Cubs reschedule postponed Wednesday Brewers' game
There wasn't much grousing Wednesday when the Cubs announced their scheduled night game against the Milwaukee Brewers had been postponed. The two teams played in brutally cold conditions Tuesday night, and the only thing added to those conditions Wednesday was rain. Thus, the postponement.
“I think tonight would have been a little above anybody's need to be playing baseball in this,” said Cubs manager Dale Sveum. “Last night was about as tough as you're going to get, and tonight probably would have been to where you couldn't even really function.”
The Cubs and Brewers will make up the game Tuesday, July 30 at 1:20 p.m. as part of a day-night doubleheader, with the regularly scheduled game beginning at 7:05 p.m.
The San Francisco Giants invade Wrigley Field Thursday for a four-game series. Sveum said he would keep his pitching rotation intact, meaning that right-hander Scott Feldman will start Thursday afternoon and be followed in the rotation by Carlos Villanueva, Jeff Samardzija and Edwin Jackson. Travis Wood, who pitched Tuesday night, will be pushed back from Sunday to next Tuesday night's series opener against Texas at Wrigley Field.
“The wind is what separates this place from everywhere else,” Sveum said of Wrigley. “We've all played in cold places and on cold days, you usually don't get that kind of wind like we do here.”
Hitting those lefties:Sveum said he was glad to see first baseman Anthony Rizzo get a big hit off a left-handed pitcher in Tuesday night's 6-3 victory. The Brewers brought lefty Mike Gonzalez in to face Rizzo in the seventh inning, and Rizzo hit a game-tying RBI double. The left-handed-hitting Rizzo is now 1-for-7 against left-handed pitching in the early going. Last season, Rizzo had a hitting line of .208/.243/.356 with 4 homers against left-handed pitching. Against right-handers, his line was .318/.383/.508 with 11 homers. #8220;Hopefully, it's huge,#8221; Sveum said. #8220;He hasn't been, obviously, hitting with a lot of confidence off lefties. And to do it off a breaking ball was even better, the way he stayed on it and stayed with it. Those are the kinds of things, a lot of things, that springboard you into getting hot, too.#8221;No luck at Wrigley:Speaking of Travis Wood, he got a no-decision Tuesday night despite turning in the second of the Cubs' 4 quality starts. Wood is winless in his last 10 starts at Wrigley Field, dating to July 17, 2012. He is 0-5 with a 4.99 ERA in that span and has received 2 or fewer runs of support in 7 of the 10 outings. The Marmol situation:Is it possible the media were reading too much into exiled closer Carlos Marmol coming in for the eighth inning and earning the win Tuesday night?Sveum pointed out after the game that right-handed setup man Shawn Camp was not available to pitch, ostensibly because he threw 30 pitches Monday. #8220;That's going to be Camp's and (James) Russell's and whatever,#8221; Sveum said. #8220;He (Marmol) is just not going to be the closer. The other roles are going to be what they are.#8221;Cubs scouting reportCubs vs. San Francisco Giants at Wrigley FieldTV: Comcast SportsNet Thursday and Friday; FOX Saturday; WGN Channel 9 SundayRadio: WGN 720-AMPitching matchups: The Cubs' Scott Feldman (0-1) vs. Ryan Vogelsong (0-1) Thursday at 1:20 p.m.; Carlos Villanueva (0-0) vs. Matt Cain (0-1) Friday at 1:20 p.m.; Jeff Samardzija (1-1) vs. Madison Bumgarner (2-0) Saturday at 12:05 p.m.; Edwin Jackson (0-2) vs. Tim Lincecum (1-0) Sunday at 1:20 p.m.At a glance: The Cubs were 1-6 against the Giants last year, 1-2 at Wrigley Field. The Giants blew out the Rockies 10-0 Wednesday to sweep a three-game series. Former Cub Angel Pagan is off to a .361 start. Outfielder Andres Torres, who went to spring training with the Cubs a few years back, was 3-for-5 with 2 RBI Wednesday. The Cubs have a 3.95 team ERA, which puts them in the middle of the pack in the National League. Sergio Romo has 5 saves for the Giants. Hunter Pence leads the team with 3 homers.Next: Texas Rangers at Wrigley Field, Tuesday-Thursday— Bruce Miles