Results tagged ‘ Brett Jackson ’
Rockies Return the Favor, Rally to Beat Cubs
One day after the Cubs rallied from a three run deficit to win the Rockies did the same thing. The Cubs built a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning only to see the Rockies get two right back in the fifth. The Rockies didn’t stop there as they scored single runs in the 6th and 7th to take a 4-3 lead. 
The Rockies bullpen took it from there as they tossed five shutout innings to shut down the Cubs to even the series at one. Brooks Raley was in line for the win before the Cubs pen blew a one run lead. Raley finished his day after five innings giving up two runs on five hits while walking three and striking out four. The Cubs looked poised to put up big offensive numbers today after scoring three times in the fourth inning, but they could only manage one hit over the final five innings. Brett Jackson is really turning it on at the plate, he was 2-for-3 today with his 3rd home run of the season, a double, a walk, and two RBI’s. Anthony Rizzo, Alfonso Soriano, and Starlin Castro were the only other Cubs to record a hit in the loss, all singles. The Cubs ran themselves out of two innings as Joe Mather and Starlin Castro were caught stealing in big spots.
Game Highlights:
Jackson’s Two Run Blast
Thanks for reading,
- George
Cubs Put Up a Fight, Sorta, But Fall Short
It was an uphill battle all day long for the Cubs, they were battling not only the Reds but themselves for the better part of the game. Mentally the Cubs were out of it again, Soriano was making base running errors, mental errors in the field, and Luis Valbuena had a 
great time watching the game on the bases instead of actually playing it. With all of that the Cubs were able to erase a 4-1 deficit to tie the game at four in the eighth inning, and made things interesting in the ninth. Brett Jackson somehow managed to hit a double off of all world closer Aroldis Chapman, but was then caught stealing third with one out, that would be something the Cubs would do today, nothing was going right. So you can guessed what happened next, before you could blink the Reds led off the ninth with a triple and two pitches later the game was over with the Reds winning 5-4. Chris Volstad got the start today, and he did an adequate job, not horrible, not terrific, something in the middle, and that’s okay from Volstad. He went six innings giving up four runs on seven hits while walking one and striking out four, if he gets hit I’m fine with it, he needs to avoid the walks and he did that today. David DeJesus led the offensive attack once again going 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and two runs scored in the loss. The Cubs only had seven hits but they were able to push across four runs as they were 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position. The Cubs travel to Milwaukee to start a three game series tomorrow night.
Game Highlights:
Castro’s RBI Single
DeJesus’ RBI Double
Soriano’s Sac Fly
Thanks for reading,
- George
Cubs Take Series Behind Germano’s Gem
Not bad at all for a guy that was acquired in a deal that many people forgot about because it was well before the trade deadline, and the madness that followed. But Justin Germano has quietly made a name for himself in the Cubs rotation, and if he continues to 
pitch like he did today he will have a future on this team. Germano earned his second win of the season going 6.1 innings giving up two runs on five hits while walking one and striking out six. A couple starts back Germano got 14 runs from his offense, today he got seven, he must be the lucky charm the offense has been searching for. I know that David DeJesus really likes when Germano is pitching as he was amazing today, having easily his best game as a Cub. DeJesus was 4-for-4 at the plate with two home runs, he came in with only two on the whole season. He finished the day with three RBI’s, a walk, and two runs scored, quite the day for the Cubs lead-off man. Brett Jackson also turned in a solid performance at the plate going 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, an RBI, and a run scored. It was great to see that as he has been struggling, so has Starlin Castro and he responded today as well going 3-for-4 with his 12th home run of the season and two RBI’s. The Cubs have an off day tomorrow as they will travel to Cincinnati for a weekend series that includes a double header on Saturday.
Game Highlights:
DeJesus’ Multi-HR Game
Germano’s Stellar Outing
Rizzo’s Heads Up Play
Rizzo and Castro Turn Two
Castro’s 12th HR on the Season
Jackson’s RBI Triple
Thanks for reading,
- George
August 13 – 15, 2012; vs. Astros – Series Preview
If you are a fan of well-played baseball you might want to avoid turning on the Cubs the next three days as they welcome to lowly Astros to town. The two teams are a combined 65 games under .500, the Astros being 40 under 
and the Cubs being 25 under. If you are interested in watching a race for who gets the number one pick in next years draft then this one is for you. The Cubs bats have gone silent, they were already pretty quiet to begin with by they are in full on mute mode right now. They were shut out on Sunday by the Reds, it was their 11th time being shut out this season. It was also the Cubs 11th loss in their last 12 games, and I would venture to say that this stretch of baseball is even worse than the 12 game losing streak earlier in the season. The Astros might be exactly what the Cubs need to get back on track, although they are coming off a series win over the Brewers. The good news is that the Cubs pitching staff won’t have to worry about Carlos Lee this time around as the Astros are much like the Cubs, full of guys trying to make a name for themselves heading into next year.
