GAME THREAD: NL: CHICAGO CUBS (58-55) at COLORADO (59-54)

Jones, Cubs unleash frustration on Rockies in rout

<h3>CHICAGO CUBS 10, COLORADO 2</h3>DENVER (Ticker) -- Jacque Jones and the Chicago Cubs took out aseries worth of frustration against the Colorado Rockies.

Jones tied a season high with four hits and four RBI as the Cubsblasted the Colorado Rockies, 10-2, on Thursday to snap afour-game skid.


Jason Kendall had three hits and two RBI as every starter exceptDerrek Lee recorded a hit for Chicago, which was just 2-for-33with runners in scoring position in suffering a three-game sweepat the hands of the Houston Astros earlier this week.

"We put some runs on the board early, which we obviously didn'tdo in the Houston series," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said."Good night for Jacque Jones, (Matt) Murton, all these guys dida nice job. Our best hitter (Lee) didn't have (a hit)."

Jones recorded an RBI single in the first, a two-run double inthe second and a run-scoring base hit in a five-run third inningas Chicago built a 9-1 lead and chased rookie Ubaldo Jimenez(1-2) from the game.


"I just like playing, just like playing baseball," a rathersubdued Jones said.


Mark DeRosa had a pair of hits and scored twice for Chicago(59-55), which moved within one-half game of idle Milwaukee(60-55) for first place in the National League Central Division.

The outburst was a welcome sight for the Cubs, who enteredhitting just .221 and scored just eight runs in the three gamessince Alfonso Soriano suffered a torn quadriceps on Sunday.

Ted Lilly (13-5), who entered the game 1-1 with a 9.39 ERAagainst Colorado, enjoyed the run support. The lefthanderallowed two runs and five hits in six innings but did labor,walking five and throwing a career-high 127 pitches.

"We were going to take Lilly out after 112 (pitches), but Woody(Kerry Wood) wasn't quite ready," Piniella said. "That's ourhigh-pitch game of the year. (Lilly) was struggling on hiscurveball, but he made good pitches when he had to. He'sthrowing very well for us."


"This is definitely different pitching here (at Coors Field), itwas noticeable," Lilly said. "The whole game, I was havingtrouble locating my fastball and curveball. There's anadjustment. ... As the game went on, it got a little better. Ihad to lower my sights, (the curve) was not going to break asmuch." One day after exploding on the Brewers for 19 runs, theRockies had the tables turned on them.


With Chicago already ahead, 4-1, in the third, Matt Murton ledoff with a solo homer as the first five hitters reached to startthe frame. DeRosa followed with a single and Mike Fontenot hitan RBI triple to center to make it 6-1.


Kendall drove in a run with a single and rookie Felix Piedoubled, chasing Jimenez.


"I couldn't get my fastball where I wanted it to be," Jimenezsaid. "I wasn't able to get it low. That's why they werehitting it."


Taylor Buchholz relieved Jimenez, who allowed nine runs - fiveearned - and nine hits in two-plus innings. Buchholz, who losthis spot in the rotation to Jimenez, allowed a sacrifice fly byRyan Theriot and a single by Jones to make it 9-1.

Kendall capped the scoring with an RBI triple in the fourth.

Jeff Baker homered in the second and Ryan Spilborghs added asacrifice fly in the fifth for Colorado (59-55), which saw itsfive-game home winning streak come to an end and fell 4 1/2games behind Arizona (64-51) in the NL West.