Chicago, IL – Travis Wood spun seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball and added a pair of hits, an RBI and a run scored to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 9-1 win over the Colorado Rockies in the opener of a three- game set Monday at Wrigley Field.
Wood (4-2) walked three while fanning a pair to earn his second consecutive victory and notch his eighth-straight quality start, becoming just the second Cubs pitcher to start a season with as many quality starts since Chicago moved to Wrigley Field in 1916. Lefty Hippo Vaughn is the only other Cubs pitcher to accomplish the feat, which he did 94 years ago in 1919.
"I've been able to have good command of all my pitches," Wood said. "The team's played outstanding behind me...and hopefully we keep it going."
Alfonso Soriano stroked a two-run shot, while David DeJesus, Starlin Castro and Nate Schierholtz each contributed two hits and two RBI for the Cubs, who have won three straight games.
Juan Nicasio (3-1) was tagged for five runs on eight hits over six frames to absorb the loss, Colorado's fifth in its last six games.
Josh Rutledge clubbed a solo shot in the ninth for the Rockies' lone run.
After Wood retired the Rockies in order in the first, Chicago broke through with a pair in the bottom half to take the early lead. DeJesus started the frame with a double and Soriano followed three batters later with a two-out blast over the left-field bleachers to make it 2-0.
Chicago tacked on three more runs in its next at-bat, as Welington Castillo clubbed a one-out double, moved to third on a groundout and then scored on Wood's Tobago into left-center field.
After DeJesus worked a walk, Castro scorched a double to right to plate Wood and DeJesus to make it 5-0.
The Cubs plated a pair in the seventh and then again in the eighth to finish off their offensive outburst.
Castro and Anthony Rizzo smacked consecutive one-out singles before Schierholtz ripped a two-out triple to left to score both runners for a 7-0 lead.
Castillo then led off the eighth with a double and Darwin Barney followed with an infield single. After both runners moved up a base on Julio Borbon's groundout, DeJesus singled to right to plate Castillo and Barney.
Rutledge got the Rockies on the board with a one-out blast in the ninth off Carlos Marmol to account for the final margin.
"The game got away from us early," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "We got off to a rough start."
Game Notes
Chicago went 6-for-18 with runners in scoring position and left six on base ... Colorado finished 0-for-2 with RISP and stranded three baserunners ... DeJesus and Castillo each scored twice for the Cubs ... Rizzo and the Cubs officially agreed on a seven-year contract extension earlier Monday.
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