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The last time the Cubs lost an entire homestand of five or more games was from June 13-18, 2006, when they got swept in back-to-back three-game series by the Astros and Tigers. They were outscored 43-17 in those six games and pretty much looked dreadful throughout; it was in the middle of a two-month-span (May-June 2006) in which the team went 16-40 on their way to a 96-loss season.
This year's Cubs went 8-15 in April and are 7-10 in May so far; since edging back to five games under .500 with the 1-0 win over the Braves at Wrigley Field on May 9, they are 2-7.
I wish I had better news, but I don't. About the only positive thing I can post about this team right now is that it doesn't appear anyone else has been injured since Saturday night's game ended. Here's some future good news:
Marmol, Clevenger headed to Iowa for rehab action beginning tomorrow.
— Doug Padilla (@ESPNChiCubs) May 20, 2012
Looks like both could return during the Pittsburgh series beginning Friday.
Cubs lineup:
DeJesus rf, Campana cf, Castro ss, LaHair 1b, Soriano lf, Stewart 3b, Cardenas 2b, Hill c, Maholm p
Insert "where's the other split squad playing" joke here.
White Sox lineup:
De Aza cf, Beckham 2b, Dunn 1b, Viciedo lf, Ramirez ss, Fukudome rf, Flowers c, Lillibridge 3b, Peavy p
Fukudome vs. the lefthanded Maholm. This oughta be interesting.
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Paul Maholm has made two career starts vs. the White Sox; the last of them was on June 15, 2007, so there's not really much to reference from his history against the Sox. The Sox player he's faced the most is Adam Dunn, and he's handled Dunn pretty well: 3-for-28, all singles, and 12 strikeouts.
Jake Peavy's last start against the Cubs was June 22, 2011 at the Cell. The Cubs hit him pretty well that day, but lost. Sound familiar? Alfonso Soriano has three career HR off him in 23 at-bats. Peavy already has two complete games this season and very few walks. Given that and the Cubs' propensity to be free swingers, this game could go very quickly.
Today's game is on CSN Chicago with Len & Bob. If you are outside the Chicago area, or don't have MLB.TV or EI, you can watch on WGN, with the Sox announcers. Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Please visit our SB Nation White Sox site South Side Sox. Be careful over there, though.
Today's first pitch thread will post at 1:20 p.m. CDT and the overflows at 2:20, 3:20 and 4:05 p.m. CDT. If you need more overflows due to extra innings or rain delays, post them in the fanshot section.
Discuss amongst yourselves.