Live Game Blog: Mets @ Cubs -- 4/22

Welcome to another round of liveblogging from yours truly. Feel free to hit the comments to discuss the game. Enjoy.

Pre-game:

• Weather may be an issue today, but the game will get in no matter what.
• HERE is the lineup. Few changes today.
• Ted Lilly is sporting an ERA over nine. That should be good news for the Metties.
• Both NY teams are in Chicago. Second time in history, says Gary Cohen.
  

First inning:

• Lilly doesn't like the mound very much and is kicking the dirt around everywhere. 82 mph fastball in for strike one against Jose Reyes. Nasty curveball on pitch two. Slow grounder to second base, but not slow enough for Reyes to beat it to the bag. Throw beats him by two steps.
• Angel Pagan is playing in right today and batting second. Low strike zone today, it seems. Pagan crushes one, unfortunately, very foul. Lilly's curve is insane. I don't know how anyone can ever hit that. Pagan swings at a breaking ball way high, strike three.
• Lilly is getting very ahead on hitters today. Gotten two strikes on everyone so far. He's working the zone high too. Wright works the count even, 2-2. Guess I'm wrong about the low strike zone. Lilly just misses below the knees for ball three before popping up to right field for the final out.
• 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 BB, 1 K. 0-0 Tie.

• Creepy Asian bear on TV. Don't know what to make of that. The Fukudome craze is in full swing.
• Nelson Figueroa delivers a first pitch strike to Reed Johnson, and follows that up with a nasty curveball for strike two. Johnson pokes one to center, but Carlos Beltran tracks it down for the first out.
• Felix Pie now batting. Ripped a three run blast last night off of Jorge Sosa. Pie pops up into foul territory to Wright.
• Full count to Derrek Lee. Grounded back to Figueroa, who makes the underhand flip to Carlos Delgado.
• 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 BB, 0 K. 0-0 Tie.

Second inning:

• I think Lilly is angry at the strike zone so far. He stared right in at the ump after throwing ball one. Don't think he liked that call. Beltran has the count 2-2. High fly ball to Johnson in left field, who settles and puts it away.
• Delgado goes down on four pitches. Swinging at a breaking ball low and away. Rough.
• Here's Damion Easley, spelling Luis Castillo. Popped up behind the first base bag, and Lee snags it to put away Easley. Lilly is coasting.
• 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 BB, 1 K. 0-0 Tie.

• Figueroa bounces the first pitch to Aramis Ramirez. Watch out for this guy, he's got power. Working Ramirez low and in today. Nasty curveball to even the count at 2-2. Ramirez works out a walk. First time all year Figueroa allows a leadoff hitter of an inning to reach base. Wow. Well done, Figueroa.
• Kosuke Fukudome up. Great name. Grounded past Delgado at first and into right field. Ramirez goes first to third. Tough play for Delgado, but he just could not get to that ball.
• Figueroa is behind Mark DeRosa 2-1. 88 mph fastball right by DeRosa's bat. Evened up. Raul Casanova calls time, and heads out to the mound to talk things over. Ball low and away, full count. Ball four, outside. Bases loaded, nobody out. Uh-oh.
• Ronny Cedeno up with the bases loaded. Looks familiar, doesn't it? Figueroa ahead 0-2 after a foul tip off the mask of Casanova. 90 mph fastball on the outside corner, strike three looking.
• Henry Blanco comes to the plate and promptly ground into a 6-4-3 double play. Well done, Figueroa. Way to get out of that jam.
• 0 runs, 1 hit, 2 BB, 1 K. 0-0 Tie.

Third inning:

• Brady Clark flies one to right field for the first out. Take advantage of all of these opportunities, Clark. Unfortunately, your days are numbered.
• Lilly is behind Casanova 3-1. Look to rip one. Well, as I type that, he does, but it's right to the centerfielder. Can't blame that one on the wind.
• Figueroa batting. Strikes out on a nasty curveball. Ouch. Lilly is perfect through three.
  
• 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 BB, 1 K. 0-0 Tie.

