GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NL: CHICAGO CUBS (83-73) at FLORIDA (66-90)

Willis, Marlins slow down first-place Cubs

<h3>FLORIDA 4, CHICAGO CUBS 2</h3>MIAMI (Ticker) -- Dontrelle Willis made sure the Chicago Cubsaren't readying for the postseason just yet.


Willis tossed eight solid innings and Jeremy Hermida had threehits and two RBI as the Florida Marlins held on for a 4-2victory over the first-place Cubs in the opener of a three-gameset at Dolphin Stadium on Tuesday night.


With the loss, Chicago (83-74), is just 2 1/2 games ahead of theMilwaukee Brewers (80-76) in the National League CentralDivision. The Brewers face the St. Louis Cardinals laterTuesday.


Chicago has not qualified for the postseason since 2003 when itsuffered an excruciating seven-game defeat in the NLChampionship Series to the eventual World Series championMarlins. That series was marred by Cubs' fan Steve Bartman, whointerfered with Chicago left fielder Moises Alou - leading to aneight-run eighth inning and an eventual loss in Game Six.

"We're not going to make any excuses. We just didn't hit," Cubsmanager Lou Piniella said. "The innings we did get the leadoffbatters on, we wind up hitting into double plays. That's thekind of night it was."


Willis (10-15), who appeared in relief in that contest, againstopped the Cubs in this one - allowing two runs and two hits.He also walked three and struck out seven, setting the clubrecord for career strikeouts with 755 - surpassing A.J. Burnett(753).


"He had his sinker working tonight," said Cubs first basemanDerrek Lee, who managed one of the three hits off Willis. "Wecouldn't do much of anything against him at all until Craig gotthat hit."


Lee Gardner recorded the first two outs of the ninth and TaylorTankersley got Cliff Floyd - who represented the tying run as apinch hitter for Matt Murton - to fly out to left to end thegame for his first save of the season.


"We ran into a very tough pitcher," Murton said. "He really dida good job of controlling our lineup."


All the offense Willis needed came in the second inning.

Hanley Ramirez started the scoring with an RBI single off Cubsstarter Ted Lilly (15-8), and Dan Uggla added a sacrifice fly tomake it 2-0. Hermida then capped the scoring in the frame witha two-run grounds-rule double to give his team an earlyfour-run advantage.


Willis allowed a two-run homer to Craig Monroe in eighth - oneof only three hits for Chicago in the contest.


"Just getting outs quickly and keeping our defense off the fieldand keeping them fresh," Willis said about one of his betteroutings this season. "They made some big plays because theywere on their toes, and I was able to throw strikes and keep theball in play."


Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez said that was the Willis of old.

"This is his (Willis') second or third outing in a row wherehe's thrown the ball really well," Gonzalez said. "He's got anice little roll going here at the end of the season."

Aramis Ramirez, who was ejected in the ninth inning by homeplate umpire Andy Fletcher for continuing to argue pitchlocation after flying out, was impressed with the way Willisbattled through tough situations.


"He fell behind a lot of batters but, to his credit, he camethrough with the pitches he needed when he had to," Ramirezsaid.


Lilly also had nothing but positive things to say about Willis'performance.


"I have so much respect for Dontrelle," Lilly said. "He's had atough year but he's such a competitor. He showed tonight whathe's capable of on any given night."


Lilly yielded four runs and eight hits in five innings whilestriking out five and walking one for the Cubs.


"That one bad inning. That's all it takes sometimes," Lillysaid. "I left it up a little bit on Hermida, and he makes mepay. That actually turned out to be the difference in the gamebecause Craig comes back and makes it 4-2."

 

Willis, Marlins slow down first-place Cubs

<h3>FLORIDA 4, CHICAGO CUBS 2</h3>MIAMI (Ticker) -- Dontrelle Willis made sure the Chicago Cubsaren't readying for the postseason just yet.


Willis tossed eight solid innings and Jeremy Hermida had threehits and two RBI as the Florida Marlins held on for a 4-2victory over the first-place Cubs in the opener of a three-gameset at Dolphin Stadium on Tuesday night.


With the loss, Chicago (83-74), is just two games ahead of theMilwaukee Brewers (81-76) in the National League CentralDivision.


Chicago has not qualified for the postseason since 2003 when itsuffered an excruciating seven-game defeat in the NLChampionship Series to the eventual World Series championMarlins. That series was marred by Cubs' fan Steve Bartman, whointerfered with Chicago left fielder Moises Alou - leading to aneight-run eighth inning and an eventual loss in Game Six.

"We're not going to make any excuses. We just didn't hit," Cubsmanager Lou Piniella said. "The innings we did get the leadoffbatters on, we wind up hitting into double plays. That's thekind of night it was."


Willis (10-15), who appeared in relief in that contest, againstopped the Cubs in this one - allowing two runs and two hits.He also walked three and struck out seven, setting the clubrecord for career strikeouts with 755 - surpassing A.J. Burnett(753).


"He had his sinker working tonight," said Cubs first basemanDerrek Lee, who managed one of the three hits off Willis. "Wecouldn't do much of anything against him at all until Craig gotthat hit."


Lee Gardner recorded the first two outs of the ninth and TaylorTankersley got Cliff Floyd - who represented the tying run as apinch hitter for Matt Murton - to fly out to left to end thegame for his first save of the season.


"We ran into a very tough pitcher," Murton said. "He really dida good job of controlling our lineup."


All the offense Willis needed came in the second inning.

Hanley Ramirez started the scoring with an RBI single off Cubsstarter Ted Lilly (15-8), and Dan Uggla added a sacrifice fly tomake it 2-0. Hermida then capped the scoring in the frame witha two-run grounds-rule double to give his team an earlyfour-run advantage.


Willis allowed a two-run homer to Craig Monroe in eighth - oneof only three hits for Chicago in the contest.


"Just getting outs quickly and keeping our defense off the fieldand keeping them fresh," Willis said about one of his betteroutings this season. "They made some big plays because theywere on their toes, and I was able to throw strikes and keep theball in play."


Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez said that was the Willis of old.

"This is his (Willis') second or third outing in a row wherehe's thrown the ball really well," Gonzalez said. "He's got anice little roll going here at the end of the season."

Aramis Ramirez, who was ejected in the ninth inning by homeplate umpire Andy Fletcher for continuing to argue pitchlocation after flying out, was impressed with the way Willisbattled through tough situations.


"He fell behind a lot of batters but, to his credit, he camethrough with the pitches he needed when he had to," Ramirezsaid.


Lilly also had nothing but positive things to say about Willis'performance.


"I have so much respect for Dontrelle," Lilly said. "He's had atough year but he's such a competitor. He showed tonight whathe's capable of on any given night."


Lilly yielded four runs and eight hits in five innings whilestriking out five and walking one for the Cubs.


"That one bad inning. That's all it takes sometimes," Lillysaid. "I left it up a little bit on Hermida, and he makes mepay. That actually turned out to be the difference in the gamebecause Craig comes back and makes it 4-2."