Abbatacola: Cubs Swept By Last Place Houston
By Matt Abbatacola
CHICAGO (CBS) The Cubs lost again to the Astros to drop their record to 23-31 overall and 12-19 at Wrigley Field.
Kosuke Fukudome got the Cubs on the board first with a lead-off homer. It was his second home run of the season and the third time in his career that he led-off a game with a home run.
In the top of the second, Jason Michaels tied the game up with his first homer of the year.
In the top of the seventh with the score tied at one, Aramis Ramirez was injured making a play for a hard-hit grounder down the third baseline. He was walked off the field by the trainer who had a towel placed over Ramirez's face. The play gave Houston runners at first and second with one out - Quade made a double-switch putting D.J. LeMahieu at third and bringing in reliever, Kerry Wood. He walked the first batter he faced - loading the bases for the Astros. Pinch-hitter, Angel Sanchez, struck out looking to give the Cubs the second out of the inning. Sean Marshall came on in relief of Wood. He immediately gave up a two-run single to lead-off hitter, Michael Bourn, before striking out Clint Barmes to end the inning.
According to Cubs' PR, Ramirez cut his lip on the play which required a few stiches.
Doug Davis finished with 6 1/3 IP allowing three runs on eight hits while striking out five. It was Davis' best outing since joining the club.
Before the game, Carlos Zambrano gave the media a brief lesson on how to properly break a bat over your leg without getting injured. Quade who said last night that he wasn't going to address the bat-breaking habit with his starting pitcher eventually did and told Zambrano that if he needed to do something, that he should hit his manager instead.
The Cubs have an off day Thursday before starting a series with the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals on Friday. Dempster, Wells, and Zambrano will face Garcia, Lohse, and Carpenter.
