NL: CHICAGO CUBS at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NL AT ST LOUIS - MID INNING UPDATE PLAY: S Schumaker hit for R Springer. SITUATION: 0 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 1 OUT CURRENT SCORE: CHICAGO CUBS 3 ST LOUIS 2 BOTTOM, 9TH DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: S Schumaker (.296, 2 HR, 11 RBI)</div>
NL: CHICAGO CUBS at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NL AT ST LOUIS - MID INNING UPDATE PLAY: C Duncan hit for B Ryan. SITUATION: 0 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 2 OUTS CURRENT SCORE: CHICAGO CUBS 3 ST LOUIS 2 BOTTOM, 9TH DUE UP FOR ST LOUIS: C Duncan (.259, 21 HR, 70 RBI)</div>
NL: CHICAGO CUBS at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NL FINAL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - CHICAGO CUBS 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 5 2 ST LOUIS 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 0 (FINAL) BATTERIES: CHN - TED LILLY, KERRY WOOD (7TH), CARLOS MARMOL (8TH), RYAN DEMPSTER (9TH) AND GEOVANY SOTO STL - BRADEN LOOPER, RYAN FRANKLIN (8TH), RANDY FLORES (9TH), RUSS SPRINGER (9TH) AND YADIER MOLINA HOME RUNS: CHN - ALFONSO SORIANO (26) OFF RYAN FRANKLIN IN THE 8TH, 1 ON STL - NONE</div>
NL: CHICAGO CUBS at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">NL FINAL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E - - - - - - - - - - - - CHICAGO CUBS 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 5 2 ST LOUIS 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 0 (FINAL) BATTERIES: CHN - TED LILLY, KERRY WOOD (7TH), CARLOS MARMOL (8TH), RYAN DEMPSTER (9TH) AND GEOVANY SOTO STL - BRADEN LOOPER, RYAN FRANKLIN (8TH), RANDY FLORES (9TH), RUSS SPRINGER (9TH) AND YADIER MOLINA WP - KERRY WOOD (1-1) LP - RYAN FRANKLIN (4-4) SAVE - RYAN DEMPSTER (27) HOME RUNS: CHN - ALFONSO SORIANO (26) OFF RYAN FRANKLIN IN THE 8TH, 1 ON STL - NONE TIME: 2:47 ATT: 45,918 PROBABLES: CHN - TED LILLY (15-7, 3.82) & CHN - SEAN MARSHALL (7-7, 3.92) STL - BRADEN LOOPER (12-10, 4.55) & STL - JOEL PINEIRO (4-3, 4.60)</div>
NL: CHICAGO CUBS at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">CHICAGO CUBS (3) VS ST LOUIS (2) - FINAL (1ST GAME) CHICAGO CUBS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg A Soriano lf 4 1 2 2 0 1 1 .289 R Theriot ss 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 .268 D Lee 1b 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 .310 D Ward rf 3 0 0 0 1 1 0 .337 F Pie cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .216 J Jones cf-rf 4 0 1 0 0 0 2 .274 M DeRosa 3b 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 .286 G Soto c 4 0 1 0 0 2 0 .333 M Fontenot 2b 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 .288 T Lilly p 2 0 0 0 0 1 1 .143 K Wood p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 a-C Floyd ph 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .291 S Fuld pr 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 C Marmol p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 R Dempster p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 Totals 30 3 5 3 3 6 6 a-walked for K Wood in the 8th. BATTING: 2B - G Soto (2, B Looper). HR - A Soriano (26, 8th inning off R Franklin 1 on, 0 Out). SF - M Fontenot. RBI - M Fontenot (29), A Soriano 2 (56). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - A Soriano 1, J Jones 1. Team LOB - 4. BASERUNNING: CS - J Jones (3, 2nd base by R Springer/Y Molina). FIELDING: E - D Lee (5, pop up); A Soriano (6, fly ball). ST LOUIS ab r h rbi bb so lob avg A Miles 2b 4 0 0 0 0 2 1 .297 S Taguchi lf 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 .292 A Pujols 1b 3 1 1 0 1 0 0 .321 R Ludwick rf 2 1 0 0 1 1 1 .253 a-R Ankiel ph-rf 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .282 J Edmonds cf 3 0 1 2 1 0 0 .251 Y Molina c 3 0 1 0 0 1 2 .278 M Cairo 3b 3 0 0 0 0 0 2 .125 b-R Branyan ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .195 B Looper p 2 0 1 0 0 1 1 .204 R Franklin p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500 R Flores p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 R Springer p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 c-S Schumaker ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 .294 B Ryan ss 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 .311 d-C Duncan ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 .259 Totals 31 2 4 2 3 8 10 a-struck out swinging for R Ludwick in the 8th; b-struck out swinging for M Cairo in the 9th; c-lined out to left for R Springer in the 9th; d-struck out swinging for B Ryan in the 9th. BATTING: 2B - J Edmonds (15, T Lilly). S - B Looper , Y Molina. RBI - J Edmonds 2 (48). 