August 13, 2012 – August 15, 2012: Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
If this info is not enough, please go here to use the CSN channel finder to find CSN+ near you!
Here are the pitching matchups for the three game series.
Monday August 13, 2012
Houston: Armando Galarraga (0-2, 4.70 ERA)
Cubs: Jeff Samardzija (7-10, 4.21ERA)
No one has really heard much from Armando Galarraga since his perfect game that wasn’t while he was with the Tigers. That’s because he has been living in the minor leagues since then aside from a handful of starts with the D-Backs last year. He is now getting a shot to see what he can do at the major league level with the Astros. Galarraga has some experience against the Cubs, making three career starts going 2-1 with a 4.95 ERA and a 1.050 WHIP. Jeff Samardzija is coming off a stellar seven inning start against the Padres and has seen a lot of the Astros, out of the bullpen. He has only made one career start against the Astros, it came this year as Shark allowed two runs over six innings in a loss in Houston in May.
Tuesday August 14, 2012
Houston: Lucas Harrell (9-8, 3.97 ERA)
Cubs: Chris Volstad (0-8, 6.94 ERA)
One of the very few bright spots for the Astros this year has been the performance of Lucas Harrell. Harrell is above .500 this year, that is saying something considering the team his pitches for is 40 games under. Harrell has very limited experience against the Cubs in his career, he only has two appearances out of the pen and has not given up a run. Chris Volstad is coming off his best performance of the year, unfortunately it did not result in a win as Volstad is still searching for one of those, has been since July of last year. In his career, Volstad has been decent against the Astros, he has a 3-0 record with a 4.40 ERA in five career starts. He will win this game.
Wednesday August 15, 2012
Houston: Bud Norris (5-9, 4.93 ERA)
Cubs: Justin Germano (1-2, 4.26 ERA)
For as surprising as Harrell has been, Bud Norris has been equally as disappointing this season. His ERA is hovering around five and he is four games under .500, however Norris has been much better as of late. He has also been outstanding against the Cubs in his career. Norris has had seven career appearances against the Cubs (6 starts), and is 3-3 with a 2.52 ERA. Justin Germano came back to Earth in his last start and the last team he probably wants to see is the Astros. In two career starts Germano is 0-2 with a 12.54 ERA, that’s really all that has to be said about that.
Season Series: Series tied 3-3
Prediction: Cubs win series, 2-1
Thanks for reading, go Cubs!
- George
Losing streak reaches 6; Bats MIA again
Well, that was fast. The Cubs and Padres completed this one in two 
hours and 25 minutes, unfortunately the Cubs came out on the short end. Part of the reason for the quick game was the Cubs approach at the plate. After a solid 28 pitch first inning the Cubs fell back into bad habits as they rushed through at bats. A troubling sight considering it was only a two run game thanks to a stellar effort turned in by Travis Wood. Wood went six strong innings allowing two runs on five hits while walking three and striking out three. With the loss Wood falls for 4-8 on the season with an ERA of 4.77. As I mentioned, the Cubs offense was lacking and that’s putting it mildly. Eric Stults and company held the Cubs to just five hits as they shut down the Cubs from the word go. Welington Castillo was the only offense in the loss he went 2-for-4 at the plate. The Cubs were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base. Josh Vitters made his first major league start and was held hitless, just like everyone else, but did make an outstanding defensive play that might have saved a run. The Cubs losing streak now sits at six, and until the bats get going that number will grow. Full box score and highlights after the jump.
August 6, 2012 – Cubs Lineup vs. Padres
Jackson, Vitters, Rizzo, and Castro all in the lineup together for the first time! They are part of an attack looking to back Travis Wood to a victory and put an end this five game losing steak. Here is how the Cubs will line up against the Padres at 9:05 PM CST on CSN.
1. Jackson – CF
2. Barney – 2B
3. Rizzo – 1B
4. Soriano – LF
5. Castro – SS
6. Castillo – C
7. Vitters – 3B
8. Mather – RF
9. Wood – P
Thanks for reading, go Cubs!
- George
August 5, 2012 – Cubs Lineup vs. Dodgers – Jackson!
