Cubs lefty Lilly stymies Rockies 4-0

[April 14, 2009]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Ted Lilly held Colorado hitless for 6 2-3 innings on a raw day at Wrigley Field and the Chicago Cubs won their home opener Monday by holding the Rockies to one hit in a 4-0 victory.

Garrett Atkins grounded a clean single between short and third on a 1-0 pitch with two outs in the top of the seventh to end Lilly's no-hit bid. After Seth Smith followed the single with a walk, Chicago manager Lou Piniella removed Lilly. The left-hander left to a rousing ovation from a bundled-up crowd. Attendance was announced at 40,077.

Lilly (2-0) allowed just two walks and the single, while striking out eight. He also walked Chris Iannetta in the third. Relievers Angel Guzman, Aaron Heilman and Kevin Gregg completed the one-hit shutout.

On a wet and blustery day with the game-time temperature at 36 degrees and the wind blowing in at 10 mph, Lilly shut down the Rockies with an efficient assortment of pitches. The start of the game was delayed one hour, 12 minutes by rain.

The Cubs, winners of the NL Central the last two seasons, are now 5-2.

Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez (1-1) was wild, walking six and hitting a batter in 3 2-3 innings. He threw 104 pitches and gave up three runs and four hits.

Lilly lost no-hitters in the seventh inning twice last September en route to a 17-win season. He started slowly a year ago, going 1-4 in the first month, but now he's already 2-0 one week in. In his first start against Houston, he gave up eight hits and five runs in five innings.

Koyie Hill drew a bases-loaded walk to put Chicago ahead 1-0 in the second. The Cubs had received four bases-full passes in one inning Sunday night against the Brewers.

Hill's single and a walk to Lilly put runners at first and second with no outs in the fourth. After Alfonso Soriano struck out, Ryan Theriot hit a perfect double play grounder to short. But second baseman Jeff Baker's relay throw went past Todd Helton at first for an error, as Hill scored to make it 2-0.

After Jimenez walked Kosuke Fukudome for his sixth of the game, he was removed. Derrek Lee's RBI single to greet Glendon Rusch gave the Cubs a three-run lead.

Fukudome hit an RBI single in the eighth.

The Cubs played without three starters: right fielder Milton Bradley (sore groin), catcher Geovany Soto (sore shoulder) and third baseman Aramis Ramirez (sore back). Manager Lou Piniella said Soto would probably return Wednesday. Bradley, who was hurt Sunday night, had shown some improvement Monday but his return date was not known.

Notes: Colorado manager Clint Hurdle was ejected between the fourth and fifth innings by first base umpire and crew chief Tim McClelland. ... Rockies RHP Jason Marquis, who won 23 games for the Cubs in 2007 and 2008, drew some boos when he was announced during pregame ceremonies. Marquis was traded to the Rockies in the offseason for Luis Vizcaino and is scheduled to start Wednesday against the Cubs. He was part of two Chicago teams that won division titles before being swept out of the playoffs in the first round, running the franchise's World Series drought to 100 years. "You'd think one of those years it would work out, but for some reason it hasn't," Marquis said. "I know the guys over there aren't going to stop trying. Time will tell. We had two great teams that just got beat. We got outplayed at the wrong time." ... Moments of silence were observed before the game in memory of Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart and Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas. ... Rockies OF Brad Hawpe left the game with a hamstring cramp in the fifth inning.

[Associated Press; By RICK GANO]

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.