• Lilly quickly pops out to Easley in shallow center. Is it me, or do infielders go into the outfield a lot more lately?
• Figueroa's curveball is absolutely dirty today. It's like a curve/slider. Johnson down on three pitches as he strikes out swinging.
• Pie rips one down the line to first, takes a really bad hop, skipping over Delgado's glove. Ruled a hit. Another very tough play for Delgado.
• When Figueroa misses, he doesn't miss by much. He's missing just outside, just low, just everywhere but the plate. He looks good though. I do think someone it going to wait on his curve ball and rip it. Lee tries to, and pulls the breaking ball to right, but Clark barely has to move to put it away.
• 0 runs, 1 hit, o BB, 1 K. 0-0 Tie.

Fourth inning:

• I despise that hitch in Lilly's delivery. As a hitter, that would both me immensely. According to Gary, the Mets haven't had a base runner since the sixth inning in yesterday's game. Reyes goes down swinging for the first out. Not good.
• Pagan fakes a bunt and Lilly throws a 40 footer. That was ugly. Pagan inside-outs one down the first base line, but it falls just foul. Pagan stings one into center field, driving the ball all the way to the brown ivy in center. Pagan speeds into second with a double. He thought about going for three, but slid to stop himself and scurried back to second. The Mets first hit and baserunner.
• Lilly is way behind Wright 3-0 and he'll be taking all the way as he lays a fastball right down the middle. Gotta get a hit here, Beltran and Delgado are cold. He got nothing to hit, as Wright walks.
• Beltran is quickly in the hole 0-2. Awesome. Dirty 12-6 curveball misses high. Beltran seems to be lunging for a lot of pitches. I think he needs to take a few steps toward the plate. Beltran works the count full, 3-2. Good stuff. The payoff pitch with the runners going, and it's low for ball four. Bases loaded, one away for...
• Carlos Delgado. He needs to come through big here, or the fans will come down even harder. First pitch, fouled away. Second one, blooped to shallow left and Cedeno goes out from his shortstop position to make the play. Obviously, way too short to bring home Pagan from third. Delgado needs to hit the pine.
  
• It's up to Easley. First pitch popped to shallow center, as DeRosa goes out and ends the threat. What is with the Mets and the pitchers duel?
  
• 0 runs, 1 hit, 2 BB, 1 K. 0-0 Tie.

• Ramirez waits on the curveball, but pops it up deep to left. Clark, sporting shades, settles under it and makes the catch.
• Fukudome singles through the hole on the right side, his second of the game. He's pretty good. I get why Cub fans love him.
• DeRosa rips one deep to center field, but Beltran makes the catch on the warning track. Good rip from DeRosa. Figueroa was lucky he hit it to straightaway center.
• Cedeno knocks a ball the other way, down the first base line. Pagan can't make the play and boots the ball off the hop. He kicks it around against the wall in right, allowing Fukudome to come all the way around to score. Total misplay by Pagan. 1-0 Cubs.
• Mets issue the intentional walk to Blanco.
• Lilly grounds one softly to second base. Delgado thinks about making a play on it, thinks better, and starts to go to first. He spies Figueroa coming over from first, who slowed down when Delgado started back to first. Delgado turns away, thinking Figueroa will make the play. Easley eventually flips to Figueroa, but not in time to get Lilly. The bases are loaded. Bonehead play by Delgado.
• Johnson singles off the end of the bat to left field, scoring Cedeno and Blanco. 3-0 Mets. This is just a miserable inning.
• Pie grounds one over the bag at first, but Delgado is there and actually makes the play, ending the inning.
• 3 runs, 4 hits, 1 BB, 0 K. 3-0 Cubs.

Fifth inning:

• 7-8-9 of the order up this inning. Clark leading off, singles to right field. Only the second hit of the game for the Mets.
• Where is Casanova's power? I'm yet to see it this season. He grounds one slowly to third base. Only play is to first. Clark moves to second on the play.
• Figueroa laces one to short, too fast to move Clark over. Cedeno to Lee, two away.
• The SNY crew is having a field day with the seating arrangements on the adjacent roofs. They can't stop talking about the hand operated scoreboard either.
• Reyes works out a walk, which will bring the tying run to the plate.
• Pagan up with a chance to atone for his mistakes in the field. Nasty curveball lands in for a strike, and Lilly is ahead 0-2. The crowd is on their feet. Whenever there is a ball in the dirt or one that might get away from the catcher, Pagan is sure to signal the runners if they should move or not. Good stuff. Pagan pops up the 2-2 fastball to DeRosa at second, threat averted for the Cubs.
• 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 BB, 0 K. 3-0 Cubs.