2-out RBI - J Edmonds 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - A Miles 1, B Looper 1, Y Molina 1, B Ryan 1. Team LOB - 7. BASERUNNING: SB - M Cairo (1, 3rd base off T Lilly/G Soto). ---------------------------------------------------- CHICAGO CUBS - 010 000 020 -- 3 ST LOUIS - 200 000 000 -- 2 ---------------------------------------------------- CHICAGO CUBS ip h r er bb so hr era T Lilly 6 4 2 2 2 4 0 3.82 K Wood (W, 1-1) 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 4.86 C Marmol (H, 16) 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1.29 R Dempster (S, 27) 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 4.15 ST LOUIS ip h r er bb so hr era B Looper 7 3 1 1 2 5 0 4.55 R Franklin (L, 4-4; B, 5) 1 1 2 2 1 0 1 2.55 R Flores 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4.65 R Springer 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 2.26 R Flores pitched to 1 batter in the 9th. Pitches-strikes: T Lilly 107-66; K Wood 16-12; C Marmol 12-6; R Dempster 16-11; B Looper 114-65; R Franklin 20-11; R Flores 2-2; R Springer 11-6. Ground balls-fly balls: T Lilly 7-7; K Wood 0-2; C Marmol 0-2; R Dempster 0-1; B Looper 6-10; R Franklin 3-0; R Flores 0-0; R Springer 0-1. Batters faced: T Lilly 26; K Wood 3; C Marmol 4; R Dempster 3; B Looper 26; R Franklin 5; R Flores 1; R Springer 2. UMPIRES: HP--Fieldin Culbreth. 1B--Adam Dowdy. 2B--Paul Schrieber. 3B--Tim Mcclelland. T--2:47. Weather: 58 degrees, partly cloudy. Wind: 3 mph, in from center.</div>
NL: CHICAGO CUBS at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">** CONFIRMED ** NL CHICAGO CUBS 3 ST LOUIS 2 FINAL</div>
NL: CHICAGO CUBS at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CHICAGO CUBS (3) AT ST LOUIS (2) - HOW THEY SCORED (1ST GAME) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ST LOUIS 1ST: A Miles grounded out to shortstop. S Taguchi flied out to center. A Pujols singled to left. R Ludwick walked, A Pujols to second. J Edmonds doubled to deep right, A Pujols and R Ludwick scored. Y Molina struck out swinging. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 0, ST LOUIS 2. CHICAGO CUBS 2ND: M DeRosa walked. G Soto doubled to deep left, M DeRosa to third. M Fontenot hit sacrifice fly to center, M DeRosa scored. T Lilly struck out swinging. A Soriano flied out to center. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 1, ST LOUIS 2. CHICAGO CUBS 8TH: R Franklin relieved B Looper. C Floyd hit for K Wood. C Floyd walked. S Fuld ran for C Floyd. A Soriano homered to left, S Fuld scored. R Theriot grounded out to second. D Lee grounded out to third. D Ward grounded out to first. (2 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 3, ST LOUIS 2.</div>
NL: CHICAGO CUBS at ST LOUIS <div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CHICAGO CUBS (3) AT ST LOUIS (2) - EVENT LOG (1ST GAME) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chicago Cubs Starting Lineups -- A Soriano LF, R Theriot SS, D Lee 1B, D Ward RF, J Jones CF, M DeRosa 3B, G Soto C, M Fontenot 2B, T Lilly LHP. St Louis Starting Lineups -- A Miles 2B, S Taguchi LF, A Pujols 1B, R Ludwick RF, J Edmonds CF, Y Molina C, M Cairo 3B, B Ryan SS, B Looper RHP. Umpires -- Fieldin Culbreth (HP), Adam Dowdy (1B), Paul Schrieber (2B), Tim Mcclelland (3B). Gametime Weather: 58 degrees, Partly Cloudy, wind in from center at 3 mph. CHICAGO CUBS 1ST: A Soriano struck out swinging. R Theriot flied out to right. D Lee singled to left. D Ward walked, D Lee to second. J Jones grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 0, ST LOUIS 0. ST LOUIS 1ST: A Miles grounded out to shortstop. S Taguchi flied out to center. A Pujols singled to left. R Ludwick walked, A Pujols to second. J Edmonds doubled to deep right, A Pujols and R Ludwick scored. Y Molina struck out swinging. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 0, ST LOUIS 2. CHICAGO CUBS 2ND: M DeRosa walked. G Soto doubled to deep left, M DeRosa to third. M Fontenot hit sacrifice fly to center, M DeRosa scored. T Lilly struck out swinging. A Soriano flied out to center. