Morning Box Score

By Matt Motyka in News on May 17, 2009 3:50PM

Cubs Fend-Off Astros
Alfonso Soriano hit a walk-off single on Saturday afternoon to help the Cubs salvage a 5-4 victory over the Houston Astros. After five scoreless innings, Chicago broke the silence with a three-run sixth. Derrek Lee singled home the game's first run and Micah Hoffpauir followed with a two-RBI round-tripper. Geovany Soto then drove in Kosuke Fukudome in the eighth to give Chicago a 4-0 lead headed into the final frame. Despite pitching six innings of four-hit baseball, Cubs starter Randy Wells missed his first win of the season when closer Kevin Gregg imploded in the ninth. Gregg allowed back-to-back homers to Carlos Lee and Lance Berkman to start the inning and then loaded the bases before getting the hook. Ivan Rodriguez looped the first pitch from Aaron Heilman into left field to tie it up for the Astros. Chicago kept their focus at the plate, as Bobby Scales drew a lead-off walk and Aaron Miles moved him to scoring position on a bunt. Soriano then took care of business when he went the other way with a slider and plated the winning run. The Cubs will try to claim the rain-shortened series at 1:20 this afternoon.

Jays One-Up Sox
The White Sox lost their second straight game to the Toronto Blue Jays Saturday, this time by the score of 2-1. The Sox put a tally on the board in the top of the first when Scott Podsednik stole third and subsequently scored on an errant throw from Jays catcher Raul Chavez. That one-run lead would hold for seven innings, as starter Bartolo Colon allowed five hits in five frames and the Sox 'pen was steady in two innings of relief. Toronto's drought ended against Scott Linebrink in the eighth, however, when Adam Lind doubled home Vernon Wells and Jose Bautista then brought Lind in to score on a rope single to left field. In a game where Chicago only recorded three hits off rookie Robert Ray, the one-run deficit proved to be too much. The Jays' Scott Downs sat down the Sox in order in the ninth to close out the win for Toronto. The White Sox face an up-hill battle this afternoon as they try to figure out Roy Halladay, and must do so without the services of the hobbled Carlos Quentin. First pitch at 12:07.

Fire Top Toronto
The Fire earned a 2-0 victory over Toronto FC, putting them at the top of the Eastern Conference table. Both goals came in the second half, with Chris Rolfe scoring at the 59' mark and Brian McBride adding a buffer with nine minutes left to play. Rolfe had replaced Patrick Nyarko earlier in the game, who coach Denis Hamlett felt was turning in a sub-par performance at the half—the results justified his decision. Chicago was efficient, and needed to be, scoring twice on only five shots. At the other end of the pitch Jon Busch made three saves on 10 Toronto attempts, as they turned up the heat offensively after Rolfe's go-ahead goal. The win puts Chicago at 3-0-6, the only unbeaten team left in the league. They'll look to continue their winning ways on the road next Sunday against the New York Red Bulls.