Power surge turns jeers into cheers for lightning rod Soriano
There was a time earlier this season that most of the e-mails and messages coming into Cubs headquarters from fans concerned getting rid of slumping Alfonso Soriano.
After 3 home runs and 6 RBI in the last two days and a batting average that has rocketed to .325, Soriano is back to being the heroic icon he was brought in to be as a highly paid, high-profile free agent.
His pair of 2-run homers Sunday broke open and then sealed the deal for the Cubs in a 10-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks, putting them back to .500 again as they hit the road with a 3-game winning streak.
"That's what I've been working for," said Soriano, hearing appreciative cheers from the 38,144 at Wrigley Field on Sunday after so many jeers.
"What a nice day he had. Productive. He really looks locked in at home plate," said manager Lou Piniella, equally appreciative.
Even more appreciative perhaps was Tom Gorzelanny, the tough-luck left-hander who got his first win, striking out a career-high 10 in 7 innings.
Gorzelanny had 4 of the career-high whiffs at two of the most-crucial times against two of Arizona's most-dangerous hitters.
In the first inning, Gorzelanny set the tone, fanning Mark Reynolds and Chris Young consecutively with two aboard. The pair had combined for 3 homers in Saturday's game.
In the third, again with two on, he got Justin Upton and then the free-swinging Reynolds again to strand Tony Abreu and Stephen Drew.
"There's times when it's going to be tough to get outs," Gorzelanny said of the early jams. "Keep it simple. Get guys out. I just tried to attack guys. Today I was able to put it wherever Geo (catcher Geovany Soto) wanted it.
Of course, getting generous run support helps, a rare commodity for so far this season for Gorzelanny.
"It was good to see," he said in a low, almost-hushed tone, sort of as if he didn't want to use up all that generous support.
The mood was a tad more giddy around the clubhouse, though, especially in regard to the run production and some hot bats.
"I feel good," Soriano repeated over and over after clubbing homers Nos. 5 and 6. "I feel so good at home plate."
His secret?
"(Hitting coach) Rudy (Jaramillo) works a lot with me," he said.
Soriano's success, Piniella observed, is in good part due to his renewed patience and eye at the plate. "Today, he took pitches really well. That's a real good sign with a hitter," Piniella said.
"Everyone's swinging the bats really well," shortstop Ryan Theriot said.
His 3 hits lifted his average to .355 and extended his hitting streak to 12 games, one shy of his career best. But that's not what he's concentrating on.
"We just want to win games," Theriot said, although he admitted that he "feels pretty good at the plate right now."
<p class="factboxheadblack">Cubs game tracker</p>
<p class="News"><b>The good:</b> So much of it to go around. Soriano's 2 home runs. Marlon Byrd's long home run. Chad Tracy's outstanding fill-in work at the plate and at third base. Tom Gorzelanny's outstanding pitching effort, including his first double-digit strikeout performance with 10.</p>
<p class="News">And, not to be forgotten, Ryan Theriot's 3 hits, giving him a 12-game hitting streak and a .355 average.</p>
<p class="News"><b>The bad:</b> None.</p>
<p class="News"><b>The ugly:</b> Not even 10-5 victories always avoid some ugliness.</p>
<p class="News">Believe it or not, manager Lou Piniella claimed he had Carlos Zambrano ready in the bullpen with two outs in the ninth after Arizona scored 3 runs and pulled within 10-5.</p>
<p class="News">He couldn't go to closer Carlos Marmol, as he'd thrown close to 60 pitches in saving the previous two games.</p>