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The Leading Logic In Sports Handicapping |
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CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Ted Lilly recorded a season-high 11
strikeouts and Alfonso Soriano hit a leadoff homer for the
second straight game Wednesday, leading the Chicago Cubs to an
8-5 win over the San Diego Padres.
Lilly (4-4), who has won all three of his starts in May, struck
out the most batters he has in a single game since fanning 12 on
June 10, 2006, while he was still with the Toronto Blue Jays.
The lefthander allowed four runs and six hits over six innings.
"My stuff's been as good as it's been," Lilly said. "I made
mistakes, some costly ones. Those guys are some tough outs."
In setting his season high in strikeouts for the second straight
game - Lilly had 10 against Arizona on Friday - the lefthander
won his anticipated duel against Jake Peavy (4-3).
"I don't think I just stand up there and try and throw fastballs
by guys," Lilly said. "I have to mix my pitches and change
speeds and locate the ball. At times, when I got my curveball
going, I think I'll get some strikeouts on it. I'm not going to
say I'm a power pitcher (though)."
Peavy endured his worst outing of the season, surrendering four
runs and seven hits with two walks and eight strikeouts over
four innings.
For the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner,
Wednesday marked just the second time in his last 50 starts that
he was unable to last at least five frames.
"It doesn't happen to him often," Padres manager Bud Black said.
"Over the last couple of years, he's had the most quality
starts of any pitcher in baseball. So going less than six is a
rare occurrence for Jake."
"It was a frustrating night," Peavy said. "I should do better
than I did. To get pulled after four is embarrassing."
Conversely, Lilly improved to 4-1 with a 3.09 ERA over his last
five starts.
"San Diego's been swinging the bats well, give him some credit,"
Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "We need all our veteran
pitchers pitching well. Lilly's picked it up."
Soriano staked the Cubs to an early 1-0 lead with his 46th
career leadoff homer and added to the lead in the second inning,
lining a two-out, two-run single to left to increase Chicago's
advantage to 3-0.
He also homered to lead off the game in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to
San Diego.
"Alfonso is a bit streaky," Piniella said. "One thing is when
he gets hot, he stays hot for a good period of time. He's been
swinging the bat more consistently and starting to add power to
the equation."
Geovany Soto's RBI single pushed the lead to 4-0 in the fourth.
San Diego rallied with three runs in the fifth as Lilly began to
tire, but the lefthander collected himself in time to strand
the tying run at third base when he struck out Brian Giles to
end the frame.
Soto belted a fastball from reliever Wilfredo Ledezma over the
fence in center for his seventh homer of the season to give the
Cubs a 6-3 lead.
Carlos Marmol relieved Lilly after a 102-pitch outing and tossed
two perfect frames in the seventh and eighth before handing the
game over in the ninth to closer Kerry Wood.
After Wood retired Khalil Greene to open the ninth, Wood allowed
a single to pinch hitter Tony Clark and a double to Josh Bard
before walking pinch hitter Jody Gerut to load the bases.
Scott Hairston followed with a groundout before Tadahito
Iguchi's slow dribbler squeaked past shortstop Ryan Theriot to
trim the Padres' deficit to 8-5.
However, Wood kept the damage to a minimum when the next batter,
Giles, flew out to shallow left with the bases loaded to end
the game.
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