Cubs get 'quirky' win to open trip

HOUSTON -- It might strike some as totally contrived, but there may not be a quirkier ballpark in the National League than the Astros' Minute Maid Park.

The Cubs didn't seem to mind Monday night.

Making use of every manmade nook and cranny, the Cubs struck first in this early-season showdown, beating the Astros 7-2.

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The home of the Astros boasts everything from a train atop the left-field wall carrying a cargo of what looks to be pumpkins but is supposed to be oranges to a hill in center field to a high wall in left.

Catcher Geovany Soto caromed one off that wall in the fourth inning for an inside-the-park home run.

On defense, Cubs center fielder Jim Edmonds climbed what's known as Tal's Hill to rob Hunter Pence of extra bases and end the bottom of the fourth.

"We wanted to come in here and play well the first game and hopefully post a win, and that's exactly what we did," said Cubs manager Lou Piniella, whose team is 28-17 and at least 11 games over .500 for the first time since the end of 2004.

The Cubs had just come off an 8-2 homestand, and the Astros were coming off a 7-3 road trip.

Cubs starting pitcher Ted Lilly breezed through the first three innings without giving up a hit before the fun started in the fourth.

With one out and runners at first and second, Soto crushed a ball high off the wall in left-center. Depending on where the ball hits, it can be called an automatic home run, but second-base umpire Joe West made the "safe" sign, and Soto kept motoring as the ball shot into center field.

"I didn't dream of hitting one of those," Soto said. "When I turned first, I was right about to step on second. The umpire called 'safe,' so the play's still alive. I just tried to get to third and maybe get like a stand-up triple or something.

"(Coach) Mike Quade just waved me home. I was like, 'There's no way.' I was about to get my last breath just to get to third, and he wants me to go home."

The Astros came back with a run in the bottom of the inning and had a man on first when Pence drove one to deep center. Edmonds circled and caught the ball with his back turned at the base of the hill that leads to the wall.

He managed to hold on and keep his balance. Making the catch more impressive was that Edmonds fouled a ball off his right-foot area in the top of the inning.

A former Cardinal, Edmonds has played the hill before.

"Yeah, I'm familiar with it," he said. "That's what happens when you lose a step. You've got to run a little farther. I was kind of thinking about it because I fouled a ball off my foot, and I thought it would be a bad time for a ball to get over my head right there."

Lilly (5-4) got a big assist from reliever Jon Lieber, who came on in the sixth to get a double play. Carlos Marmol got out of an eighth-inning jam before Aramis Ramirez hit a 2-run homer in the ninth. Cubs pitchers held hot-hitting Lance Berkman hitless in 4 appearances by their mixing pitches well.

"All in all, this was a good win for us," Lilly said. "We played very good defense and had the timely hits. And our bullpen, obviously, was phenomenal."

Cubs 7, Astros 2

At the plate: Geovany Soto hit a 3-run, inside-the-park home run in the fourth. Aramis Ramirez hit a 2-run shot in the ninth. Ryan Theriot had his 20th multi-hit game, with an RBI double and a single as the Cubs outhit the Astros 14-7.

On the mound: Ted Lilly improved to 5-4 with his fourth straight victory. He worked 51/3 innings, giving up 4 hits and 2 runs. Lilly threw 95 pitches, 62 for strikes. Jon Lieber was effective in 12/3 innings. Carlos Marmol bailed out Michael Wuertz by retiring three batters with two on in the eighth.

-- Bruce Miles