Actual thread for posting will be in the White Sox forum - Hey they're home and the only way they fill their stadium is to have the Cubs, Yankees or Elvis play there. (hey how about that - 3 correct uses of the words there, their, and they're all in 1 sentence.) Therefore, the only way they get posters on their forum is for us to infiltrate.
OK, let's be honest. I don't expect another sweep nor do I expect to get swept. Let's get 2 and get out to SF where we can kick some NL West butt again.
I'll be there on Saturday with my neighbors (she's Cubs, he's Sox) and mrs1126 (who is a Chicago fan but just wants the game to end in 9 innings)
This thread will be locked.
Friday, June 27 3:05 PM CT
Ryan Dempster, RHP (9-2, 2.63) vs Jose Contreras, RHP (6-6, 3.96)
Scouting Report:
Cubs: Dempster nearly notched his second complete game in three starts in his last outing. He went eight-plus innings against the White Sox, giving up one run on 10 hits for the win. The right-hander improved to 9-0 at home, and pitching on the South Side will be as close to home as he can get. Dempster has 10 quality starts this season, and is making the transition from closer to starter look very smooth. His game plan? Attack the hitters, and let his defense do the work.
White Sox: Contreras got lit up by the Cubs in the fourth inning Sunday. After allowing just one Cubs run to that point, Contreras got
touched up for eight more via three home runs, four singles and a walk. It was Contreras' third-straight loss and by far the worst start of the season for
the right-hander. His ERA has risen more than a point since his last win, which came on June 5 against Kansas City. In five career starts against the Cubs,
Contreras is 1-3 with a 6.39 ERA.
Saturday, June 28 2:55 PM CT
Sean Gallagher, RHP (3-3,
3.97) vs Javier Vazquez,
RHP (7-6, 4.24)
Scouting Report:
Cubs: Gallagher still needs to trust his second and third pitches. He did not get a decision in his last start, against Tampa Bay,
giving up one run, unearned, on four hits over six innings. It was a good outing because he escaped some tough jams. But his side sessions are key as the young
right-hander works on his breaking pitches to compliment his fastball.
White Sox: Vazquez has struggled in his last four outings, allowing at least four earned runs in each start. He walked five on Sunday
against the Cubs and gave up five runs, though only four were earned. His ERA, which was just 3.43 on May 21, has gone up nearly a point in the last month.
He's walked 16 batters in the six starts since then and struck out just 29 -- a subpar ratio for the flamethrower. Vazquez is 3-4 lifetime against the Cubs
with an ERA just under 5.00.
Sunday, June 29 7:05 PM CT
Sean Marshall, LHP (0-1, 5.40) vs
Mark Buehrle, LHP (5-6, 4.04)
Scouting Report:
Cubs: Marshall gets his second and likely last start in place of the injured Carlos Zambrano. He flashed strong pitching, with seven
strikeouts, but was eventually chased by the Orioles after giving up four runs in 4 2/3 innings on Tuesday. The loss ended the Cubs' 14-game home winning
streak. Marshall is 1-1 with a 2.92 ERA career against the White Sox and tossed 6 1/3 innings of shutout ball against the crosstown rivals in 2007.
White Sox: It was a momentous night for Buehrle, as the White Sox ace left-hander struck out two during a 6-1 victory over the Dodgers,
which gave him exactly 1,000 strikeouts for his career. Buehrle pitched exactly eight innings for his fourth straight start, allowing one run on six hits, and
not issuing a walk. Buehrle now has a 3-0 record with a 1.36 ERA over his last four starts, allowing five earned runs in 32 innings. Buehrle has a 3-4 record
with a 5.10 ERA lifetime against the Cubs.
