Diamondbacks-Cubs: D-Backs easily take care of Cubs 9-2

The Diamondbacks beat the Cubs in a 9-2 rout behind starter Yusmeiro Petit and the rest of the pitching staff who held the Cubs in check.

The Cubs did have seven hits but only managed two runs, their first run came in the top of the fourth when Mike Fontenot tripled to drive in Mark Derosa. The Cubs second run then scored in the top of the eighth on a Daryle Ward home run.

But that would be all the Cubs would muster off of the D-Backs pitching. Derrek Lee, Aramis Ramirez and Jim Edmonds went a combined 0-10 with Ramirez walking once. Ramirez is currently in a 0-for-20 slump and has not recorded a hit and in fact is batting just .163 with 3 HRs and 11 RBIs in the month of July.

Since the All-Star break the Cubs have been awful batting just .206 with 13 runs, nine walks and 35 strikeouts in their five games and they have not had a multiple home run game since the 8th of July. It has seem Lou has try some ways of helping the bats such as cancelling batting practice before Tuesday game like he did on Sunday's 9-0 win. Plus, he has even tried putting Mark Derosa who has been slumping ahead of Geovany Soto in the lineup. I expect to see more lineup changes for today's game.

As for the D-Backs they got on the board early when Conor Jackson hit a solo shot and went on to score in the thirs and fourth putting them up 3-1. In the bottom of the seventh Sttephen Drew scored on a wild pitch and Orlando Hudson hit a solo home run to give the Diamondbacks a 5-1 lead. After the Cubs scored one run in the eighth the D-Backs added four runs to put the Cubs away for good. Chris Young hit a run scoring double while Conor Jackson hit a two-run double followed by Augie Ojeda RBI groundout to the D-Backs up 9-2.

Yusmeiro Petit pitched five innings allowing just one earned run on three hits while striking out three and walking four in route to his first win.

As for Jason Marquis he went 6 innings allowing three earned runs on five hits while striking out three and walking two. With the loss Marquis fell to 6-6 on the season.
Today the Cubs will look to avoid the sweep as they send Ted Lilly to mound who is 9-6 with a 4.49 era as Doug Davis gets the start for the D-Backs who is 3-4 with a 4.14 era. Game time is set for 8:40 pm ct.