When Cubs manager Lou Piniella saw that his team would be facing last year’s Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum of the Giants on Tuesday afternoon, he immediately flew the white flag of surrender. Instead of starting his regulars, Piniella went with his Triple-A lineup, which included the likes of Koyie Hill, Joey Gathright, Aaron Miles and Bobby Scales, making his first big league start after more than a decade in the minors. The Iowa Cubs would end up falling to San Francisco 6-2 at Wrigley.
“Look, I’d rather watch a new guy like Scales whiff three times in a game than see Soriano take the Golden Sombrero,” Piniella said. “And with the way Soto’s been hitting, do you think he had a chance in hell against Lincecum?”
Starter Sean Marshall gave up three first-inning runs on a Bengie Molina home run and two more tallies in the seventh to pick up the loss. Double-A pitcher turned Major League reliever, Jeff Samardzija continued to show that he made a mistake bypassing the NFL for MLB, as he surrendered two hits and a walk in a third of an inning to raise his season ERA to 8.10.
The Cubs now travel to Houston, where they take on the Astros in a two-game set before heading up north to Milwaukee for a three-game weekend series against the Brewers. Rumor has it that a busload of over-served Cubs fans will be making the trip to Miller Park on Saturday simply to heckle Prince Fielder.
Joey Gathright to the Waiver Wire Watch
Making his first start of the season, the reserve outfielder collected one hit in four at-bats, but proved the YouTube video of him leaping over a car is a fake as he was unable to jump over a slow moving golf cart before the game.
Number of the game: 2
Stolen bases for Cubs stone-footed infielder Aaron Miles in Tuesday’s game, leaving many to wonder if the long-lost fourth Molina Brother, Pepe, was actually behind the plate.
By Jeremy Barewin
