Cubs 37-21
Padres 23-36
POTG: SP Z!! (5 IP, 5 H, 3 R, ER, 4 BB, W; 3 H, 3B, RBI)
Runner Up: SS The Riot (3 H, R, RBI), 3B A Ram (2 H, R, 2B), CF Edmonds (2 RBI, 2 2B)
You can’t hold the short start too much against Z; this was a rebound thing after the 130 last time out, and they understandably wanted to get him out early if at all possible. After an iffy first inning, Z was solid for everything after the Gerut pickoff, and more than made up for the 1st inning with his hitting.
This really shouldn’t have been a close game, but Marmol struggled when he came out for his second inning – this time runners were on when he gave up the home run.
Despite scoring 7, it seems like the Cubs left some runs on the table. At least they took as much advantage of a replacement pitcher as they could, and you always like it when the team puts a heavy load on the bullpen in a the first game of a series.