Game Notes For Tuesday
* The Cubs have dominated the meetings between the teams over the past season and a half, doubling the scoring output of the Pirates while hitting triple the amount of home runs:
Pirates vs. Cubs – Last 22 Meetings (since 6/5/04)
Pirates Cubs
Wins 3 19
Runs/Game 2.6 (57/22) 5.2 (115/22)
Batting Avg. .212 (153/722) .280 (210/749)
Home Runs 11 32
ERA 5.07 (109/193.2) 2.42 (54/201.0)
* Greg Maddux’s looks to move one step closer to another 15-win season today against a Pirate team he is facing for the fifth time this season. Maddux seems to be getting stronger with each month since the beginning of June:
Greg Maddux, 2005 ERA by Month – June September
June 6.48
July 4.15
August 3.55
September 2.53 (9/32.0)
-- Maddux is 14-2 with a 1.72 ERA (30/157.0) against the Pirates since the start of the 1996 season.
* Zach Duke makes his third outing since coming of the DL. Few rookie starting pitchers in Pirates history have posted a lower earned run average than Duke has this season:
Pirates, Lowest ERA by Rookie –- All-Time
(minimum 10 GS)
Babe Adams, 1909 1.11
Denny Driscoll, 1882 1.21
George Witt, 1958 1.61
Zach Duke, 2005 1.94
Tim Wakefield, 1992 2.15
* Derrek Lee is five hits away from becoming just the fifth NL batter in history to hit 45 or more home runs in a 200-plus hit season:
NL Players, Most HR in 200-Hit Season -– All-Time
Hack Wilson, 1930 ChC 56
Larry Walker, 1997 Col 49
Adrian Beltre, 2004 LAD 48
Vinny Castilla, 1998 Col 46
Hank Aaron, 1963 Mil 44
* Jason Bay has enjoyed quite an encore to his 2004 Rookie of the Year campaign:
Pirates, Most Extra-base Hits in Single-Season – All-Time
Willie Stargell, 1973 90
Kiki Cuyler, 1925 87
Adam Comorosky, 1930 82
Brian Giles, 2001 81
Jason Bay, 2005 80
Paul Waner, 1932 80
Brian Giles, 2002 80
* Getting out to an early lead has been a key component in the majority of the Cubs’ victories this season:
MLB, Highest Win Pct. When Scoring First -- 2005
Cardinals 70-23 .753
Blue Jays 52-18 .743
Cubs 49-18 .731
Astros 62-23 .729
Braves 60-23 .723
* Pittsburgh’s hitting with runners in scoring position has gotten better and better in each of the last few seasons
Pirates, BAVG with RISP By Season – 2001 2005
Season Rank (NL)
2002 .235 14
2003 .262 8
2004 .265 5
2005 .276 3