News

Cubs try and move closer to NL Central crown in opener with Bucs

Right-hander Jason Marquis begins the playoff homestretch for the surging Chicago Cubs today at Wrigley Field when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates in the opening contest of a three-game weekend set.

The Cubs enter the series with a 1 1/2-game lead in the National League's Central Division over the Milwaukee Brewers, who were beaten, 3-1, on Thursday night in Atlanta while Chicago was idle.

Chicago has nine games remaining on its 2007 schedule.

Marquis a 29-year-old native of Manhasset, N.Y., is 2-0 with two no-decisions in his last four starts since a 5-4 loss to Arizona on August 26. He beat the St. Louis Cardinals on September 16 in St. Louis, allowing five hits and a run over 6 1/3 innings of a 4-2 triumph.

Marquis is 5-5 lifetime against the Pirates in 17 appearances - 13 starts.

Lefty Paul Maholm is unbeaten in five starts against the Cubs.

The 25-year-old, a first-round draft choice out of Mississippi State in 2003, beat them, 8-4, on July 6 to improve his career mark against them to 4-0 in five starts with a 4.94 earned run average.

He was raked by the Houston Astros in his last outing, however, surrendering 11 hits and 10 runs in just 2 2/3 innings of a 15-3 loss on September 16.

That loss snapped a four-start unbeaten streak, during which he'd gone 3-0 with a no-decision between August 13 and August 28.

On Thursday in San Diego, Kevin Kouzmanoff and Michael Barrett each hit two- run doubles and Brett Tomko pitched six strong innings, as the surging Padres continued their march to the postseason with a 6-3 win over the Pirates.

Pittsburgh had the tying run at the plate with two outs in the ninth, but Trevor Hoffman got Matt Kata to pop out for his 40th save of the season.

Carlos Maldonado homered and Nyjer Morgan tripled and scored a pair of runs for the Pirates, who have lost six in a row.

On Wednesday in Chicago, Alfonso Soriano homered and threw a runner out at the plate, and the Cubs scored the go-ahead run on an odd play in the eighth inning in a 3-2 win over Cincinnati.

Geovany Soto also homered for Chicago, which got seven strong innings and eight strikeouts on the mound from Ted Lilly. Bob Howry (6-7) allowed one hit over the final two innings for the win.

Pittsburgh has won seven of its 12 matchups with the Cubs this season, and have won 10 of its last 14 at Wrigley.

About 724Sports.com

724Sports.com is an online gambling site with sports betting, online poker, online casino and horse racebook. At our online sportsbook you can bet on NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, Football, Soccer, Golf, Tennis, Baseball and Horse Racing.