Theriot's RBI single lifts Cubs to historic win, 7-6 over Rockies in 10 innings
By ARNIE STAPLETON | Associated Press | Apr 23, 08 11:05 PM CDT in
Sports
The lovable losers' 10,000th win was a memorable one.
The Chicago Cubs beat the Colorado Rockies 7-6 on Ryan Theriot's RBI single off Kip Wells with two outs in the 10th inning Wednesday night.
Both teams blew ninth-inning leads with their closers, but it was the Rockies who ended up losing their fourth straight game when leading after seven innings.
Theriot's single to right field scored pinch-runner Mike Fontenot from second base as the Cubs joined the Giants as the only franchises in major league history to reach 10,000 wins.
Carlos Marmol pitched a perfect the 10th for his second save in as many chances.
Aramis Ramirez hit a two-run homer off struggling Colorado closer Manny Corpas with one out in the ninth to put the Cubs ahead 6-5, but Ryan Spilborghs tripled home the tying run off Kerry Wood with two outs in the bottom half.
Wood (2-0) struck out Clint Barmes to strand the winning run at third, then picked up the win when the Cubs rallied off Kip Wells (1-1).
Corpas blew his second straight save and fourth in eight chances just hours after his manager gave him a vote of confidence. Last year, he converted 19-of-20 saves, then signed a big contract in the winter.
Corpas allowed a three-run rally by Philadelphia in an 8-6 loss to the Phillies 24 hours earlier.
Before the game, Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said he wasn't going to juggle his bullpen like he did his infield a night earlier, when slumping shortstop Troy Tulowitzki sat for the first six innings.
Tulowitzki returned to the lineup Wednesday night but was moved from second in the batting order to seventh.
He broke out of a 1-for-19 slump with a three-run homer that capped a five-run rally and erased Chicago's 3-0 lead in the sixth.
Barmes homered off starter Rich Hill leading off the sixth, and Michael Wuertz came in after Hill walked the next batter. Matt Holliday and Garrett Atkins hit back-to-back singles off Wuertz, making it 3-2.
One out later, Jon Lieber came in to face Tulowitzki. With the crowd chanting "Tulo!" the slumping shortstop sent a 1-1 slider over the left-field wall for his first homer of the season.
The Cubs pulled to 5-4 in the seventh when Taylor Buchholz surrendered an RBI single to Ramirez on his first pitch.
The Cubs took a 3-0 lead on Mark DeRosa's sacrifice fly, Geovany Soto's solo homer and Ramirez's RBI double, all off Franklin Morales, who allowed three earned runs on eight hits in six innings.
Hill surrendered two earned runs on three hits in five innings.
Notes:@ The Cubs are 10,000-9,465 all-time. The Giants began the night with 10,192 wins. ... Colorado RF Brad Hawpe has reached base in 18 straight games since failing to do so on opening day. His career best is 19 games, set in 2006. ... The Cubs are 4-1 in extra innings, including 4-0 on the road.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.