Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below 
Put ESPN Gamecast up on your computer at work and take the afternoon off. Don't let your boss see.
With their offense rolling, the surging Chicago Cubs are on the verge of a second straight series sweep.
The Cubs will be trying for their fifth straight win on Tuesday when they wrap up a brief two-game set with the New York Mets at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs (13-6) beat the Mets (10-8) 7-1 in Monday’s opener after scoring 13 runs in each of the final two games of their three-game sweep of Pittsburgh over the weekend. Chicago has scored at least six runs in six of its last eight games, winning seven times in that span.
The Cubs won just 10 games in April last season, but currently sit in first place in the NL Central. They were 2-5 against the Mets in 2007.
“These kids are playing ball,” manager Lou Piniella told the Cubs’ official team Web site. “The confidence has slowly been building. We just have to go out and play.
“It’s good to see. We still have a ways to go. We’re pleased with the progress, and we just have to keep going.”
On Monday, the Cubs got an offensive spark from a couple of unlikely sources.
Ronny Cedeno got a rare start at shortstop in place of Ryan Theriot, who was a late scratch with a sore back, and had a two-out, bases-loaded single in the eighth. Felix Pie, who has seen limited playing time as he works on his swing, entered as a defensive replacement in the eighth and followed Cedeno with a three-run homer to put the game away.
“In my mind, I remember Lou telling me to go through with the front foot,” said Pie, who was hitting .143 entering the game. “One swing, but tomorrow I’m going to start and I’ll see tomorrow. This is a good feeling, something in my life I’ll never forget.”
Aramis Ramirez also homered for the Cubs a day after getting four hits against the Pirates. Ramirez, who has five homers, has reached base in all 19 of the Cubs’ games.
The Mets’ offense, meanwhile, sputtered against Chicago ace Carlos Zambrano. New York, which dropped its second straight, had scored 14 total runs in its previous three games.
The Mets hope that Nelson Figueroa (1-0, 3.60 ERA) can continue his surprising start and slow down the Cubs. Figueroa, who is making his third start and fifth appearance, gave up two runs and struck out seven in seven innings of the Mets’ 14-inning, 3-2 win over Washington on Thursday.
Six days earlier, the right-hander made his first start in four years and won for the first time since Aug. 15, 2003, throwing six innings in a 4-2 win over Milwaukee.
“It’s been great,” Figueroa told the Mets’ official team Web site. “I’m having a whole lot of fun and trying to enjoy every minute of it. I hope it continues.”
Figueroa has struggled against the Cubs, going 0-3 with a 3.97 ERA in seven career appearances, including three starts. However, he has not faced them since 2004 while with Pittsburgh.
Chicago counters with Ted Lilly (0-3, 9.16), who gets another chance at his first win of the season. The left-hander gave up five runs in six innings on Thursday, a 9-2 loss to Cincinnati - the first time this season he has lasted at least five innings.
Lilly, who has allowed five runs in each of his last three starts, is 0-3 for the first time since 2002 and has never dropped four straight decisions to start a season.
“I’m just losing patience at this point,” Lilly said. “I want to go out there and give us a solid outing and give us a chance to win. I feel I owe that to my teammates.”
Lilly is 1-1 with a 4.67 ERA in four career appearances - three starts - against the Mets.
With their offense rolling, the surging Chicago Cubs are on the verge of a second straight series sweep.
The Cubs will be trying for their fifth straight win on Tuesday when they wrap up a brief two-game set with the New York Mets at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs (13-6) beat the Mets (10-8) 7-1 in Monday’s opener after scoring 13 runs in each of the final two games of their three-game sweep of Pittsburgh over the weekend. Chicago has scored at least six runs in six of its last eight games, winning seven times in that span.
The Cubs won just 10 games in April last season, but currently sit in first place in the NL Central. They were 2-5 against the Mets in 2007.
“These kids are playing ball,” manager Lou Piniella told the Cubs’ official team Web site. “The confidence has slowly been building. We just have to go out and play.
“It’s good to see. We still have a ways to go. We’re pleased with the progress, and we just have to keep going.”
On Monday, the Cubs got an offensive spark from a couple of unlikely sources.
Ronny Cedeno got a rare start at shortstop in place of Ryan Theriot, who was a late scratch with a sore back, and had a two-out, bases-loaded single in the eighth. Felix Pie, who has seen limited playing time as he works on his swing, entered as a defensive replacement in the eighth and followed Cedeno with a three-run homer to put the game away.
“In my mind, I remember Lou telling me to go through with the front foot,” said Pie, who was hitting .143 entering the game. “One swing, but tomorrow I’m going to start and I’ll see tomorrow. This is a good feeling, something in my life I’ll never forget.”
Aramis Ramirez also homered for the Cubs a day after getting four hits against the Pirates. Ramirez, who has five homers, has reached base in all 19 of the Cubs’ games.
The Mets’ offense, meanwhile, sputtered against Chicago ace Carlos Zambrano. New York, which dropped its second straight, had scored 14 total runs in its previous three games.
The Mets hope that Nelson Figueroa (1-0, 3.60 ERA) can continue his surprising start and slow down the Cubs. Figueroa, who is making his third start and fifth appearance, gave up two runs and struck out seven in seven innings of the Mets’ 14-inning, 3-2 win over Washington on Thursday.
Six days earlier, the right-hander made his first start in four years and won for the first time since Aug. 15, 2003, throwing six innings in a 4-2 win over Milwaukee.
“It’s been great,” Figueroa told the Mets’ official team Web site. “I’m having a whole lot of fun and trying to enjoy every minute of it. I hope it continues.”
Figueroa has struggled against the Cubs, going 0-3 with a 3.97 ERA in seven career appearances, including three starts. However, he has not faced them since 2004 while with Pittsburgh.
Chicago counters with Ted Lilly (0-3, 9.16), who gets another chance at his first win of the season. The left-hander gave up five runs in six innings on Thursday, a 9-2 loss to Cincinnati - the first time this season he has lasted at least five innings.
Lilly, who has allowed five runs in each of his last three starts, is 0-3 for the first time since 2002 and has never dropped four straight decisions to start a season.
“I’m just losing patience at this point,” Lilly said. “I want to go out there and give us a solid outing and give us a chance to win. I feel I owe that to my teammates.”
Lilly is 1-1 with a 4.67 ERA in four career appearances - three starts - against the Mets.
