Openers nothing but trouble for Zambrano
ATLANTA - Just in case the Ricketts family is wondering:
No refunds.
No exchanges.
The Cubs at first thrilled and then badly disappointed two of the four new owners who made the trip to Turner Field for Monday's season opener against the Braves.
After Marlon Byrd staked starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano to a 3-0 lead in the first inning by homering in his first at-bat with the team, Zambrano gave it all back and then some in the bottom half as the Cubs dropped a sloppily played 16-5 decision.
You have to go all the way back to 1884 for a worse loss on Opening Day. Back then the Chicago National League team fell to New York 15-3.
"Somewhat of an embarrassing loss, but at the same time, it's only one game, and we'll go from here," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said.
Once again, the opening-day culprit was Zambrano. Making his sixth straight start on Opening Day, he lasted just 11/3 innings, equaling the shortest outing of his career.
He allowed 6 hits and 8 runs as his ERA in season openers went to 6.99.
"Too many pitches in the middle," Zambrano said. "They have a good lineup. Against them, you can't put the ball in the middle. You have to hit the spots and the corners if you want to pitch good against the Braves. It's one game. You have to give credit to them, too."
Things began well enough in the new era on this gloriously sunny 86-degree day.
Kosuke Fukudome (2-for-3, 2 runs) singled with one out in the first, and Derrek Lee walked. After Aramis Ramirez flied out, Byrd crushed an 0-1 pitch from Derek Lowe over the wall in center field. Byrd became the first Cub to homer in his first at-bat with the team since Henry Rodriguez in 1998.
The good mood went deep South just minutes later, as the Braves sent 10 men to the plate, scoring 6 runs on 5 hits. The big blow for Atlanta was a 3-run homer by highly touted rookie Jason Heyward in his first big-league at-bat. The ball sailed high over the wall in right-center.
"That's what we have to stay away from," Byrd said of the quick high followed by the quick low. "I hoped that we would have kept the momentum, but you've got a team over there that's really good. They know how to break your momentum, and they know how to get their own going.
"It's just snowballed. They started getting a couple hits, and they got some runs."
Zambrano hit Martin Prado with a pitch leading off the second. He then committed a throwing error to allow a run as he whirled and threw wildly from first base on a putout. Piniella came to get Zambrano after Brian McCann followed with a homer.
"You would hope that your starting pitcher, with a 3-run lead - you walk the first hitter of the game," Piniella said, his voice trailing off. "We kept him in there hoping that he could give us 3 or 4 innings, and he hits the first hitter (in the second). He got in trouble both times with the free pass."
Zambrano walked two and hit one, and relievers Jeff Samardzija and Justin Berg combined for 6 walks.
The Cubs couldn't catch a break, either. After Ramirez led off the sixth with a single, he was doubled off after an apparent diving catch by center fielder Nate McLouth. Replays showed McLouth dropped the ball on impact, but the umpires upheld the call after a conference.
"I thought he trapped the ball, from my vantage point," Piniella said. "I don't know what you all saw. As I went out there, it was vivid right in front of the replay. I told the umpires, 'Just look at the replay, and you'll get the correct call.'
"That play there, the baserunner's got to pick up the umpire that's closest to the play, and hang halfway. But look, that wasn't why we lost the game. We lost the game because we didn't pitch, and we walked way, way too many people."
As far as the owners go, one player said they have to hang in there.
"They've got to understand that this is a long season," Ramirez said. "Opening Day doesn't mean anything. You want to win ballgames early in the season. But it's just a game. We didn't play the way we like to. We had a good spring. We didn't play good today."
<div class="infoBox">
<h1>More Coverage</h1>
<div class="infoBoxContent">
<div class="infoArea">
<h2>Stories</h2>
<ul class="links">
<li><a href="/story/?id=371045">Long wait finally ends for Ricketts family<span class="date"> [4//5/10]</span></a></li>
<li><a href="/story/?id=371054">Umpires do Cubs no favors in season opener<span class="date"> [4//5/10]</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p class="factboxheadblack">Bruce Miles' game tracker</p>
<p class="News">Braves 16, Braves 5</p>
<p class="News"><b>Lefties all right:</b> Left-hander Sean Marshall relieved struggling Carlos Zambrano and pitched 22/3 scoreless innings, walking none and striking out five. James Russell made his major-league debut and worked 2 scoreless innings, striking out one and walking none. </p>
<p class="News"><b>Homer time:</b> Third baseman Aramis Ramirez homered in the third, a 2-run shot. He has homered in two straight openers and in three of the last six, also having done it in 2005. </p>
<p class="News"><b>They'll kill ya:</b> Cubs pitchers issued 8 walks: 2 by Zambrano and 3 each by Jeff Samardzija and Justin Berg. Samardzija walked the first three batters he faced in the seventh and allowed Chipper Jones to get a huge jump on an easy stolen base. </p>
<p class="factboxheadblack">For openers, not so hot for Zambrano</p>
<p class="News">Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano made his sixth straight opening-day start Monday. He gave up 6 hits and 8 runs in 1 1/3 innings. In his 6 opening-day starts, he has an ERA of 6.99, having pitched 28 1/3 innings, giving up 34 hits and 22 earned runs:</p>
<p class="News">2010: 1 1/3 innings, 6 hits, 8 runs, 2 walks, 1 strikeout</p>
<p class="News">2009: 6 innings, 5 hits, 1 run 3 walks, 6 strikeouts</p>
<p class="News">2008: 62/3 innings, 3 hits 0 runs, 1 walk, 5 strikeouts</p>
<p class="News">2007: 5 innings, 6 hits, 5 runs, 5 walks, 2 strikeouts</p>
<p class="News">2006: 42/3 IP, 7 hits, 5 runs, 5 walks, 8 strikeouts</p>
<p class="News">2005: 42/3 IP, 7 hits, 3 runs, 4 walks, 8 strikeouts</p>