Friday, March 2, 2012

Lilly uses bat, arm to down D'backs.(Sports)

Byline: Combined wire services

CHICAGO - Instead of his glove and his temper, Ted Lilly got attention for his pitching and his bat.

After giving up a first-inning homer to Chris Young, Lilly regrouped and helped the Chicago Cubs beat Arizona 3-1 Friday in the teams' first meeting since the Diamondbacks' first-round playoff sweep seven months ago.

Lilly pitched seven innings and also singled in the tying run as the Cubs won for just the fifth time in 14 games. Young had homered off Lilly in Game 2 last October in Phoenix during Arizona's 8-4 win, prompting Lilly to slam his glove on the pitcher's mound in frustration.

Lilly (3-4) allowed only three hits against the top-scoring team in the major leagues and struck out 10 on a chilly 46-degree day.

The D'backs wasted a solid start by Dan Haren, who got two outs in the fifth inning before the Cubs scored all they would need.

Mark DeRosa doubled with two outs and the Diamondbacks intentionally walked No. 8 hitter Reed Johnson to bring up Lilly.

Lilly lined a 1-0 pitch to center field, and Alfonso Soriano doubled inside the bag at third on the next pitch for a 2-1 lead. Derrek Lee homered in the eighth.

"If you fall behind (a pitcher) 1-0, it's a 99 percent chance he is going to get a fastball," Haren said. "He knew that. "

Haren struck out five while giving up five hits.

-4 Around the majors Tampa Bay's James Shields pitched a complete-game one-hitter and Evan Longoria's two-run, ninth-inning homer off Justin Speier gave the surging Rays (19-16) a 2-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels (22-15) in St. Petersburg, Fla. Brandon Woods got the Angels' lone hit, a single in the third. Shields (4-2) then got the next 17 batters. He struck out eight and walked none. ... Vernon Wells left the Toronto Blue Jays' game against the Indians in Cleveland with an injured left wrist and tight right hamstring after making a diving catch in the sixth inning. ... San Diego released struggling 37-year-old center fielder Jim Edmonds, a move that will cost the Padres approximately $4.7 million. Edmonds' batting average had fallen to .178 - more than 100 points below his lifetime mark. The Padres are 12-23. The Padres called up outfielder Jody Gerut from Triple-A Portland. San Diego also claimed left-handed pitcher Sean Henn off waivers from the New York Yankees. In eight relief appearances in minor league games this season, Henn (1-0) gave up an earned run over 102/3 innings. ... Jimmy Rollins , 29, came off the disabled list Friday and the NL MVP hit a two-run homer in his third at-bat for the Philadelphia Phillies in the series opener against the San Francisco Giants. ... Seattle slugger Richie Sexson was suspended for six games and fined by Major League Baseball after charging the mound and throwing his helmet at Texas pitcher Kason Gabbard on Thursday. Sexson is appealing the ruling. He can play until the appeal is heard. ... Oakland reliever Keith Foulke (0-0, 2.57 ERA in seven games) was reinstated Friday from the 15-day disabled list. ...Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo , 22, confirmed that he'll have surgery on the torn ligament in his right knee, likely ending his season. Milwaukee's ex-All-Star closer Derrick Turnbow has accepted a minor-league assignment.

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