Morning Box Score

By Matt Motyka in News on May 7, 2009 3:00PM

Cubs Handle 'Stros
Half an inning of baseball was all the Cubs needed to put away the Houston Astros Wednesday night, as they marched to a 6-3 victory. After surrendering singles to Alfonso Soriano and Milton Bradley, 'Stros starter Mike Hampton walked Geovany Soto to load the bases in the top of the first. The next batter, Reed Johnson, looped a bases-clearing triple into left-center field as the Cubs jumped up 3-0. Johnson then scampered home on a passed ball to score the winning run. Hampton tried to help his own cause in the fourth when he singled home Hunter Pence, but Micah Hoffpauir hit an RBI double in the sixth and Aramis Ramirez flicked one into the left field seats in the seventh to push the Cubs' lead to five. Rich Harden had pitched seven innings of five-hit, one-run baseball before serving up a two-run dinger to Houston's Lance Berkman in the eighth, closing the gap to 6-3. Carlos Marmol and Kevin Gregg stepped in to retire the final six batters, as the Cubs claimed their fifth victory in past six games. The two teams play again tonight at 7:05.

Sox Rained Out
The White Sox and the Tigers were rained out at the Cell last night, with a makeup date yet to be determined.