Monday, April 2, 2007

Santana outlasts Bonderman on Opening Day

Johan Santana (1-0) did it all on Opening Day for the Cubs.

With the score tied at 2 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Santana delivered an RBI infield single to plate Hank Blalock, which proved to be the deciding run. Blalock had reached base to lead off the inning on an error and advanced to third on Gerald Laird's bunt. But when Chris Barnwell couldn't cash in the go-ahead run with less than two outs, it required a two-out hit from the pitcher for the Cubs to take the lead for good.

The Cincinnati Reds scored first in the bottom of the third inning on Adrian Beltre's two-run homer, but that was all the Reds could muster off of the Cubs' ace. Santana pitched eight innings, allowing just those two runs, to pick up the victory.

The Cubs clawed back in the fourth and fifth innings on a sac fly by Chris Shelton and an RBI triple by Carl Crawford, before Santana delieverd the game-winning blow. Joe Nathan pitched a scoreless ninth to notch the first save of the season.

BOX SCORE:
Crawford: 2-4, RBI, triple
Scott: 1-4
Utley: 1-4, run, double
Hawpe: 0-4
Shelton: 0-3, RBI
Blalock: 0-4, run
Laird: 1-3
Barnwell: 1-3, run, double
(Burke: 0-1)
Santana: 1-3, RBI

Santana (W, 1-0): 8 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 5 K
Nathan (Sv, 1): IP, H, 0 ER, 0 K

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