Cubs create their own headaches in latest loss
CINCINNATI - Forget about the other teams. The Cubs are their own worst enemies these days.
Once again Sunday, it was the internal gremlins that sabotaged yet another good performance by a starting pitcher in the Cubs' 3-1 loss to the Reds.
The Cubs come home for Monday's Wrigley Field opener with a record of 2-4, having scored just 18 runs in Atlanta on Cincinnati.
Tom Gorzelanny turned in the Cubs' fifth straight quality start, but he was done in by both a nonexistent offense and a key error.
"We're not hitting with men on," said Cubs manager Lou Piniella, whose team's batting average stands at .197 to go with a low on-base percentage of .282 and a slugging percentage of .340.
"First inning, we had the bases loaded, meat part of our lineup coming up and the kid (Reds rookie pitcher Mike Leake) wriggled out.
"Gorzelanny pitched well, pitched very well. Outside of the opening-day start with (Carlos) Zambrano, our starters have all pitched really, really well."
Here is a look at what did in the Cubs on Sunday:
• With the bases loaded and nobody out in the first, Aramis Ramirez popped out, Marlon Byrd struck out and Alfonso Soriano flied out swinging at a first pitch. All this came against a pitcher making his major-league debut.
• The Nos. 4-7 hitters were a combined 0-for-15, and No. 8 hitter Geovany Soto (.091) was 0-for-2 but had 2 walks.
• The Cubs stranded 12 runners, two days after leaving 13 on base. In addition to striking out with the bases loaded in the first, Byrd grounded out to strand two in the third. He grounded into a double play with two on to end the fifth. In the seventh, Byrd flied out, again leaving two aboard.
Gorzelanny took a 1-0 lead into the seventh and got one out before giving up a single to Scott Rolen and a walk to Ramon Hernandez. That's when the defense, or left fielder Soriano's lack thereof, came into play.
Jonny Gomes lifted a flyball to deep left. Soriano ran over, but the ball went off his glove for an error that loaded the bases. Sean Marshall came on to pitch and gave up an infield single to tie the game.
"I saw it all the way, but at the last minute, I took my eyes off the ball and just thought about the wall," said Soriano, who is batting .143 and whose defense has declined in recent years.
"At the last moment I didn't have concentration because I was thinking about the wall. I took for one second, my eyes off the ball, and I think that's why I dropped it."
Piniella put Tyler Colvin into left in the eighth, but it was an inning too late.
"Look, when you're not scoring runs, you better put your best defense on the field," Piniella said in response to a question of whether he'd reconsider lifting Soriano routinely late in games.
"That I can tell you. You can't afford to give up runs when you're not scoring. We'll see what happens."
Reliever John Grabow (0-2, 13.50 ERA) was charged with 2 runs in the eighth, when the Reds scored twice to put it away. Esmailin Caridad, who had control trouble in Friday's loss, walked the first batter he faced, Hernandez, to force in a run before allowing a sacrifice fly.
"The one thing that's disappointing to me is all spring we had very, very few walks," Piniella said. "I compliment out pitchers for doing that, and then the season starts, and here come the walks. That's why sometime you look at spring training with a grain of salt."
<p class="factboxheadblack">Bruce Miles' game tracker</p>
<p class="News"><b>Five in a row:</b> Tom Gorzelanny turned in the Cubs' fifth straight quality start by working 61/3 innings and giving up 4 hits and 1 unearned run. In the 5 quality starts, Cubs starters have an ERA of 1.44. Gorzelanny had a well-placed fastball, and he credited his slider for keeping the Reds off balance.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Nice job, rook:</b> Reds pitcher Mike Leake, working in his first professional game, worked 62/3 innings, giving up 4 hits and 1 run. He walked seven and struck out five, throwing 106 pitches. Leake also singled in his first two times at-bat.</p>
<p class="News"><b>The quote:</b> First baseman Derrek Lee was asked whether questions would arise about new hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo in light of poor offense at the start of the season. "We didn't score runs last year, either. You should probably point the finger at us. The hitting coach can't hit for us."</p>
<p class="breakhead">Cubs scouting report</p>
<p class="News">Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field</p>
<p class="News"><b>TV: </b>Channel 9 Monday; Comcast SportsNet Wednesday and Thursday</p>
<p class="News"><b>Radio:</b> WGN 720-AM</p>
<p class="News"><b>Pitching matchups:</b> The Cubs' Ryan Dempster (0-0) vs. Doug Davis (0-0) Monday; Randy Wells (1-0) vs. Dave Bush (0-0) Wednesday; Carlos Zambrano (1-1) vs. Jeff Suppan (0-0) Thursday. All 1:20 p.m.</p>
<p class="News"><b>At a glance:</b> This is the Cubs' 95th home opener at Wrigley Field. They are 51-42-1 in Wrigley openers and 77-55-2 all time in home openers. Dempster will start his first home opener as a Cub. The Cubs were 10-7 vs. the Brewers last year, 5-3 at Wrigley. The Cubs have had a tough time against Davis, but Marlon Byrd is 6-for-19 against him. Aramis Ramirez has 3 homers vs. Bush. Derrek Lee bats .431 (22-for-51) with 5 homers vs. Suppan. Ex-Cub Jim Edmonds is 8-for-23 with 2 homers off Dempster. Prince Fielder is 12-for-33 with 2 homers vs. Zambrano.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Next:</b> Houston Astros at Wrigley Field, Friday-Sunday</p>
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<li><a href="/story/?id=372427">Cubs eager to check out changes at Wrigley<span class="date">[4/11/10]</span></a></li>
<li><a href="/story/?id=372422">Dempster excited about today's start <span class="date">[4/11/10]</span></a></li>
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