Cubs turn on the power, end three-game skid
Baby steps.
The Cubs needed to get their offense going in the worst way Friday after it had been in, well, a bad way.
They did so in an 11-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks to snap a three-game losing streak.
Manager Lou Piniella talked about getting big guys Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez going. Lee drove in a run with an infield single in the Cubs' 3-run seventh, as they broke open a 6-5 lead. Ramirez added a bases-loaded walk.
But the key shot came an inning earlier, when Alfonso Soriano lined a 3-run homer into the left-field bleachers to cap a 4-run rally from a 4-2 deficit.
"The main thing, today was a good day, but we need to build on it and be consistent, not do it for two (games) and fall off for three or four," Lee said. "This needs to be our team. Swing the bats every day, and when guys get on, find a way to execute and get them across the plate."
The guy who took care of that in a big way was Soriano. He doubled home a run in the fifth. In the sixth, the Cubs loaded the bases on singles by Ryan Theriot and Kosuke Fukudome (2-for-3) and a key drop of Ramirez's popup by Arizona starting pitcher Rodrigo Lopez.
Tyler Colvin hit a sacrifice fly, and Soriano picked on the first pitch he saw and sent it flying. He's been the subject of boos at Wrigley Field this year, but the left-field bleacher fans showered him with affection.
"They responded very well after I hit the homer," said Soriano. "It was a good situation for the team. I'm very happy today with the win we got today."
The offense picked up starting pitcher Randy Wells, who found it difficult on a warm day with the wind blowing out to left field at 18 mph. Wells worked an uneventful first 3 innings, but he hit trouble in the fourth, when the D'backs scored 3 runs, getting doubles from Stephen Drew, Mark Reynolds and Cole Gillespie.
Fukudome's homer in the fourth put the Cubs on the board before the teams traded runs in the fifth. Wells (3-0) wound up with a victory, as he gutted out 6 innings of 8-hit, 5-run ball.
"No matter what happened today, the way I pitched or whatever, coming away with the 'W' is all I care about," Wells said. "It's a tough day to pitch. You're conscious of the wind. You're trying to keep the ball down. Trying to keep the ball in the ballpark forced me to make some pitches I wasn't really proud of."
Wells got relief help from John Grabow, Carlos Zambrano and Carlos Marmol.
The offense put it out of reach for good with back-to-back homers by Geovany Soto and Marlon Byrd in the eighth.
<p class="factboxheadblack">Bruce Miles' game tracker</p>
<p class="News">Cubs 11, Diamondbacks 5</p>
<p class="News"><b>Every which way:</b> Shortstop Ryan Theriot reached base in the first inning on an error. He singled to extend his hitting streak to 10 games in the sixth. In the seventh, he laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt. During his hitting streak, Theriot is 22-for-47 (468).</p>
<p class="News"><b>Another good April:</b> Right fielder Kosuke Fukudome closed out another strong April by going 2-for-3 with 2 walks and 3 runs. He's batting .344 (22-for-64) with a .443 on-base percentage and a .641 slugging percentage. His fourth-inning solo homer was his fourth of the year. </p>
<p class="News"><b>Picking it up:</b> Lefty reliever John Grabow enjoyed his third straight scoreless outing, coming in for starter Randy Wells and getting a groundout and 2 strikeouts. </p>
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