Abbatacola: Cubs Fall To Cardinals Despite 13 Hits
By Matt Abbatacola--
CHICAGO (WSCR) Chicago dropped game one to St. Louis 6-4.
Chris Carpenter entered Wednesday's game with the Cubs without a victory on the season. Chicago managed 13 hits and 4 runs off the righty, but failed to keep him winless. Albert Pujols led the way for St. Louis with four hits including a double. Starting third baseman, Daniel Descalso, gave the Cardinals the lead in the 8th inning. With two outs and a 2-2 count and facing relief pitcher, Kerry Wood, Descalso singled into right field with the bases loaded and scored Pujols and Matt Holliday.
The two teams combined for 24 hits and 10 runs on a night when the wind was blowing in at Wrigley Field. The Cubs hit 13 singles while St. Louis managed to hit three doubles and a triple. The last time the Cubs had 13 singles in one game was June 1st of 1997 against the Cincinnati Reds.
Marlon Byrd extended his hitting streak to 11 games going 2 for 5 with a run scored. Aramis Ramirez was 3 for 5 on the evening with a team leading 2 RBI. He has posted a .352 average against the Cardinals since the start of the 2009 season. In that span, he has hit safely in all 14 games against St. Louis at Wrigley Field. Darwin Barney was 3 for 4 scoring 2 runs and was also hit by a pitch. He is hitting .331 on the season.
Carlos Zambrano pitched 7 innings giving up 8 hits and 4 earned runs. He has pitched 6 or more innings in six of his eight starts, including his last three.
Geovany Soto left the game in the first inning with a left groin strain. He was replaced by Koyie Hill who went 0 for 4 on the night. He was also involved in a play at home that scored Nick Punto on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ryan Theriot, The throw from Kosuke Fukudome came to the catcher in plenty of time to get Punto, but Hill couldn't hold on to the ball and apply the tag. Catcher, Welington Castillo, will most likely join the Cubs from the Iowa roster for tomorrow's game. Castillo was pulled from the Iowa Cubs' game in Colorado Springs, yet nothing official has been announced by the club. Soto will have an MRI in the morning to determine the severity of his injury.
Former Cub, Ryan Theriot, was greeted by the close to capacity crowd with a loud roar of booing each time he approached the plate.
Matt Garza (1-4 4.43) opposes Jake Westbrook (2-2 6.14) in Wednesday's game - first pitch is scheduled for 7:05.
