Brewers -4
Cubs – 3
(10 Inn.)
The Cubs took a tough 4-3 loss to the Brewers to open up the season today but there was much to be encouraged about. The Carloses (Zambrano and Marmol) looked good on the hill and Kosuke Fukudome put aside concerns about his pedestrian spring training with a 3 for 3 performance including a 3-run home run to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth.
Fukudome, who was only a triple shy of the cycle, looked good at the plate adding a walk to his perfect day. On the downside of things, Derek Lee and Felix Pie were the only two Cubs to join Fukudome in getting hits off of the Brewers pitching staff and both of those came in the 9th inning. Kerry Wood and Bob Howry gave up runs out of the pen leading to Howry taking the loss.
The start of today’s game was delayed 41 minutes and interrupted for another 49 minutes in the bottom of the third due to rain. When the players were able to be on the field the pitchers looked to be ahead of the hitters as the game was a scoreless tie going into the ninth. New Cubs’ closer Wood came into the game to start the ninth in a non-save situation and hit Rickie Weeks, the first batter he faced. The next hitter,Tony Gywnn Jr., sacrificed Weeks over to second, and Wood gave the third man he face, Prince Fielder a free pass to set up the double play. That brought up Ryan Braun with runners on first and second with one out. Kerry Wood broke Braun’s bat, but the Brewer left fielder was able to muscle the ball over shortstop Ryan Theriot’s head bringing in Weeks and breaking the 0-0 tie. Wood then struck out Bill Hall before giving up a 2-run double to Corey Hart to give the Brewers a 3-0 lead. Wood got J.J. Hardy to ground out to escape the ninth without further damage.
The Cubs’ bats woke up when they got their turn in the bottom of the ninth. Lee lead off with a single off of Brewer closer Eric Gagne. Aramis Ramirez followed with a walk and then Fukudome started to write his page in Cubs lore with a game tying home run. Unfortunately the Cubs were unable to do anymore damage with the exception of Pie’s two out infield single; which can be attributed to Gagner and Fielder’s lack of hustle as much as Pie’s speed.
Then in the top of the tenth Howry gave up a lead-off double to Craig Counsell who eventually scored on Gwynn Jr.’s sacrifice fly. The Cubs went down in order in their half of the tenth to get their first loss of the year.
Most Valuable Cub: Fukudome 3-3, BB, HR, 3 R.B.I. 1 R
Notes and Numbers: Zambrano went 6 2/3 before being lifted due to cramping in his right forearm, he gave up 3 hits, 1 walk, and struck out 5. Zambrano and Manager Lou Piniella downplayed the severity of the pitchers cramp, he will be day to day. Marmol struck out 3 of the 4 batters he faced in relief. Catcher Geovany Soto went 0-2 with a pair of walks.
(Image courtesy of Frank Polich/Reuters and MLB.com)
Posted by Kenneth Oda 