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 1, ST LOUIS 2. ST LOUIS 2ND: M Cairo safe at first on error by first baseman D Lee. B Looper sacrificed to pitcher, M Cairo to second. B Ryan grounded out to shortstop. M Cairo stole third. A Miles grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Error) CHICAGO CUBS 1, ST LOUIS 2. CHICAGO CUBS 3RD: R Theriot flied out to left. D Lee flied out to center. D Ward struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 1, ST LOUIS 2. ST LOUIS 3RD: S Taguchi flied out to left. A Pujols grounded out to shortstop. R Ludwick struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 1, ST LOUIS 2. CHICAGO CUBS 4TH: J Jones grounded out to first. M DeRosa struck out swinging. G Soto struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 1, ST LOUIS 2. ST LOUIS 4TH: J Edmonds flied out to right. Y Molina singled to left. M Cairo fouled out to third. B Looper singled to center, Y Molina to second. B Ryan grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 1, ST LOUIS 2. CHICAGO CUBS 5TH: M Fontenot flied out to left. T Lilly grounded out to second. A Soriano singled to left. R Theriot flied out to center. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 1, ST LOUIS 2. ST LOUIS 5TH: A Miles struck out swinging. S Taguchi flied out to right. A Pujols walked. R Ludwick flied out to center. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 1, ST LOUIS 2. CHICAGO CUBS 6TH: D Lee flied out to right. D Ward grounded out to second. J Jones popped out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 1, ST LOUIS 2. ST LOUIS 6TH: J Edmonds safe at second on error by left fielder A Soriano. Y Molina sacrificed to third, J Edmonds to third. M Cairo fouled out to first. B Looper struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 1 Error) CHICAGO CUBS 1, ST LOUIS 2. CHICAGO CUBS 7TH: M DeRosa flied out to right. G Soto grounded out to third. M Fontenot grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 1, ST LOUIS 2. ST LOUIS 7TH: K Wood relieved T Lilly. B Ryan lined out to shortstop. A Miles struck out swinging. S Taguchi fouled out to right. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 1, ST LOUIS 2. CHICAGO CUBS 8TH: R Franklin relieved B Looper. C Floyd hit for K Wood. C Floyd walked. S Fuld ran for C Floyd. A Soriano homered to left, S Fuld scored. R Theriot grounded out to second. D Lee grounded out to third. D Ward grounded out to first. (2 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 3, ST LOUIS 2. ST LOUIS 8TH: F Pie in center field. J Jones in right field. C Marmol relieved K Wood. A Pujols flied out to center. R Ankiel hit for R Ludwick. R Ankiel struck out swinging. J Edmonds walked. Y Molina flied out to left. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 3, ST LOUIS 2. CHICAGO CUBS 9TH: R Ankiel in right field. R Flores relieved R Franklin. J Jones singled to center. R Springer relieved R Flores. J Jones caught stealing second, catcher to shortstop. M DeRosa popped out to second. G Soto struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 3, ST LOUIS 2. ST LOUIS 9TH: R Dempster relieved C Marmol. R Branyan hit for M Cairo. R Branyan struck out swinging. S Schumaker hit for R Springer. S Schumaker lined out to left. C Duncan hit for B Ryan. C Duncan struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) CHICAGO CUBS 3, ST LOUIS 2.</div>
Soriano sends Cardinals to ninth straight loss <h3>CHICAGO CUBS 3, ST LOUIS 2 (GAME 1)</h3>ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Alfonso Soriano hit a two-run home run inthe eighth inning to to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 3-2 victoryover the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday in the first game of adoubleheader. The loss was the ninth in a row for the fading Cardinals (69-77)and is one shy of their franchise record when they dropped 10in a row in 1980. With the win, the Cubs (77-71) moved seven games ahead of thedefending world champion Cardinals and two games up on thesecond-place Milwaukee Brewers (74-72), who play the CincinnatiReds later Saturday. With the Cubs trailing 2-1, Soriano connected for his 26th homerof the season off Ryan Franklin (4-4) with pinch runner SamFuld aboard to put Chicago ahead. Fuld replaced Cliff Floyd,who walked to lead off the eighth inning. Soriano's blast made a winner of Kerry Wood (1-1), who pitched ascoreless seventh inning after taking over for starter TedLilly. Carlos Marmol pitched the eighth and Ryan Dempster closed outthe game to earn his 