Cubs fall 5-2 as Mets win their first series of the season

Posted April 22, 2010 11:00 pm

NEW YORK -- Johan Santana fought through mild trouble for six innings to keep the game scoreless before David Wright came through with an RBI double, and the New York Mets beat the Chicago Cubs 5-2 Thursday night for their first series win of the season.

Jeff Francoeur broke an 0-for-24 slump with an RBI single in the Mets' four-run sixth. Ike Davis had three hits and New York took three of four from the Cubs after dropping its first four series this season.

Francisco Rodriguez got five outs for his first save of the year. He entered with the bases loaded in the eighth and allowed a sacrifice fly before striking out pinch-hitter Tyler Colvin to end the inning.

Tom Gorzelanny (0-2) showed no ill effects from being hit by a liner in the left arm in the third inning Saturday against Houston. He didn't allow a runner until a one-out walk in the fourth and gave up his first hit -- to Davis -- with one out in the fifth.

One out later, Gorzelanny took a shoulder from Santana (2-1) as he was covering first on the pitcher's grounder. After the contact, Gorzelanny leaned over and put his hands on his knees for an extra moment.

The Mets then nudged through in the sixth, led by the slumping middle of the order. Jose Reyes walked and was sacrificed over by Luis Castillo. Wright, 2 for 11 on the homestand with two strikeouts entering the sixth Thursday, doubled to left for the first run. Francoeur added an RBI single, his first hit since April 16.

Davis followed with his second hit, ending Gorzelanny's night. James Russell walked Rod Barajas to load the bases. Mike Fontenot then failed to field Angel Pagan's chopper for an error, when he was distracted by Barajas, running past the second baseman as the ball bounced at the edge of the grass and dirt. Two runs scored to make it 4-0.

Gorzelanny gave up four hits and four runs -- two earned -- in 5 2-3 innings. He struck out seven and walked two.

Santana followed up seven scoreless innings on Saturday night, an outing that was overshadowed by the final 13 innings of the Mets' 20-inning win over St. Louis, with a gritty performance.

He let the leadoff batter reach in four innings -- only one scoring, with help from Francoeur's fielding error in the seventh.

The Cubs put runners on third with one out after leadoff doubles in the second and third, and in the fourth had first and third with one out but Marlon Byrd was thrown out at home after getting caught in a rundown.

In the sixth, Santana gave up a single before striking out the side.

Geovany Soto singled to right-center to start the seventh and went to second when the ball deflected off a running Francoeur's glove for an error. He scored on Kosuke Fukudome's single that finished Santana.

The Mets left-hander gave up a run and eight hits with five strikeouts in 6 1-3 innings. He did not walk a batter.

Barajas added an RBI single in the eighth.

NOTES: Wright's double, his 225th, tied Ed Kranepool for most in Mets history. ... The Mets entered Thursday with a major league-leading 77 walks. No other team had 70. ... Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez extended his hitless series to 0 for 16 with a fielder's choice as a pinch hitter and struck out in the ninth.

Cubs game tracker

Missed opportunities: The Cubs were 1 for 13 with runners in scoring position and left 22 on base for the game. Alfonso Soriano went 0-for-3 with 4 LOB. Aramis Ramirez was 0 for 2 as a pinch hitter and 0 for 16 in the series, dropping his average to .127.

Toughing it out: After getting hit on the shoulder in his last start, Cubs lefty Tom Gorzelanny looked good in giving up only 4 hits and 2 earned runs in 5.2 innings as he collected 7 strikeouts. He didn't help himself with a throwing error, however.

Running scoring gap: The Cubs, who are 12th in the NL with 61 RBI this season, now face a Brewers lineup that leads the league with 94 runs in 15 games.

Cubs scouting report

Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park

TV: Channel 9 Friday and Saturday; Comcast SportsNet Sunday

Radio: WGN 720-AM

Pitching matchups: The Cubs' Ryan Dempster (1-0) vs. Jeff Suppan (0-0) Friday at 7:10 p.m.; Ted Lilly (0-0) vs. Doug Davis (0-1) Saturday at 6:10 p.m.; Randy Wells (1-0) vs. Dave Bush (1-0) Sunday at 1:10 p.m.

At a glance: The Cubs outscored the Brewers 22-19 in beating the Brewers two of three last week at Wrigley Field. At Miller Park last year, the Cubs were 5-4. Former No. 1 starter Carlos Zambrano should be available out of the bullpen as early as Friday in the eighth inning. Lilly makes his season debut Saturday after rehabbing from shoulder surgery. He's 2-1 with a 3.75 ERA at Miller Park. Dempster beat the Brewers last week and is 12-3 with a 2.88 ERA lifetime against Milwaukee. The Brewers' Prince Fielder hit his first homer of the season Thursday in a 20-0 rout of the Pirates. Ryan Braun hit his fifth homer and had 5 RBI.

Next: Washington Nationals at Wrigley Field, Monday-Wednesday

- Bruce Miles

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