GAME THREAD: NL: HOUSTON (39-51) at CHICAGO CUBS (45-43)

NL: HOUSTON (39-51) at CHICAGO CUBS (45-43)

<h3>Lilly, Cubs look to edge closer to first place, face Astros</h3>



Houston (39-51) at Chicago Cubs (45-43) 3:55 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Chicago Cubs look to Ted Lilly to keepthem within striking distance of first place.


Lilly and the Cubs aim to win their third straight home serieswhen they face the Houston Astros on Saturday.


Fellow Chicago starter Carlos Zambrano yielded just three hitsin 6 2/3 innings of a 6-0 shutout over Houston on Friday. Thevictory helped the Cubs close to within 3 1/2 games of NationalLeague Central-leading Milwaukee, who lost to the ColoradoRockies.


Lilly (8-4, 3.67 ERA) looks to win his fifth straight decisionafter surrendering only a run and eight hits in 7 1/3 innings ina 7-1 victory vs. Pittsburgh last Saturday. The 31-year-oldlefthander, who is 4-0 with a 3.06 ERA in his last five starts,is 0-1 in two career outings vs. Houston.


The Astros counter with All-Star Roy Oswalt (8-5, 3.53), who didnot participate in Tuesday's MidSummer Classic.


Oswalt is 10-9 in his career vs. Chicago, but was just 1-3 vs.the Cubs last season.


The 29-year-old righthander allowed three runs and seven hits inseven innings in an 8-3 win over the New York Mets in his lastouting on Sunday.


Houston has lost four of its last six games.

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">HOUSTON AT CHICAGO CUBS -- LINEUPS

HOUSTON CHICAGO CUBS
AVG HR RBI AVG HR RBI
Chris Burke 2B .235 2 11 Alfonso Soriano LF .311 15 33
Hunter Pence CF .341 11 42 Cesar Izturis SS .242 0 8
Mark Loretta 1B .317 2 29 Derrek Lee 1B .330 6 44
Carlos Lee LF .299 16 73 Aramis Ramirez 3B .307 15 52
Lance Berkman RF .261 15 57 Cliff Floyd RF .297 4 30
Morgan Ensberg 3B .210 7 25 Mark Derosa 2B .293 7 49
Eric Bruntlett SS .300 0 3 Jacque Jones CF .233 2 21
Brad Ausmus C .249 2 18 Rob Bowen C .220 2 13
Roy Oswalt RHP .132 0 0 Ted Lilly LHP .132 0 2
(8-5, 3.53) (8-4, 3.67)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">NL AT CHICAGO CUBS
WARMUPS: HOU - ROY OSWALT (8-5, 3.53)
CHN - TED LILLY (8-4, 3.67)

UMPIRES: HP - LARRY VANOVER
1B - TONY RANDAZZO
2B - CHARLIE RELIFORD
3B - GREG GIBSON

WEATHER: 84 Degrees, partly cloudy
WIND: 18 mph, out to right</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">NL AT CHICAGO CUBS
STARTING BATS: HOU - ROY OSWALT AND BRAD AUSMUS
CHN - TED LILLY AND ROB BOWEN

DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: C BURKE (.235, 2 HR, 11 RBI)
H PENCE (.341, 11 HR, 42 RBI)
M LORETTA (.317, 2 HR, 29 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">NL AT CHICAGO CUBS - SCORING UPDATE
GROUND OUT BY HUNTER PENCE SCORED CHRIS BURKE.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, NONE ON, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 1
CHICAGO CUBS 0 TOP, 1ST

DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: M LORETTA (.317, 2 HR, 29 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 1 1 1 0
CHICAGO CUBS 0 0 0 (BOT 1)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - ROY OSWALT
CHN - TED LILLY

DUE UP FOR CHICAGO CUBS: A SORIANO (.311, 15 HR, 33 RBI)
C IZTURIS (.242, 0 HR, 8 RBI)
D LEE (.330, 6 HR, 44 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (1) VS CHICAGO CUBS (0) - MID 1ST - IN PROGRESS

HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Burke 2b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .240
H Pence cf 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 .339
M Loretta 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .316
C Lee lf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .299
L Berkman rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .260
M Ensberg 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .210
E Bruntlett ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .300
B Ausmus c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .249
R Oswalt p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .132

Totals 4 1 1 1 1 1 1

BATTING: 3B - C Burke (2, T Lilly). RBI - H Pence (43). Team LOB - 1.


CHICAGO CUBS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
A Soriano lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .311
C Izturis ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .242
D Lee 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .330
A Ramirez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .307
C Floyd rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297
M DeRosa 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293
J Jones cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233
R Bowen c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .220
T Lilly p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .132

Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.


