Fontenot, Ramirez, lead Cubs over Astros

HOUSTON - Cubs manager Lou Piniella joked with Ted Lilly that he picked the right night to have a mediocre start.

Lilly gave up 5 runs in 5 innings but it was good enough to earn the win in the Cubs' 11-6 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night.

Aramis Ramirez and Mike Fontenot drove in 4 runs apiece. Kosuke Fukudome had 4 hits and scored a career-high 4 runs for the Cubs, who won an opening series for the first time since it took two of three from the New York Mets to begin the 2003 season.

Piniella knows Lilly can pitch much better.

"He's a little behind," Piniella said. "His location is not good. When he should be missing down, he's missing up in the zone. And today the wind was blowing out to left field and they got a hold of a few of them."

Lilly (1-0) allowed 8 hits, struck out three and walked none.

"We're going to score a lot of runs, there's no doubt about it," he said. "But I don't know if we're going to score 11 every night. I want to be prepared when we don't and I need to limit the opposing club to 2 runs, or whatever is necessary to get the 'W.' "

Lance Berkman and Ivan Rodriguez connected for Houston, which finished with 5 homers. Jeff Keppinger, Kaz Matsui and Hunter Pence also went deep.

The Cubs scored 4 runs in the first and second. Ramirez, Fontenot and Ryan Theriot had RBI singles and Derrek Lee doubled in a run in the first. Ramirez singled in a run in the second before Fontenot's 3-run homer made it 8-0.

Brian Moehler (0-1) allowed 7 runs and 8 hits in just 12/3 innings, reinforcing concerns that the Astros' rotation is shaky behind ace Roy Oswalt.

"I just didn't have it tonight," Moehler said. "We battled back a little but I stunk up the place, bottom line."

He was replaced by Russ Ortiz, Houston's fifth starter who is working in long relief until his first scheduled start. He pitched three innings and allowed four hits and three runs.

Ramirez went 4-for-6 and Fukudome also had a solo drive in the ninth.

"He's been working on his hitting, believe me, been working hard," Piniella said of Fukudome. "Today, my gosh. This is the best game he's had here in two years."

• Piniella said C Geovany Soto was going to Chicago today for what Piniella termed a "precautionary" evaluation of his sore right shoulder. Soto left Tuesday's game early and didn't play Wednesday. Piniella said Soto could be ready for Friday's game in Milwaukee. "He should be OK in a few days," Piniella said. "We'll see how he is on Friday."

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=285308">Miles: Don't blame WBC for Lilly's outing <span class="date"> [4/9/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>