NL Capsules

 

CHICAGO (AP) -The Chicago Cubs shook up their lineup. Then, Alfonso Soriano got shaken up.
Soriano came out in the fifth inning Monday night after straining his left hamstring while attempting a diving catch in Chicago’s 12-4 rout of the San Diego Padres.
Jason Marquis (1-1) allowed one run in six innings to win for the first time in three starts since signing a $21 million, three-year contract with the Cubs. He beat Clay Hensley (0-3), who was tagged for 10 runs and 11 hits in five-plus innings.
Soriano, who signed a $136 million, eight-year contract, and Marquis were key components in the Cubs’ offseason makeover.
Chicago began the night last in the NL Central at 4-7 and entered with five losses in six games, so manager Lou Piniella juggled his lineup.
The biggest change was moving Jacque Jones from right field to left and dropping him to sixth in the batting order. Matt Murton started in right, batted cleanup and delivered two hits and two RBIs.
Chicago responded to the changes with season highs for runs and hits (14). Michael Barrett, Mark DeRosa and Cliff Floyd homered for the Cubs, who were 0-7 against San Diego last season.
Pirates 3, Cardinals 2
ST. LOUIS (AP) – Albert Pujols popped up with the bases loaded for the final out, and Pittsburgh got an excellent pitching performance from Ian Snell to beat St. Louis.
Snell (1-1) threw seven innings of three-hit ball and Xavier Nady had two RBIs, helping the Pirates snap a four-game losing streak. Salomon Torres escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth for his fifth save, retiring Chris Duncan on a shallow fly to left and Pujols on a foul popup to third.
Anthony Reyes (0-2) gave up three runs in the first for the Cardinals, who are 1-5 at home since clinching the 2006 World Series.
Freddy Sanchez singled and tripled for the Pirates, who are 5-2 on the road after finishing 24-57 away from home last year – the worst record in the NL. Pittsburgh, which returned to action after two rainouts at home last weekend, was 1-13 on the road to start 2006 and didn’t win its fifth road game until June 5.
Giants 8, Rockies 0
DENVER (AP) – Barry Zito gave up three hits in six innings for his first win with San Francisco, and Ray Durham and Bengie Molina hit consecutive homers against Colorado.
San Francisco hadn’t played since Friday night due to rain in Pittsburgh. In a game played under overcast skies, Barry Bonds was one of five San Francisco players and coaches to wear Jackie Robinson’s No. 42 – a tribute pushed back a day because of the wet weather.
Bonds was 1-for-3 with a walk, narrowly missing his fourth home run of the season. His fourth-inning drive to right hit just below the yellow line on the fence.
Zito (1-2) combined with three relievers on a six-hitter. He improved to 86-4 when his team scores four or more runs. Omar Vizquel had four singles, scored twice and drove in two runs.
Jeff Francis (1-1) lasted only five innings for the Rockies, giving up seven runs and nine hits.
Brewers 10, Reds 6
CINCINNATI (AP) – Bill Hall broke out of a slump with his first career grand slam, a seventh-inning shot that powered Milwaukee over Cincinnati.
Hall was in a 1-for-22 rut when he connected off reliever Todd Coffey, the Brewers’ first grand slam since J.J. Hardy connected on Sept. 7, 2005, also in Cincinnati. That game featured the same two starting pitchers.
Rickie Weeks hit a solo homer off Eric Milton (0-2) and slumping Corey Hart doubled home two more runs, helping Milwaukee get its fourth victory in five games. The 10 runs were a season high for the Brewers.
Chris Capuano (2-0) and Milwaukee’s stingy bullpen held on against Cincinnati’s slumping lineup. Capuano gave up four hits in 5 2-3 innings.
Pinch-hitter Josh Hamilton hit a two-run homer in the ninth for the Reds.
Nationals 5, Braves 1
WASHINGTON (AP) – Matt Chico overcame a shaky start to earn his first major league win, and Dmitri Young honored Jackie Robinson a day late with three hits and two RBIs in Washington’s victory over Atlanta.
With only a few shivering souls in the stands at RFK Stadium, Chico (1-1) allowed just one run in five-plus innings despite walking five and striking out none. The victory gave the Nationals their first winning streak of the season. They’ve won three of four after a 1-8 start.
Saul Rivera, Jon Rauch and Chad Cordero combined for four innings of scoreless relief.
Three of Washington’s runs came in the third inning off Chuck James (2-1). Ryan Zimmerman, who entered the game in a 3-for-33 slump, singled home a run before Young hit a two-run double. Young wore Robinson’s No. 42 – he had been scheduled to wear the number Sunday as part of baseball’s commemoration of the 60th anniversary of Robinson’s first game, but Washington’s game at the New York Mets was rained out.
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