Yunel Escobar racked up five RBI and went 2-for-5 with two runs scored for the Braves, who are looking for their firstly playoff semblance since 2005 after finishing 86-76 aftermost season. Derek Lowe (1-0) surrendered five runs on five hits in six innings, but earned his substitute unbending Opening Day victory for Atlanta, which also received a alone homer from Brian McCann. Aramis Ramirez went 2-for-4 with a two-run internal fuse and Marlon Byrd drilled a three-run jigger for the Cubs, who are irksome to backlash from an 83-win contest after mellow after contemporary 97-64 in 2008.
Carlos Zambrano (0-1) was shelled in 1 1/3 innings after allowing eight runs -- all earned -- on six hits with two walks, starting on Opening Day for the sixth direct season. "It's just one game," said Ramirez. "Hopefully they'll choice it up and they will. It was just one of those days where they hit everything.
" Chicago scored three times in the first, with Byrd driving a two-out homer to center to bring dow a overthrow in both Kosuke Fukudome and Derrek Lee. Fukudome led off the body with a solitary and moved over to transfer on Lee's one-out walk. Atlanta rallied in the bottom half. After a Melky Cabrera stalk and a Martin Prado single, Chipper Jones singled to center to count the departed Yankee.
Two batters later, Yunel Escobar's unwed scored Prado and Jones. Heyward's demolish pushed the Braves be first to 6-3 as Zambrano needed 39 pitches to get out of the jam. After a 1-2-3 lieutenant for the Cubs, Prado was hit by a raise then scored after Zambrano overthrew third lascivious on a Jones groundout. Sean Marshall then entered the plucky and struck out Troy Glaus and mannered Escobar to tutor out.
Ramirez blasted a two-out, two-run finger to socialist in the third to lug Chicago within 8-5. The Cubs were irritating to deletion the deficiency further in the sixth before Byrd flied out to center and Ramirez was doubled off pre-eminent after reaching on a single. The Braves put the sport away in the seventh as Escobar hit a bases-loaded, no- out double-barrelled off Jeff Samardzija, clearing the bases and extending the live to 11-5. Jones got on blue ribbon with a walk, then shawl second.
McCann and Glaus then walked as Escobar came to the plate. Heyward then reached on Lee's throwing error, which scored Escobar from second. Two batters later, Eric Hinske hit a pinch-hit triple to right-center plating Heyward, and two batters after that, Prado singled off Justin Berg to news Hinske. Heyward's ninth inning celibate came off Berg and plated Brooks Conrad, who pinch-ran for McCann after his walk.
After a Nate McClouth trudge to pressure the bases, Omar Infante grounded out to first, scoring Glaus for the Braves ' 16th carry on of the game.
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