - 2 (A Ramirez-M DeRosa-D Lee, C Izturis-M DeRosa-D Lee).

Batting
2B - A Ethier (8, C Zambrano).

HR - W Betemit (5, 7th inning off C Zambrano 0 on, 2 Out).

RBI - W Betemit (15), N Garciaparra (28).

2-out RBI - W Betemit, N Garciaparra.

Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - L Gonzalez 2, J Kent 2, B Clark 1.

GIDP - W Betemit, O Saenz.

Team LOB - 7.
Fielding
DP - 1 (R Martinez-T Abreu-N Garciaparra).

[ryno4ever]

WP - M Hendrickson.

Pitches-strikes - C Zambrano 125-86; W Ohman 4-3; R Dempster 7-7; M Hendrickson 74-54; C Billingsley 40-27; B Tomko 19-11.

Ground balls-fly balls - C Zambrano 8-7; W Ohman 0-0; R Dempster 2-0; M Hendrickson 7-4; C Billingsley 5-1; B Tomko 2-0.

Batters faced - C Zambrano 31; W Ohman 1; R Dempster 4; M Hendrickson 23; C Billingsley 10; B Tomko 3.

Game Details
Umpires: HP--Doug Eddings. 1B--Dana Demuth. 2B--Derryl Cousins. 3B--Kerwin Danley.
Time: 2:33.
Attendance: 48,243.
Weather: 73 degrees, sunny.
Wind: 6 mph, out to center.


Game Notes

THE HOME RUNS BY CHICAGO'S ARAMIS RAMIREZ AND MARK DEROSA IN THE SECOND INNING WERE HIT BACK-TO-BACK.

[ARamfan]

Grace also compllimented Ramirez as being the best productive current third basemen in the game today.

Awwwww, I could have told him that! :D