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In Progress: Cubs-Cardinals Rivalry Series Starts With Day Game At Wrigley
Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Randy Wells turned in seven scoreless innings, and three different players hit home runs, as Chicago downed St. Louis, 5-0 in the opener of a three-game set between these perennial rivals at Wrigley Field.
Tyler Colvin, Geovany Soto and Alfonso Soriano each reached the seats for the Cubs, who have won three of five.
Wells (5-7) won for just the second time this month after scattering five hits while fanning seven with three walks.
Jeff Suppan (0-6) was tagged in defeat for 10 hits and five runs over six full frames, walking three with no strikeouts. The veteran right-hander hasn't won a game since September 19, 2009, a span of 25 appearances.
Colvin’s leadoff homer in the first staked the Cubs to an early lead, then another solo blast, this time from Soto to begin the fourth, made it 2-0 for Chicago.
Soriano added a two-run line shot to left with two down in the fifth, and the Cubs got a fifth run in the sixth after Theriot singled, moved up on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a misplayed pop single in front of home from Starlin Castro.
Wells worked out of trouble multiple times in his outing. In the third, a single from Suppan and Jay walk put two on with two outs, but he bore down and got Albert Pujols on a fly to right.
The Cards stranded a runner on second in the fifth when Felipe Lopez went down swinging, then despite having a man on third with one out after Wells' botched pickoff of Jay in the sixth, Wells recovered by fanning Matt Holliday and getting Colby Rasmus on a flyout.
St. Louis put two more on in the seventh with a pair of walks, but Wells completed his day by retiring Lopez on a grounder.
Sean Marshall preserved the shutout with two strong relief innings.
Prior to his win on July 3, Wells hadn't earned a victory since April 30...Prior to the game, the Cubs activated right-handed pitcher Brian Schlitter from the 15-day disabled list and optioned right-hander Jeff Stevens to Iowa...Coming into play, the Cardinals had won nine of the previous 13 meetings with the Cubs.
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