Cubs Awesome Opening Win

View from my seat during game

Today was just plain fun! Perfect Arizona weather, and a 9-3 hammering of the Oakland A’s in the Cubs Cactus League Opener.

The hammering started early as Derrek Lee hit a line drive HR to the power alley in left center in the first inning. Marlon Byrd, Tyler Colvin, Brad Snyder, and Sam Fuld also hit home runs for the Cubs. Byrd was 2 for 2 and Tyler Colvin who started in left field in place of Soriano had a big day at the plate going 3 for 3 with two doubles and a HR. Colvin looks much stronger this year. He’s an outstanding athlete, the future looks bright for him. Cubs hyped SS Starlin Castro got into the game replacing Theriot and showed his fine speed with a triple.

Randy Wells started the game and pitched smooth and easy in 2 scoreless innings, striking out 2. Sean Marshall tossed 2 hitless innings. JR Mathes allowed 2 of Oakland’s 3 runs while Ismailin Caridad had a nice 1-2-3 ninth. A mid-week opener against a low drawing team like Oakland leaves us with the kind of attendance we had today 7,496….but those who were there had a good time.

Mike Fontenot had an awkward flip trying to avoid a tag at 3rd base, he was down for a while but appeared to be okay upon leaving the field. Derrek Lee picked an errant Ryan Theriot throw out of the dirt in the 4th. It’s comforting to have Lee’s gold glove saving potential errors. A’s CF Gabe Gross played a Fukudome fly ball a little too casual and Fukudome ended up with a double but it should have been a fly out.

Clayton Mortenson came into pitch the 4th for the Athletics, and just as his girlfriend was taking his photo Marlon Byrd spoiled the Kodak moment by pounding a HR to center. Good to see Cubs fans tossing opponent’s HR’s back onto the Hohokam field, just like at Wrigley. This PA announcer had a brief freak-out moment when I thought I had messed up and completely missed the 7th inning stretch- I had accidentally written in the wrong inning column of my scorecard… that’s why I use a pencil with a big eraser.

Tomorrow the Arizona DBacks come to Hohokam.

Just another day at the office…Me and the RT O’Sullivan’s girls