Good fresh start for Cubs in 12-6 win over Phillies
Now for something completely different.
Yes, the Cubs' 12-6 victory Thursday night against the Phillies at Wrigley Field was a departure from the norm.
They managed to couple a good pitching performance from Ryan Dempster along with 16 hits, including 3 homers as they got the unofficial second half of the season started with a bang.
"This is what we hoped for," said manager Lou Piniella, whose team improved to 40-50. "This is what we talked about. We got it tonight. Lot of hitting, the longball, extra-base hits. Good ballgame for us."
There was more than just power. The Cubs got a single, a double and a triple from rookie shortstop Starlin Castro, who also stole home in the second inning on a failed suicide-squeeze attempt by pitcher Ryan Dempster.
That was a first for Piniella.
"I never have in the second inning," Piniella said of calling that play. "Never have. It wasn't hunch. We figured we'd try a few things different. No, I never have. Hopefully, I never will again."
Dempster had an easy explanation for missing the bunt with Castro charging home. Fortunately for the Cubs, the ball got away from catcher Carlos Ruiz.
"It's hard to hit a ball out of the batter's box that's bouncing," said Dempster, who 8-7 with a 3.57 ERA.
Despite the team's record, Dempster is one of many Cubs refusing to concede.
"We've got a long way to go, a lot of ground to make up," he said. "The easiest way, I've said, is take one game at a time.
"I know everybody wants to count us down and out and the season to be over with. We refuse to do that. We're just going to go out there and play hard. It was a big one for us."
Dempster fell behind 2-0 in the first inning on a booming homer to right-center by Ryan Howard, the first of 2 for the Phillies first baseman.
But the Cubs answered with 2 of their own in the bottom of the first against veteran lefty Jamie Moyer, on a 2-run double by Aramis Ramirez. It was the first of a pair of 2-run doubles for Ramirez.
After getting a run in the second, the Cubs got a 2-run homer from Derrek Lee (3-for-5) in the third and a solo shot by Alfonso Soriano later that inning.
The capped it off with 5 runs in the seventh as the Phillies used seven pitchers. Geovany Soto homered in the seventh.
For the Cubs to do anything in the second half, they'll need Lee, Ramirez and Soriano to carry the offense.
"I think everybody came fresh and forgot the first half," said Soriano, who leads the team with 16 homers and 47 RBI. "It's a new season for us.
"You see tonight. Aramis got 2 big hits. D-Lee had a very good homer, and I got a very good hit, too. I think if we continue doing that, we'll be in good shape."
<p class="factboxheadblack">Bruce Miles' game tracker</p>
<p class="News">Cubs 12, Phillies 6</p>
<p class="News"><b>What a night:</b> Rookie Starlin Castro singled, doubled, tripled and stole home. The steal came in the second on a botched squeeze. It was the first straight steal of home by a Cub since Brian McRae on April 13, 1996, against the Giants.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Back to quality:</b> Ryan Dempster turned in the Cubs' 56th quality start by working 62/3 innings and giving up 6 hits and 2 runs. The Cubs are 31-25 in quality-start games.</p>
<p class="News"><b>Hot, hot, hot:</b> Aramis Ramirez was 2-for-5, with a pair of 2-run doubles. He's batting .350 (21-for-60) in his last 15 games with 5 doubles, a triple, 5 homers and 14 RBI.</p>
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