----------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - 1 -- 1
CHICAGO CUBS - -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
R Oswalt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3.53

CHICAGO CUBS ip h r er bb so hr era
T Lilly 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 3.72

Pitches-strikes: T Lilly 26-15. Ground balls-fly balls: T Lilly 1-1. Batters
faced: T Lilly 5.

UMPIRES: HP--Larry Vanover. 1B--Tony Randazzo. 2B--Charlie Reliford. 3B--Greg
Gibson.

Weather: 80 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 15 mph, out to right.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">NL AT CHICAGO CUBS
CONFIRMED STARTERS: HOU - ROY OSWALT
CHN - TED LILLY</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 1 1 1 0
CHICAGO CUBS 0 0 0 0 (TOP 2)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - ROY OSWALT
CHN - TED LILLY

DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: M ENSBERG (.210, 7 HR, 25 RBI)
E BRUNTLETT (.300, 0 HR, 3 RBI)
B AUSMUS (.249, 2 HR, 18 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (1) VS CHICAGO CUBS (0) - END 1ST - IN PROGRESS

HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Burke 2b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .240
H Pence cf 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 .339
M Loretta 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .316
C Lee lf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .299
L Berkman rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .260
M Ensberg 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .210
E Bruntlett ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .300
B Ausmus c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .249
R Oswalt p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .132

Totals 4 1 1 1 1 1 1

BATTING: 3B - C Burke (2, T Lilly). RBI - H Pence (43). Team LOB - 1.


CHICAGO CUBS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
A Soriano lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .310
C Izturis ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .241
D Lee 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .329
A Ramirez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .307
C Floyd rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297
M DeRosa 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293
J Jones cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233
R Bowen c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .220
T Lilly p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .132

Totals 3 0 0 0 0 1 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.


----------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - 1 -- 1
CHICAGO CUBS - 0 -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
R Oswalt 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.51

CHICAGO CUBS ip h r er bb so hr era
T Lilly 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 3.72

Pitches-strikes: R Oswalt 10-6; T Lilly 26-15. Ground balls-fly balls: R
Oswalt 2-0; T Lilly 1-1. Batters faced: R Oswalt 3; T Lilly 5.

UMPIRES: HP--Larry Vanover. 1B--Tony Randazzo. 2B--Charlie Reliford. 3B--Greg
Gibson.

Weather: 80 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 15 mph, out to right.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">NL AT CHICAGO CUBS - MID INNING UPDATE
PLAY: M Fontenot at second base.
SITUATION: 0 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 1
CHICAGO CUBS 0 TOP, 2ND

DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: M Ensberg (.210, 7 HR, 25 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">NL AT CHICAGO CUBS - MID INNING UPDATE
PLAY: M DeRosa in right field.
SITUATION: 0 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: HOUSTON 1
CHICAGO CUBS 0 TOP, 2ND

DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: M Ensberg (.210, 7 HR, 25 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 1 0 1 1 0
CHICAGO CUBS 0 0 0 0 (BOT 2)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - ROY OSWALT
CHN - TED LILLY

DUE UP FOR CHICAGO CUBS: A RAMIREZ (.307, 15 HR, 52 RBI)
M FONTENOT (.356, 3 HR, 16 RBI)
M DEROSA (.293, 7 HR, 49 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (1) VS CHICAGO CUBS (0) - MID 2ND - IN PROGRESS

HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Burke 2b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .240
H Pence cf 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 .339
M Loretta 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .316
C Lee lf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .299
L Berkman rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .260
M Ensberg 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .209
E Bruntlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293
B Ausmus c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .248
R Oswalt p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .132

Totals 7 1 1 1 1 1 1

BATTING: 3B - C Burke (2, T Lilly). RBI - H Pence (43). Team LOB - 1.


CHICAGO CUBS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
A Soriano lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .310
C Izturis ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .241
D Lee 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .329
A Ramirez 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .307
C Floyd rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297
M Fontenot 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .356
M DeRosa 2b-rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293
J Jones cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233
R Bowen c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .220
T Lilly p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .132

Totals 3 0 0 0 0 1 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.


----------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - 10 -- 1
CHICAGO CUBS - 0 -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
R Oswalt 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 3.51

CHICAGO CUBS ip h r er bb so hr era
T Lilly 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 3.69

Pitches-strikes: R Oswalt 10-6; T Lilly 31-20. Ground balls-fly balls: R
Oswalt 2-0; T Lilly 2-3. Batters faced: R Oswalt 3; T Lilly 8.

UMPIRES: HP--Larry Vanover. 1B--Tony Randazzo. 2B--Charlie Reliford. 3B--Greg
Gibson.

