Karstens, Pirates stop Cubs' 5-game winning streak
After the Cubs scored 9 runs in a win over the Florida Marlins on Sunday, manager Lou Piniella said he hoped the bats would travel north to Milwaukee.
They did. The Cubs outscored the second-place Brewers 31-11 in polishing off a four-game sweep that expanded the Cubs' Central Division lead to 5 games.
The bats didn't travel south, however.
Pittsburgh pitcher Jeff Karstens, making just his 10th career start and the first in the National League, held the Cubs scoreless on 5 hits over 6 innings, and three relievers sealed a 3-0 victory for the Pirates in front of 41,340 frustrated fans at Wrigley Field.
Was Friday's poor showing a classic letdown by the Cubs after an intense series?
"I can't say 100 percent that we didn't have a letdown, but you definitely have to give that kid credit," Jim Edmonds said of Karstens. "It would be a shame not to give him the credit that he deserves."
A 25-year-old right hander, Karstens' previous major-league experience consisted of 9 starts with the Yankees over the span of two seasons.
He entered Friday's game with a career record of 3-5 and a 5.65 ERA, and he'd never faced anyone in the Cubs' starting lineup, which proved to be a problem for the division leaders,
The Cubs left the bases loaded against Karstens in the fourth inning, when Geovany Soto flew out harmlessly to center field. They stranded two runners in the fifth on a fielder's choice by Kosuke Fukudome, and they left another two runners to wither in the sixth when Karstens struck out Mike Fontenot, the final batter he faced.
The Cubs left 8 men on base overall and hit into 4 double plays.
"We hit into too many double plays to start with," Piniella said. "We had what, 4? They get you out of a lot of innings quick. Give their pitcher credit, too. He pitched well."
The lack of offensive support wasted a decent effort from Cubs starter Jason Marquis. He notched a quality start, allowing 3 runs on 8 hits in 6 innings.
The Pirates scored twice in the second inning on consecutive basehits by Jason Michaels and Jack Wilson. Michaels made it 3-0 in the sixth when he lined a solo shot to the left-field bleachers.
"I made some quality pitches," Marquis said. "Early on they were finding holes with the groundballs. Michaels put a good swing on the pitch in the sixth, but for the most part I was happy with the way things went and tried to keep my team in the game as best as possible."
Marquis did his job. His hitters didn't hold up their end of the bargain.
"We played a good ballgame, we just don't hit," said Aramis Ramirez, who went 2-for-3. "We got a lot of guys on base. We just don't get the key hit; we don't hit when they're in scoring position.
"If you don't do that, you ain't gonna win ballgames."
<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=225279">Key players will rest to beat the heat <span class="date">[08/02/08]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=225278">Who's Karstens? Cubs certainly know now <span class="date">[08/02/08]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>