Soriano starts to warm up
The Cubs star had four hits, including a go-ahead double in a six-run seventh inning, and showed some flair on the bases to help Chicago beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-2.
"I feel very comfortable now at home plate. My hands stayed back a little more now and I wait for the ball," Soriano said. "I'm glad I have a big day, more important that we won this game."
Soriano's 4-for-5 performance raised his average from .191 to .223. And slowed earlier this season by a calf injury that landed him the on the disabled list, he twice raced home and scored with good slides to send the largest crowd of the season at Wrigley Field (41,597) into a tizzy.
Kosuke Fukudome's first homer since opening day capped the seventh-inning rally as the Cubs won their second straight against the team that swept them in the first round of the playoffs last October.
After a strong performance by Diamondbacks' rookie Max Scherzer, the Cubs trailed 2-1 headed into the seventh when they got to Arizona reliever Chad Qualls (0-4), whose ERA jumped from 0.93 to 2.75 when he gave up four runs and four hits in one-third of an inning.
In the opener, Carlos Beltran hit a bases-loaded triple and drove in five runs to back Johan Santana's first home win for the Mets. Carlos Delgado and Brian Schneider hit New York's first back-to-back homers of the season.
Ken Griffey Jr. had two hits and an RBI in the nightcap, a makeup of Friday night's rainout, but remained stalled in his bid to become the sixth player with 600 home runs. He is homerless in 59 at-bats.
The Mets loaded the bases with one out in the second but Arroyo struck out Ramon Castro, and pitcher Mike Pelfrey (2-3) flied out to right fielder Griffey, who made a basket catch on the run.
The Reds took the lead in the sixth on Scott Hatteberg's double, which scored Keppinger.
In the early game, Santana (4-2) allowed three runs and 10 hits, and struck out five in six innings. Matt Belisle (1-3) took the loss.
GIANTS 8, PHILLIES 2: At San Francisco, Tim Lincecum (5-1) struck out eight in eight impressive innings to outpitch 45-year-old Jamie Moyer, and the Giants ended a season-worst five-game skid. Omar Vizquel had three hits and scored a run in a successful return from the disabled list, Randy Winn hit his first home run of the year and Aaron Rowand connected against his former club for the second time in just more than a week.
You can be the first to comment on this story.