Lee's run-scoring groundout carries Cubs past Pads
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| Regular Season Series |
| San Diego leads 5-3 (as of Thu 5/24) |
| Mon 4/16 |
@CHC 12, SD 4 |
Recap |
| Tue 4/17 |
SD 4, @CHC 3 |
Recap |
| Tue 5/22 |
@SD 5, CHC 1 |
Recap |
| Wed 5/23 |
@SD 2, CHC 1 |
Recap |
| >Thu 5/24 |
CHC 3, @SD 1 |
Box Score |
| Fri 6/15 |
@CHC 4, SD 1 |
Recap |
| Sat 6/16 |
SD 1, @CHC 0 |
Recap |
| Sun 6/17 |
SD 11, @CHC 3 |
Recap |
| · Complete Schedule: Padres | Cubs |
| Scoring Summary |
| CHC | SDG |
 | 2nd | J Bard singled to shallow left, A Gonzalez scored. | 0 | 1 |
 | 5th | M Barrett doubled to deep right, A Ramirez scored. | 1 | 1 |
| 9th | C Floyd grounded into fielder's choice to second, D Lee scored, A Ramirez to second. | 2 | 1 |
| 9th | R Theriot grounded into fielder's choice to third, A Pagan scored, M Barrett out at third, J Jones to second. | 3 | 1 |
| · View complete Play-By-Play |
| Game Information |
| Stadium | Petco Park, San Diego, CA |
| Attendance | 32,258 (75.6% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:24 |
| Weather | 65 degrees, cloudy |
| Wind | 6 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Rob Drake, First Base - Bill Welke, Second Base - Laz Diaz, Third Base - Wally Bell |
| A CLOSER LOOK |
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• Summary: Derrek Lee snapped a ninth-inning tie with a nice slide at home as the Cubs edged the Padres 3-1 and avoided a series sweep.
• Hero: Chicago's Jason Marquis, who pitched another strong game, allowed only one run on five hits over seven innings. | |  | |
| Marquis |
• Turning point: The Cubs went up by two in the ninth on a pair of run-scoring groundouts by Cliff Floyd and Ryan Theriot.
• Unsung hero: Padres fireballer Chris Young retired the first 12 Chicago batters before Aramis Ramirez doubled his way aboard leading off the fifth. He lasted seven innings, allowing just one run and striking out 10.
• Figure this: Chicago beat the Padres for only the second time in 12 games, dating back to last year.
• Quotable: "We felt a sharply hit ball, we still get the guy at home. But the ball wasn't hit all that great." -- Bud Black, defending not playing his infield in on Floyd's run-scoring groundout. -- ESPN.com news services
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Cubs 3, Padres 1
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- It might not have been pretty, but any win is a thing of beauty to the struggling
Chicago Cubs.
Derrek Lee slid home safely with the go-ahead run on the first of two run-scoring groundouts in the ninth inning and the Cubs snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-1 win over the
San Diego Padres on Thursday night.
The Cubs, second in the National League in batting, had scored a total of two runs in dropping the first two games of the series. Coming into the ninth inning Thursday, Chicago had four hits in its last 25 at-bats with men in scoring position.
"Whatever it takes," said Cubs manager Lou Piniella. "If we can get this darn offense untracked. But it's nice to win a baseball game."
Lee led off with a single off
Cla Meredith (1-2) and went to third on a single by
Aramis Ramirez. With the Padres' infield playing nearly halfway in,
Cliff Floyd hit a grounder to second baseman
Marcus Giles, who threw home to try and get Lee. But Giles' throw was slightly high and Lee did a hook slide around catcher
Josh Bard to give Chicago a 2-1 lead.
"Unfortunately, the throw was a little higher than I wanted it," said Giles. "I was just trying to get rid of it as quickly as I could. At the same time, Derrek Lee made a pretty good slide."
Padres manager Bud Black defended not playing his infield all the way in.
"We felt a sharply hit ball, we still get the guy at home," Black said. "But the ball wasn't hit all that great."
The Cubs loaded the bases on
Michael Barrett's bunt single. After
Heath Bell replaced Meredith, pinch-runner
Angel Pagan scored on
Ryan Theriot's groundout.
"It was close, but no question I was safe," Lee said.
The two runs allowed by Meredith broke a scoreless string of 17 2/3 innings by San Diego relievers.
Bob Howry (2-3) pitched a perfect eighth for the win.
Ryan Dempster got his 10th save in 11 chances by working a perfect ninth.
Lee, the NL batting leader at .370, got his first hit in 12 at-bats since he returned to the Cubs' lineup on Tuesday. Lee had been out of action since May 13 with neck spasms.
"It feels good to contribute," said Lee. "It's been frustrating because we haven't been doing a good job of making contact."
The Cubs beat the Padres for the only second time in 12 games, dating back to last year, and ended a six-game losing streak in San Diego.
San Diego's
Chris Young retired the first 12 Chicago batters until he gave up a leadoff double in the fifth to Ramirez. Barrett followed with a one-out double to tie the score at 1.
The run was only the second earned run allowed by Young in four home starts covering 27 1-3 innings. Young allowed one run and three hits in seven innings. He struck out a season-high 10 batters with two walks.
Adrian Gonzalez led off the San Diego second with a double and scored one out later on Josh Bard's single for a 1-0 lead.
Alfonso Soriano tripled into the right-center field gap leading off the sixth. But Young then struck out
Mark DeRosa, Lee and Ramirez to get out of the jam.
Jason Marquis matched Young as he allowed up one run on five hits over seven innings. Marquis walked three and had five strikeouts.
Game notes The Cubs' victory was their first at Petco Park since June 5, 2005. ... Padres RF
Brian Giles (bruised right knee) missed his fourth straight game.
Cubs 3, 
Padres 1