• Figueroa's thrown 68 pithes so far. Very conservative. Now Figueroa can't seem to find the plate, missing inside and out. Almost pegs Lee, but issues a walk instead.
• Still having a hard time finding the plate. Ramirez pops out to Pagan in left, one away.
• The pesky Fukudome is up. Joe Smith and Pedro Feliciano are up in the pen. Only stretching though. Fukudome walks. Figueroa's having a rough go this inning. Someone go talk to him.
• Figueroa is up over 80 pitches now. Here comes Rick Peterson. It's about time. DeRose knocks one into right, and Pagan takes a long and loopy journey to the ball, helped by the wind. Pagan makes a basket catch along the line, as Lee tags up and goes to third on the second out.
• Cedeno lines one to right, but Pagan is there, again, to make the out. All three outs made by Pagan that inning.
• 0 runs, 0 hits, 2 BB, 0 K. 3-0 Mets.

Sixth inning:

• Wright grounds out to short to begin the sixth. Is Lilly pitching that well or is the Mets offense that bad?
• Beltran works out a four pitch walk. Hey, look! Beltran is on base!
• What is this? Delgado has the count 3-1, on the brink of walking. Even better!! He smokes a single to right field. Beltran has to hold up, but makes to to second in time. Mets are threatening here with two on and one out.
• Lilly's looking tired out there, as the Cubs bullpen kicks it into gear. (Scott Schoeneweis is up and throwing in the Mets pen.) 1-2 count on Easley. Inconsistent strike zone today, at least in my opinion. Easley bloops one to right field, which falls in front of Fukudome. The Mets have the bases loaded for Clark.
• Lilly is up to 100 pitches, probably spelling the end of his day soon. Big swing by Clark, but he misses it for strike two. Lilly attempts the curveball, and due to a quick reaction from Clark, he fouls it away. Clark dinks one to second, shorthopping it to DeRosa. Easley out at second on the flip, but Beltran comes home. 3-1 Cubs.
• Casanova up with runners on the corners. A very loud "Let's go Mets!" chant throughout Wrigley. Cruveball, grounded softly to short. Cedeno makes the short toss to DeRosa at second to end the inning.
• 1 run, 2 hits, 1 BB, 0 K. 3-1 Cubs.

• Blanco leading off for the Cubs. Figueroa still in the game. Blanco singles past the stumbling Reyes for his first hit of the game.
• Mark Fontenot will bat for Lilly and that will also be the end of the day for Figueroa. Schoeneweis will enter the game for the Mets.
• Figueroa's final line: 5+ IP, 7 hits, 3 ER, 5 BB, 2 K. Generous scoring for the home team. I think two of those runs should have been unearned. Not terrible, but not great. One OK start.
• Fontenot sacrifices himself, bunting up the first base line. Nice play by Schoeneweis to field the ball and make the throw and equally nice play by Easley who needed some fancy footwork to cover first. Blanco moves to second.
  
• Schoeneweis is behind Johnson 3-1. Now he walks him with a ball off the plate. First and second, one away. Smith is waiting in the wings if Lee makes it to the plate.
• Pie taps one a few feet in front of the plate, up the first base line. Casanova fields the ball and makes a great throw to first. That's the second time in two days he's made a play like that. Well done.
• Double switch here. Endy Chavez will go into left and Smith will come in to pitch to Lee. Smith will bat seventh, Chavez will leadoff in the seventh.
• Lee crushes the ball to straightaway center. Beltran goes back, jumping into the ivy and makes the grab. He's so valuable in the field.
• 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 BB, 0 K. 3-1 Cubs.

Seventh inning:

• Bob Howry now pitching for the Cubs.
• He's dealing to Chavez, making his first plate appearance after coming in on the double switch last inning. Chavez hits one right to Cendeno at short. One away.
• Reyes fakes a bunt, but takes the pitch for a strike. 1-1 count. Another pitch taken for a strike. Fourth pitch is in the dirt at Reyes' feet, and he dances out of the way. Reyes grounds one to DeRosa at second, flipped to Lee for the second out.
• Another ball grounded to DeRosa, and he puts it away for the third out.
• 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 BB, 0 K. 3-1 Cubs.

