5/14/08 vs. Padres; W 8-5; (24-16)

Jake Peavy struck out eight in just four innings. Luckily for the Cubs, of the fourteen hitters that didn't strike out, nine of them reached base safely. The Cubs took advantage and scored four runs to chase Peavy after just four innings.


Alfonso Soriano got the Cubs off to a good start with his second leadoff home run in as many nights. In the second inning he drove in two more runs to give the Cubs a 3-0 advantage. Geovany Soto contributed in the third inning with an RBI single extending the lead to four runs. Peavy did strike out three hitters in a row to end the fourth, before being lifted for pinch hitter in the fifth.

Ted Lilly pitched an excellent game striking out eleven in six innings. He has now won all three of his starts in the month. Carlos Marmol pitched a perfect two innings, striking out the side in the seventh. Kerry Wood didn't make the ninth inning easy, giving up three hits and a walk, but did get out of it with only one run. It was not a save opportunity for Woody, due to the four run lead.

The offense was hitting on all cylinders today, with the eight position players rapping out fourteen hits. Derek Lee went hitless for the night and Reed Johnson managed only one hit, but the six other starters all hit safely twice, with Kosuke Fukodome getting three hits. Kosuke probably moves to the two hole with the addition of Jim Edmonds to the lineup. His skills, in my opinion, are better used in the two hole anyway. If Edmonds breaks out of the slump he has been in all year, the lineup gets that much stronger.

The final game against the Padres is an afternoon start, facing former Cub Greg Maddux. The Cubs will try take the series three games to one before the Pirates come to town.