Games 11, 12

6-6

GAME 11

Well, James Russell started the game, he threw some baseballs at home plate....but things really didn't go according to plan. Unless his cunning plan was to just play for and inning and two thirds and to give up 5 runs on seven hits! Russell was follow up by Jeff Samardzja who didn't really fair any better. Samardzja went three innings giving up three runs on two hits to put the Cubs down eight to nothing.

The good news is that Cubs pitching didn't give up any home runs in the game. The bad news is that they did surrender 11 runs on 16 hits. When the Cubs finally got on the board in the seventh inning on a solo home run by Tyler Colvin the Astros answered right back with another four runs in the inning.

Brett Meyers pitched seven strong innings to pick up his first win of the season. Russell fell to one and one on the year.

GAME 12

Carlos Zambrano was again lights out for most of the five and two thirds innings that he pitched. Big Z was charged with five earned runs, all of which were given up in the sixth inning. With three walks and four runs Zambrano left the game with a 6-5 Cubs lead and a chance to pick up the win if the bullpen could hold the lead.

The Cubs put a five spot on the board in the first inning with a two run double by Jeff Baker and a three run home run by Alfonso Soriano.

The Astros fought back and tagged Zambrano in the sixth for five runs. RBI singles by Carlos Lee and Brett Wallace, and a RBI ground out from second baseman Bill Hall brought the Astros to 6-3.  Zambrano would then give up a 2-run home run to Matt Downs and walk catcher J.R. Towles before being lifted for reliever Marcos Mateo.

The insurance run in the top of the sixth ended being a big run as that run staked Zambrano to his one run lead. The home run, a solo home run to left center, came off the bat of the pitcher himself. Chicago would add 3 more runs in the top of the ninth on a double by Starlin Castro, a throwing error on a Marlon Byrd hit and a single to center by Aramis Ramirez put the final tally on the board to give the final score of 9-5.


Marmol finished out the gave in the ninth, even though it wasn't a save situation, striking out one. On the season Marmol already has ten strike outs to go with a record of 0-1 with four saves in six and a third innings on the season