• Smith still in for the Mets. Full count to Ramirez. He pulls one through the hole on the left side for a single.
• Again, the pesky Fukudome is up. Fukudome crushes one to deep center, this time well out of the reach of Beltran. Beltran plays it nicely off the ivy, making a barehanded grab off the bounce. Fukudome in with a stand up double and Ramirez moves to third.
• DeRosa singles over the head of Easley at second, and Ramirez trots home. Fukudome is held up at third as Pagan gets the throw in on the fly to Casanova. 4-1 Cubs.
• 2-2 count to Cedeno. Smith is struggling here. Smith misses outside, and the count is full. Cedeno chases a slider wayyyyy outside, striking out.
• Feliciano will enter the game for the Mets and Geovany Soto will pinch hit for the Cubs.
• First pitch from Feliciano way inside, Casanova can't contain it and DeRosa moves to second on the wild pitch. Another pitch way inside, almost hits Soto. Now the Mets will issue the intentional walk to Soto to set up the double play.
• Feliciano will be removed from the game in favor of Jorge Sosa. This is the third time in a week that Feliciano has entered the game and not retired a batter.
• Sosa will pitch to Matt Murton. Sosa behind Murton 2-1. Strike on the inside corner. Murton reaches for one and lines it foul down the right field line, almost nailing Duaner Sanchez in the bullpen. Murton grounds one to Delgado, playing on the grass, comes home and gets the out at the plate. Two away, bases still loaded.
• Johnson up with the bases loaded again. Count is even at 2-2. I've never seen a team foul off as many balls as the Cubs do. It's unbelievable. Johnson pops one up to second base, Easley settles under it, and ends the inning.
• 1 run, 3 hits, 0 BB, 1 K. 4-1 Cubs.

Eighth inning:

• Carlos Marmol is in for the Cubs. He's nasty.
• Wright works the count full. Baserunners are needed. Badly. Wright knocks one to right center, but Pie tracks it down on the warning track. One away.
• Beltran has the count 2-2. Marmol is dealing. Beltran swings over the slider, something we see way too much from him, striking out. Two away.
• Delgado swings at a pitch way high, striking out. Ugh. Looks like this team is going down without a fight.
• 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 BB, 2 K. 4-1 Cubs.

• Pie singles off of Sosa to right field to lead off the bottom of the eighth inning.
• Lee picks up his first hit of the day, singling through the right side. Pie moves to second base. Are the Mets giving up? Looks like it.
• Ramirez crushes one to left, but Chavez has room on the warning track for the first out. A quick throw keeps the runners at bay.
  
• Sosa throws inside for a strike, then outside for another strike to get ahead of Fukudome 0-2. It's now evened up at 2-2. Sosa delivers what looks like strike three, but he doesn't get the call. After being ahead 0-2, he walks Fukudome to load the bases.
• The Mets bullpen is empty, so this is on Sosa. Looks like the Mets are handing this one away. DeRosa, on the first pitch, grounds to short. The Mets are playing in, and I don't know why, so Reyes comes home for the second out. Bases are still loaded. I don't get that, at all.
• Sosa gives up another home run, this one to the tune of four runs, as Cedeno crushes his first grand slam just fair down the left field line. 8-1 Cubs.
• Soto singles over Reyes at short.
• You know the game is out of hand when: Jason Marquis will pinch hit. Marquis is a pitcher, for those not up to snuff on the Cubbies. He's a decent hitter, but still. Full count to Marquis. Popped up to Reyes to end the inning.
• 4 runs, 4 hits, 1 BB, 0 K. 8-1 Cubs.

Ninth inning:

• The Mets look absolutely terrible today. This is easily the worst all around game they've played all year.
• Kevin Hart is pitching for the Cubs.
• Easley grounds one to the left side, past the outstretched arm of Ramirez. Cedeno comes up with it and makes the cross-body throw to get Easley at first.
• Marlon Anderson is pinch hitting for Sosa in the pitchers spot. Anderson just looks bad this year. Something must be up. Full count for Anderson now. Ball four taken high and outside. Let the rally begin (kidding).
• Casanova singles up the middle, just past Hart. Anderson moves to second.
• Chavez lines one down the line, which apparently lands just foul. Would have been a nice double, but no. Chavez grounds one to first, and is aboard on the fielders choice, Casanova out at second.
• Reyes is the last chance for the Mets here in the top of the ninth. Reyes grounds one to Lee, who flips to Hart covering first. Game over.
• 0 runs, 1 hit, 1 BB, 0 K. 8-1 Cubs.

Cubs 8 -- Mets 1
WP: Ted Lilly
LP: Nelson Figueroa

Thanks for reading.