Weather: 80 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 15 mph, out to right.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 1 0 1 1 0
CHICAGO CUBS 0 0 0 0 0 (TOP 3)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - ROY OSWALT
CHN - TED LILLY

DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: R OSWALT (.132, 0 HR, 0 RBI)
C BURKE (.240, 1-FOR-1)
H PENCE (.339, 0-FOR-1, RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (1) VS CHICAGO CUBS (0) - END 2ND - IN PROGRESS

HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Burke 2b 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 .240
H Pence cf 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 .339
M Loretta 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .316
C Lee lf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .299
L Berkman rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .260
M Ensberg 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .209
E Bruntlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293
B Ausmus c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .248
R Oswalt p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .132

Totals 7 1 1 1 1 1 1

BATTING: 3B - C Burke (2, T Lilly). RBI - H Pence (43). Team LOB - 1.


CHICAGO CUBS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
A Soriano lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .310
C Izturis ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .241
D Lee 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .329
A Ramirez 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .306
C Floyd rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297
M Fontenot 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .352
M DeRosa 2b-rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .292
J Jones cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233
R Bowen c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .220
T Lilly p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .132

Totals 6 0 0 0 0 2 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.


----------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - 10 -- 1
CHICAGO CUBS - 00 -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
R Oswalt 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 3.48

CHICAGO CUBS ip h r er bb so hr era
T Lilly 2 1 1 1 1 1 0 3.69

Pitches-strikes: R Oswalt 22-13; T Lilly 31-20. Ground balls-fly balls: R
Oswalt 2-2; T Lilly 2-3. Batters faced: R Oswalt 6; T Lilly 8.

UMPIRES: HP--Larry Vanover. 1B--Tony Randazzo. 2B--Charlie Reliford. 3B--Greg
Gibson.

Weather: 80 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 15 mph, out to right.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 1 0 0 1 1 0
CHICAGO CUBS 0 0 0 0 0 (BOT 3)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - ROY OSWALT
CHN - TED LILLY

DUE UP FOR CHICAGO CUBS: J JONES (.233, 2 HR, 21 RBI)
R BOWEN (.220, 2 HR, 13 RBI)
T LILLY (.132, 0 HR, 2 RBI)</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (1) VS CHICAGO CUBS (0) - MID 3RD - IN PROGRESS

HOUSTON ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
C Burke 2b 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 .238
H Pence cf 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 .338
M Loretta 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .316
C Lee lf 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .299
L Berkman rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .260
M Ensberg 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .209
E Bruntlett ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .293
B Ausmus c 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .248
R Oswalt p 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .128

Totals 10 1 1 1 1 3 1

BATTING: 3B - C Burke (2, T Lilly). RBI - H Pence (43). Team LOB - 1.


CHICAGO CUBS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
A Soriano lf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .310
C Izturis ss 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .241
D Lee 1b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .329
A Ramirez 3b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .306
C Floyd rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .297
M Fontenot 2b 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .352
M DeRosa 2b-rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .292
J Jones cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .233
R Bowen c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .220
T Lilly p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .132

Totals 6 0 0 0 0 2 0

BATTING: Team LOB - 0.


----------------------------------------------------
HOUSTON - 100 -- 1
CHICAGO CUBS - 00 -- 0
----------------------------------------------------

HOUSTON ip h r er bb so hr era
R Oswalt 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 3.48

CHICAGO CUBS ip h r er bb so hr era
T Lilly 3 1 1 1 1 3 0 3.66

Pitches-strikes: R Oswalt 22-13; T Lilly 43-29. Ground balls-fly balls: R
Oswalt 2-2; T Lilly 2-4. Batters faced: R Oswalt 6; T Lilly 11.

UMPIRES: HP--Larry Vanover. 1B--Tony Randazzo. 2B--Charlie Reliford. 3B--Greg
Gibson.

Weather: 80 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 15 mph, out to right.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">NL HOUSTON AT CHICAGO CUBS
NOTE: CHICAGO RIGHT FIELDER CLIFF FLOYD LEFT THE GAME IN
THE TOP OF THE SECOND INNING WITH A STRAINED LEFT SHOULDER.</div>

 

NL: HOUSTON at CHICAGO CUBS

<div class="pre">NL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
HOUSTON 1 0 0 1 1 0
CHICAGO CUBS 0 0 0 0 0 0 (TOP 4)

CURRENT PITCHERS: HOU - ROY OSWALT
CHN - TED LILLY

DUE UP FOR HOUSTON: M LORETTA (.316, 0-FOR-1)
C LEE (.299, 0-FOR-0, BB)
L BERKMAN (.260, 0-FOR-1)</div>