Diamondbacks, Haren rout ailing Cubs 7-2
The big guns are on their way back.
Cubs manager Lou Piniella promised that Monday as the Cubs opened a three-game series in Phoenix against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Question is, can the Cubs hold the fort until the walking wounded return? So far, the answer has been no, as they lost two of three in St. Louis over the weekend before dropping Monday's opener to the D'backs 7-2 as Dan Haren went the distance.
Lefty Ted Lilly started well enough, but he plodded through the third and fourth innings, when the D'backs scored once and then four times to take a 5-1 lead.
Before the game, Piniella talked with reporters and had mostly encouraging news.
On ace reliever Carlos Marmol, Piniella told reporters Marmol had a bullpen session at Chase Field and "was absolutely perfect," as he tested his sprained left knee.
Right fielder Milton Bradley, hobbled for more than two weeks with a groin injury, struck out as a pinch hitter and should be able to start tonight.
Third baseman Aramis Ramirez worked out hard, and "if he doesn't have any negative day-after effects," there might be a shot he could return tonight from a left-calf injury, according to Piniella. First baseman Derrek Lee remains day to day with a bulging disc in his neck that spasmed on him Sunday, forcing him out of the game after he batted in the first inning.
The Cubs, who fell back to .500 at 9-9, need their stars back. They had lost four in a row before winning Sunday.
Monday's game began with Alfonso Soriano crushing a pitch from Haren over the wall in left for his sixth home run.
That was all the Cubs could muster off Haren until Mike Fontenot hit a solo homer in the eighth. Haren (2-3, 1.54 ERA) walked none and struck out 10 in tossing a complete game.
Lilly gave up a one-out homer to Chris Snyder in the third and had to work before stranding two that inning.
The Diamondbacks sent eight men to the plate in the fourth. Lilly looked to be out of the inning when Haren came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs, but he chopped a 2-run double over the head of Fontenot at third. Chris Young followed immediately by driving a 2-run double to the gap in left-center.
Bruce Miles' game tracker
Fast start: Alfonso Soriano led off the game with his sixth homer of the season. It was Soriano's 52nd career leadoff homer, putting him within 1 of Craig Biggio for second all time behind Rickey Henderson (81). Can you say comfort zone?
Lilly pitch tracker: Ted Lilly pitched 5 innings for the Cubs, running his pitch count to 96. Here is how Lilly's innings unfolded: 9 pitches, 14 pitches, 30 pitches, 27 pitches, 16 pitches.
Stealing 'em blind: The D'backs ran at will on catcher Geovany Soto and Cubs pitchers, stealing five bases in six attempts in the first seven innings. Are teams taking advantage of Soto's shoulder or the Cubs' pitchers? Probably a little of both. The Cubs will have to find a way to limit the running game.