The last time the Cubs starting pitcher Carlos Silva won a game was back on July 6 against the Diamondacks in Arizona. He then had two terrible outings suffering two consecutive losses and did not last more than two innings either time. Tonight, his teammates made sure that they were backing him up as they pounded the Astros early in the game to give him his 10th victory of the year. The Chicago Cubs defeat the Houston Astros 5-2 in the series’ opener.
Silva (10-4) showed the Astros his good stuff tonight; he pitched five innings yielding only one run, five hits, and one walk, and striking out four. The Cubs’ offence and their bullpen took care of the rest.
The Astros scored first of their two runs in the bottom of the first. Right fielder Michael Bourn reached second with a double. He moved to third base on shortstop Angel Sanchez’s groundout and scored on a single by Lance Berkman.
The Cubs responded in the next at-bats by scoring two runs. Center fielder Marlon Byrd drew a walk from the Astros starter, Wesley Wright (0-1), to start the second inning. Alfonzo Soriano doubled to the right field as Byrd advanced to third. On a 2-0 count, Geovany Soto cleared the bases by hitting a double to left field.
They added two more runs in the third inning. With one out, the Cubs had back-to-back hits: a double from first baseman Derrek Lee and a single third baseman Aramis Ramirez. Byrd grounded into a fielder’s choice that drove in Lee from third base. Byrd also crossed the plate with Soriano’s second double of the night.
In the sixth, second baseball Ryan Theriot homered for the first time this season as he added the fifth run for the Cubs.
Catcher Goevanny Soto left the game after the sixth inning due to a foot injury. Koyie Hill replaced him for the rest of the game.
Having thrown 90 pitches, Silva was pulled in the sixth inning when he was due up to bat. Justin Berg, who relieved Silva, gave up the Astros’ second and last run. Then three other Cubs relievers shut down the Astros the rest of the night. Carlos Marmol earned his 19th save this season.
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