Game 3 Recap: Cubs 11, Astros 6
W - Ted Lilly (1-0)
L - Brian Moehler (0-1)
In the spirit of Passover, we begin tonight's recap by asking, why is this night different from all other nights?
The answer:
Tonight the Cubs sent nine men to the plate in each of the first two innings, building a lead so large, it allowed Ted Lilly to throw his own personal game of Home Run Derby and still win his first game of the season.
Details after the jump.
The Good:
- The hits just kept on coming—Fukudome had four safeties (including a 2B and HR); Ramirez had four (including a 2B); and Soriano, Fontenot, and Theriot had two each
- Did I mention that Kosuke "First Pitch" Fukudome had four hits? The first three all resulted from first-pitch swings, an interesting shift in approach from a guy who ranked second in the NL last season in pitches seen per plate appearance (4.29)
- Anthony Michael Hall lookalike David Patton made his Major League debut and after serving up a home run ball to Hunter Pence, the 23-year-old Patton mowed down six Astros in a row, including Lance Berkman on a three-pitch strikeout that featured a 95 mph fastball, an 82-mph breaking ball, and an 85-mph curveball for the kill
- Still looking for his first Cub hit, Milton Bradley nonetheless managed to reach base four times, via 3 walks and an HBP
- Carlos Marmol and Angel Guzman each delivered another strong inning in relief
The Bad:
- Lilly gave up 4 HR in just 5 IP; this spring he gave up 5 HR in just 11 IP. Yes, the wind was howling to centerfield tonight and Arizona has thin air, but that's a damn lot of home runs
- Derrek Lee went 1-for-6 with three strikeouts
- Alfonso Soriano got thrown out at first on a play in which Miguel Tejada double-clutched not once, but twice (four clutches total); somebody's wheels just aren't what they used to be
- The Cubs will not get to hit against Brian Moehler and Russ Ortiz every night for the rest of the season
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