27th save. The Cardinals were able to put up two runs against Lilly in thefirst inning after he retired the first two batters. AlbertPujols singled and Ryan Ludwick walked to bring up Jim Edmonds,who promptly drove home both runners with a double off theright-field wall. That would be all St. Louis would get against the nine-yearveteran, as Lilly kept the Cardinals off the board for the nextfive innings, allowing only two more hits and a walk to go withhis four strikeouts. The Cubs got a run back in the second off Cardinals starterBraden Looper. Mark DeRosa walked, Geovany Soto doubled andMike Fontenot followed with a sacrifice fly to center field. Looper entered the game leading the majors with a 1.74 ERA inday games while posting a 7-1 record. The converted relieversurrendered just that one run on three hits, with two walks andfive strikeouts as he was able to bounce back nicely from aterrible start Saturday night, when he gave up six earned runsin 3 1/3 innings at Arizona.
Soriano sends Cardinals to ninth straight loss <h3>CHICAGO CUBS 3, ST LOUIS 2 (GAME 1)</h3>ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Alfonso Soriano hit a two-run home runin the eighth inning to to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 3-2victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday in the firstgame of a doubleheader. The loss was the ninth in a row for the fading Cardinals (69-77)and is one shy of their franchise record when they dropped 10 ina row in 1980. "We just have to do better of doing the basic things," Cardinalsmanager Tony La Russa said. "A pitch here, an at-bat there,and that's how you win those close games. The other side isdoing it better than we are, so that's why we're losing." With the win, the Cubs (77-71) moved seven games ahead of thedefending world champion Cardinals and two games up on thesecond-place Milwaukee Brewers (74-72), who play the CincinnatiReds later Saturday. With the Cubs trailing 2-1, Soriano connected for his 26th homerof the season off Ryan Franklin (4-4) with pinch runner SamFuld aboard to put Chicago ahead. Fuld replaced Cliff Floyd,who walked to lead off the eighth inning. "I made a mistake," Franklin said. "(Soriano) is a good enoughhitter that he hit it. I was just trying to throw him sliders,that's what I got him out on last night, and I just made amistake." "I said to myself, if he throws a pitch in my zone, I have tohit it," said Soriano, who had only five hits in his previouseight games. "(Franklin)threw a hard pitch, middle, away and I made a very good swing,it was about the best swing I've made in about a week." Soriano's blast made a winner of Kerry Wood (1-1), who pitched ascoreless seventh inning after taking over for starter TedLilly. "Woody wins his first game, I'm so happy for him," Cubs managerLou Piniella said. "If this were a football game, we'd give himthe game ball." Carlos Marmol pitched the eighth and Ryan Dempster closed outthe game to earn his 27th save. The Cardinals were able to put up two runs against Lilly in thefirst inning after he retired the first two batters. AlbertPujols singled and Ryan Ludwick walked to bring up Jim Edmonds,who promptly drove home both runners with a double off theright-field wall. That would be all St. Louis would get against the nine-yearveteran, as Lilly kept the Cardinals off the board for the nextfive innings, allowing only two more hits and a walk to go withhis four strikeouts. "Lilly has a really good way of hanging in there, even though hestarts some games a little shaky," Piniella said. "It seemslike he gets better as the game progresses and that's exactlywhat he did today." The Cubs got a run back in the second off Cardinals starterBraden Looper. Mark DeRosa walked, Geovany Soto doubled andMike Fontenot followed with a sacrifice fly to center field. Looper entered the game leading the majors with a 1.74 ERA inday games while posting a 7-1 record. The converted relieversurrendered just that one run on three hits, with two walks andfive strikeouts as he was able to bounce back nicely from aterrible start Saturday night, when he gave up six earned runsin 3 1/3 innings at Arizona. "I don't know what causes it," said Looper, who is 5-9 with a6.05 ERA in night games. "Believe you me, if I knew, I wouldmake whatever adjustment it would be so I could pitch better atnight. I just think it's one of those fluke things this yearthat I'm just having my bad games at night."