Exciting and crazy morning for the Cubs as they traded Jeff Baker to the Tigers, and called up top prospects Brett Jackson and Josh Vitters. The result is a much different lineup today against Joe Blanton and the Dodgers. This is something Cubs fans should be excited about as it offers up a glimpse of what the Cubs might look like when they are ready to compete, at least part of the lineup. Here it is.
DeJesus RF
B Jackson CF
Rizzo 1B
Soriano LF
Castro SS
Castillo C
Valbuena 3B
Barney 2B
Germano P
Thanks for reading, go Cubs!
- George
CONFIRMED: Vitters and Jackson Called Up
Although nothing has been confirmed by the Cubs, a reliable source miCubs has reported that both Josh Vitters and Brett Jackson are getting called up for the series finale in LA today. We will keep you updated once more is known.
UPDATE 1: Carrie Muskat confirms that both Vitters and Jackson have been called up. Patrick Mooney has also confirmed both promoted.
UPDATE 2: Jeff Baker has been traded to the Detroit Tigers and Tony Campana has been sent to Iowa to make room for Vitters and Jackson.
CONFIRMED: Josh Vitters and Brett Jackson are in Los Angeles for the Cubs, they have been called up! We will have more throughout the day.
-Mark & George
8/4: Around the Cubs Minor League System
Here’s a look at the Cubs minor league affiliates on Saturday, August 4. The AZL Cubs were off tonight.
After a couple of losses Boise got back on track beating Spokane 6-2 of Saturday. Tayler Scott got his fourth win of the season allowing two runs, one earned in 5.1 innings pitched. Matt Iannazzo and Nathan Dorris were able to finish the game off, not allowing a run in the last 3.2 innings. Daniel Vogelbach had a great game going 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Stephen Bruno also had two hits and scored three runs. Jeimer Candelario had a double and also drove in a run. It was nice to see Boise bounce back and hopefully will have continue to have a good second half.
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Peoria’s first game in a long time without Javier Baez didn’t turn out too good losing to Clinton 8-1. Joseph Zeller started and struggled taking the loss. He gave up six runs, five earned on eight hits in just 3.2 innings. Just like that the Chiefs were down 6-1 and they never recovered. Chadd Krist had a really nice game at the plate going 2-for-4 with a home run and a double. Pin-Chieh Chen was the only other Chief to record a hit on Saturday. Larry Suarez and Bryce Shafer both pitched well, while Luis Liria got roughed up a bit. That’s now three losses in a row for Peoria, let’s see if they can end that skid tomorrow.
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A six run second was way too much for Daytona losing to Dunedin 12-5. Matt Loosen started and took the loss, giving up seven runs, four earned in two innings. He wasn’t the only Cubs pitcher who struggled as Scott Weismann and Eduardo Figueroa didn’t have their best stuff either combining to give up five runs over five innings. The Cubs did have some good things happen at the plate as they scored five runs on nine hits. Rebel Ridling was 2-for-4 with a home run and a double. Rubi Silva and Elieser Bonne each had two hits, with a run scored and an RBI. John Andreoli and Ronald Torreyes each had an RBI in the defeat. In his first game in Daytona Javier Baez went hitless. Daytona’s trying to make a push at the playoffs so they need to get back on track tomorrow.
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Tennessee took the first game of Saturday’s double-header beating Jackson 6-5. The middle of the Smokies order was the key to game one’s victory as Junior Lake, Justin Bour, and Michael Burgess all had two hits and two RBIs. They combined to go 6-for-11 with six RBIs and Justin Bour hit his 13th homer of the season. The two guys at the top Matt Szczur and Logan Watkins each had a hit and a run scored as well. Nicholas Struck got the win, his 12th of the season pitching five innings allowing three runs on six hits. Frank Batista struggled a bit, but picked up his 20th save of the season.
A late rally wasn’t enough for Tennessee to pull out game 2 of the double-header. The Smokies scored four in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough losing 8-7. Casey Harman started, but only gave up one run, but lasted only three innings. Casey Weather took the loss, giving up three runs in one inning. Kevin Rhoderick continued his struggles giving up another four runs in only 1.2 innings. Justin Bour hit his second home run of the night ending game two 2-for-2 with a homer and three RBIs, he now has 91 on the season. Michael Brenly and Nelson Perez each added two RBIs and Brenly had two hits. Logan Watkins had one hit, walked twice, and scored three runs. All in all Tennessee ended up splitting.
