Cubs Slam Braves to Avoid Sweep

Jun 03, 06:15 PM

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Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Mark DeRosa belted a grand slam and finished with five runs batted in to power Chicago past Atlanta, 10-1, as the Cubs avoided a three-game sweep at Wrigley Field.

Derrek Lee went 3-for-5 with a home run and three runs scored for the Cubs, who ended a six-game slide and won for just the third time in their last 13 games.

Chicago starter Sean Marshall (1-2) pitched 6 2/3 solid innings and gave up just one run on six hits while striking out eight and walking just one.

Alfonso Soriano fell a double short of the cycle, going 3-for-5 with a home run, triple and two runs scored for the Cubs, who were without manager Lou Piniella, who was suspended for an indefinite period of time and fined by Major League Baseball for initiating contact with an umpire after arguing a call during Saturday's loss to Atlanta. Bench coach Alan Trammell managed in Piniella's place.

Lance Cormier started for Atlanta in place of John Smoltz and struggled in his first outing of the season. Cormier (0-1) went four-plus innings and was tagged for eight runs on nine hits. The veteran Smoltz was scratched from his scheduled start due to a right shoulder problem and injured finger on his throwing hand.

Kelly Johnson had two hits and Matt Diaz knocked in the lone run for the Braves, who had a three-game win streak end and were looking to sweep their first three-game series since the start of the season.

DeRosa's two-out, grand slam in the first inning put the Cubs in control early. Felix Pie, Lee and Aramis Ramirez hit three straight singles with one out. After Jacque Jones' grounder hit Ramirez for an out, DeRosa cranked Cormier's first offering into the seats in left-center field to give Chicago a 4-0 lead.

Soriano's two-out homer in the second made it 5-0 in favor of the Cubs while Lee's solo blast in the third made it a six-run contest.

Chicago tacked on three runs in the fifth to increase its lead to 9-0. Soriano started things with a triple and scored on Pie's double as Cormier was replaced by Oscar Villarreal. Lee greeted him with a base hit and with one out, Jones singled home Pie for an eight-run lead. DeRosa's sac-fly made it 9-0 as Lee crossed the plate.

A run-scoring single by Diaz in the seventh finally got the Braves on the board and made it 9-1.

Chicago's lead reached nine runs in the eighth after Ryan Theriot scored on pinch-hitter Angel Pagan's fielder's choice and Jarrod Saltalamacchia's throwing error.

Game Notes

The length of Piniella's suspension will be determined after a meeting with John McHale Jr., the MLB executive vice president for administration on Monday...DeRosa, Soriano and Lee each have six home runs on the season...Before the game, the Cubs placed infielder/outfielder Daryle Ward on the 15-day disabled list with a left hip strain and recalled Pie from Triple-A Iowa. Pie went 2-for-5 with a double and scored two runs while knocking in a run...Also before the game, the Braves optioned infielder Martin Prado to Triple-A Richmond.

06/03 17:52:43 ET