Morning Box Score

By Matt Motyka in News on May 3, 2009 3:45PM

Cubs Hook Marlins
The Chicago Cubs did their damage early in a 6-1 victory over the Florida Marlins Saturday afternoon. A three-run lead at the end of the first inning had doubled by the fifth, as the Cubs ran Florida starter Anibal Sanchez out of town with nine hits, four walks and six earned. Ryan Theriot proved Friday’s grand slam wasn’t a fluke when he drove a two-run shot to left in the opening frame. Derrek Lee also went yard for Chicago, putting a solo shot onto Waveland in the fourth, and Ted Lilly helped his own cause with a two-RBI double in the third. Lilly shined even brighter on the mound, pitching eight innings of five-hit, one-run baseball, while notching 10 K’s in his third win of the season. The Cubs have a chance to take the four-game series when the two teams square off at 1:20 this afternoon.

Rangers Storm Sox
The Chicago White Sox were defeated by Texas Rangers 9-6 on a rainy Saturday in Arlington. The Rangers needed only two big innings to put the Sox away, scoring three runs in the third and six more in the fourth off Jose Contreras and reliever Clayton Richard. A.J. Pierzynski tried to make a game of it in the sixth with a grand salami, but the Sox found themselves still down by four. Jim Thome would then double home Chris Getz, but that was the end of the offensive road for Chicago. The bulk of the blame fell on Contreras, who allowed seven of the Rangers’ runs and lasted only 3.1 innings. Contreras has had only one quality outing in his five starts this season, as he grew his ERA to 8.31 en route to his fourth loss. Jermaine Dye left the game after getting hit on the hand by a pitch, but luckily the diagnosis was just a bruise. With the series tied 1-1, the Sox will try to get over on the Rangers tonight at 7:05.