Cubs @ Pirates - 5/17

[aTrUeCUBsFaN]

05/15/2005 5:04 PM ET
Cubs make 'Pit' stop for brief series
Chicago (16-20) at Pittsburgh (17-19), 6:05 p.m. CT
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com

Time to get back to the Central Division.

The Chicago Cubs will make a quick two-game stop in Pittsburgh, starting Tuesday night. Mark Prior and Glendon Rusch will start for the Cubs in this two-game series against the Pirates' Josh Fogg and Kip Wells.

Prior needs a win this month. He's 0-1 in three May games, although he should've won his last two starts. Against Philadelphia on May 6, he struck out 10 over eight innings and gave up one run, but didn't get a decision. In his last start May 11, against the New York Mets, Prior gave up one earned run on two hits over seven innings and struck out seven.

Opponents are batting .182 off the right-hander, who did not get a decision in two starts against Pittsburgh last year.

Aramis Ramirez was scratched from Sunday's game because of tightness in his lower back, a problem that knocked him out of a game last Wednesday. His status is day-to-day, although the team hopes that after Monday's off-day and a full day of treatment, Ramirez could play on Tuesday.

The Cubs also hope to have more news on right-hander Carlos Zambrano, who is scheduled to undergo an MRI scan on Monday on his right elbow. Zambrano has what Cubs athletic trainer Mark O'Neal described as tennis elbow, and it forced him out of his start Saturday after 3 1/3 innings.

The Cubs are 3-2 against Pittsburgh so far, including a 2-1 mark at PNC Park.

Pitching matchup
CHC: RHP Mark Prior
• 3-1, 2.77 ERA in 2005
• 0-0, 4.09 ERA in 2004 vs. PIT

PIT: RHP Josh Fogg
• 3-2, 3.96 ERA in 2005
• 1-2, 6.98 ERA in 2004 vs. CHC

Player to watch
Henry Blanco has been catching Prior, but Cubs manager Dusty Baker may want to consider Michael Barrett. Barrett is 8-for-12 against Fogg with two home runs.

Quotable
"It feels like I have concrete in my arm; it feels heavy." -- Zambrano, on how his right arm feels

On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• PIT: Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh
• CHC: WCIU

On radio
• PIT: KDKA 1020
• CHC: WGN 720 AM

Quick hits
After hitting .419 in April, Derrek Lee is batting .234 in May. ... The Cubs are 6-9 in one-run games, including a 2-6 mark on the road. ... Jeromy Burnitz is 4-for-7 against Fogg, Todd Hollandsworth is 1-for-9, Lee is 8-for-24, Corey Patterson is 5-for-25, Neifi Perez is 2-for-11 and Ramirez 4-for-17. ... Jason Bay is 1-for-7 against Prior, Rob Mackowiak is 5-for-17, Daryle Ward is 2-for-14 and Craig Wilson is 6-for-16. ... If the Cubs stay with their four-man rotation, Zambrano, Maddux and Prior will start against the White Sox, May 20-22 at Wrigley Field.

On deck
• Wednesday: at Pittsburgh, 11:35 a.m. CT
• Thursday: Off
• Friday: vs. White Sox, 1:20 p.m. CT
• Saturday: vs. White Sox, 12:20 p.m. CT
• Sunday: vs. White Sox, 1:20 p.m. CT

Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

[rockin500]

well derrek lee won the game for the cubs. Too bad the rest of the offense couldnt do crap in the clutch.