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Tied at one going to the bottom of the eighth, Josh Vitters and the Cubs decided they had enough of the losing. After taking the lead by 2-1, Vitters stepped to the plate and put the game out of reach launching his 17th home run of the season. Jairo Asencio would close it out as Iowa beat Colorodo Springs 5-1. Chris Rusin started and pitched well giving up only one run in on four hits in seven innings. He also struck out eight in a no decision. Michael Bowden got the win pitching a scoreless eighth. There wasn’t a ton of offense outside of Vitter home run, but there was a little bit. James Adduci went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Brett Jackson and Dave Sappelt each had a hit and a run scored.
Thanks for Reading,
-Mark
8/2: Around the Cubs Minor League System
Nightly minor league recap for August 2, 2012.
The AZL Cubs let things get interesting in the ninth, but they held on to win 6-5. It was a good night for the highly touted prospects of the Cubs. Albert Almora was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Jorge Soler also had a double and drove in two runs on Thursday. Shawon Dunston and Jacob Rogers each had two hits with Dunston driving one run in. Anthony Prieto started and pitched two scoreless innings. He was relieved by 2012 3rd round pick Ryan McNeil who got his first professional win. McNeil struck out two in two innings of work. Jin-Young Kim came in to close things down recording the final two outs of the game and earning his second save. As much as it got close it was still good to see the Cubs get the win.
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As good as Boise has been lately Thursday was not there night losing 15-1. In a game like that there just aren’t too many highlights, but we will try to find a couple. Marco Hernandez and Daniel Vogelbach each had two hits, which those four were the only hits the Hawks had all night. Vogelbach drove in his sixth run since being landing in Boise. James Pugliese got the start and took the loss, but all five runs he gave up were unearned in his five innings of work. Michael Heesch, Rafael Diplan, and Lance Rymel all struggled in relief. hopefully the Hawks can forget about this one and get back on track tomorrow.
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Peoria just didn’t have enough to get the win tonight dropping Thursday’s game to Quad Cities 6-4. Starling Peralta started and took the loss in this one going five innings giving up three runs on three hits, while walking three and striking out six. The game took a turn for the worse when Justin Berg entered and he gave up three runs, unfortunately for him all were unearned in his two innings of work. Sheldon McDonald threw a scoreless ninth striking out one. After an eight RBI two home run performance how could Dustin Geiger do anything close. Well, he went 3-for-4 with a double and a home run staying red-hot. Bijan Rademacher and Pin-Chieh Chen each had two hits, with Chen driving in two. Oliver Zapata had a hit and an RBI and Wes Darvill hit a triple. Javier Baez had a rare rough day going 0-for-4. Peoria will look back to getting on track tomorrow.
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Daytona stayed hot and won another one Thursday defeating Fort Myers 8-2. The story of the night came from newly acquired Christian Villanueva who came over in the Ryan Dempster deal. In his first two at bats in the Cubs organization he hit two home runs. He ended the night going 2-for-3 with two home runs, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Ronald Torreyes continues to just hit going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. John Andreoli, Rafael Lopez, and Timothy Saunders all had two hits a piece with Lopez driving in one. Robert Whitenack started, but didn’t last long enough to get the win, as he only allowed one run, but struggled with his control walking four. Ryan Searle got the win in relief, his fifth of the season. He struck out five in 3.1 innings allowing only one run on two hits. AJ Morris threw the last two inning allowing no runs and striking out one. Daytona is trying to make a push here as they are really playing well as of late.
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Not much good came out of this one as Tennessee lost to Pensacola 6-1. Tennessee was only able to muster up two hits, both coming off the bat of Logan Watkins. Watkins ended the game 2-for-4 with a home run. In his first appearance in the Cubs organization Jacob Brigham only lasted three innings allowing three runs, two earned on five hits. He also walked three and struck out two. Zach Rosscup pitched five innings in relief allowing one run and striking out four and Tony Zych struggled in his one inning of relief. Tomorrow is a new day.
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Iowa lost another losing to Colorodo Springs 7-4 on Thursday. Brooks Raley took the loss giving up six runs on 10 hits in six innings. Marcus Hatley pitched two really nice innings striking out three and not allowing a base runner. Josh Vitters and Dave Sappelt each got back on track as they both went 3-for-5. Greg Rohan followed his big day yesterday with another two hit, two RBI performance tonight. James Adduci had two more hits and drove in one run. Brett Jackson had one hit and stole his 26th base of the season. There isn’t much more that can be said for Iowa that hasn’t been said already.
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Thanks for Reading,
-Mark
