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| Soriano, Cubs rally past Diamondbacks CHICAGO CUBS 7, ARIZONA 2 |
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CHICAGO (Ticker) -- With one big inning, the Chicago Cubs spoiled the chance for the Arizona Diamondbacks rookie starter to earn his first major league win. Alfonso Soriano had four hits and scored twice as the Chicago Cubs used a six-run seventh inning to blow past the Diamondbacks, 7-2, on Saturday. Kosuke Fukudome blasted his first home run since Opening Day for the Cubs, who have won two straight games after dropping nine of their previous 13 contests. Arizona's Max Scherzer was in line to earn the victory in his second major league start when he departed with a 2-1 lead after six innings. The 23-year-old righthander allowed one unearned run and five hits over six innings with one walk and six strikeouts. He also hit two batters during his 82-pitch outing. "He was very impressive," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said. "He got ahead of hitters, which enabled him to throw his breaking ball. We said we are going to be real careful with him and watch his pitch count. "We felt with our bullpen, we could get him out with a lead." But the Cubs erupted in the bottom of the seventh off Arizona reliever Chad Qualls (0-4) as Daryle Ward delivered a pinch-hit RBI single to left to tie the game. After a wild pitch, Soriano then came through with an RBI double and scored on Ryan Theriot's single to center, pushing Chicago's advantage to 4-2. Soriano, who had his first four-hit game of the season, had been hitting just .219 (7-for-32) since coming off the disabled list with a strained right calf on May 1. "I was waiting for this day for a long time," Soriano said. "I felt very comfortable at home plate. I felt my hands were very good. I could wait for the ball." Cubs manager Lou Piniella also was happy about his leadoff hitter's big day. "(Soriano's) been swinging the bat better," Piniella said. "He had a couple of bloopers. Then he really got hot and lined a couple of balls to left field. He's been working hard." Aramis Ramirez continued the outburst with another RBI single off Diamondbacks reliever Brandon Medders, and Fukudome then swatted a two-run shot to center, giving the Cubs a 7-2 bulge. Qualls, who had a 0.93 ERA entering the day, retired just one batter and gave up four runs. Medders was charged with two runs in two-thirds of an inning. "It's really the first time this year he's (Qualls) given up a legitimate run," Melvin said. "Our seventh-, eighth- and ninth-inning pitchers have been great. The bullpen just didn't get it done this time." Chicago had taken a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third when Soriano hit a two-out single and came around to score when Arizona right fielder Justin Upton bobbled Theriot's single to right. The Cubs had a chance to extend their lead in the bottom of the fifth when they loaded the bases with one out. However, Upton caught a fly ball from Derrek Lee and threw out Reed Johnson at the plate, keeping Chicago in front by just one run. Arizona's offense finally broke through in the sixth. Upton walked with the bases loaded, bringing home Augie Ojeda. Mark Reynolds followed with an RBI groundout to shortstop, giving the Diamondbacks a 2-1 advantage. The two-run inning was the only blemish on Cubs starter Ryan Dempster's outing. The righthander allowed three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts, throwing a season-high 118 pitches. "We win the games I start, I'm happy," Dempster said. "I just tried to go out there today, stay consistent and make pitches." Pitching in his first game of the season, Scott Eyre (1-0) threw a scoreless inning in the seventh to earn his first win of the season. The lefthander had missed the first 34 games with left elbow inflammation. |
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