Abbatacola: Cubs Drop Opener To Dodgers
By Matt Abbatacola
CHICAGO (WSCR) -- It was a tough day all around for Casey Coleman as the Cubs lost 12-2 to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The young pitcher was making his third start of the season because of injuries in the Cubs rotation.
The start of the game was delayed by an hour and fourteen minutes because of rain.
When the game began, the Dodgers got the first three batters on base with two walks and a fielder's choice. Coleman was able to get out of the inning by striking out Matt Kemp and Juan Uribe.
He breezed through the second inning and then the game got away from him.
The Dodgers sent 11 men to the plate in the third inning. A double, five singles, and two walks later, Coleman was pulled from the game.
The low point of the inning appeared to be a bases-loaded walk to Jerry Sands, but two batters later, the pitcher, Chad Billingsley, added insult to injury with an RBI single of his own.
Coleman finished the day with 2 2/3 innings pitched, 6 hits, 6ER, 4BB, 4K, and the loss.
After the game, Coleman said he was "inconsistent" and "didn't do a good job slowing down the game" when the Dodgers put together their big inning.
For now, Coleman will remain in the Cubs rotation as Mike Quade said, "I think people are allowed a mulligan or two".
Andrew Cashner and Randy Wells both threw today for the first time since being placed on the DL. They threw on a flat surface and eventually reached a distance of sixty feet -- reports from both pitchers said it went well and they felt good.
Same two teams tomorrow at 12:05 with Ryan Dempster facing former teammate Ted Lilly.
