Game Thirty-Six - Cubs 7 Diamondbacks 2
WP - Scott Eyre (1-0) LP - Chad Qualls (0-4, BS 3) Save - None

The top two scoring offenses in the National League played another close, low scoring game until the 7th inning. Max Scherzer held the Cubs offense to an unearned run on 5 hits through the first 6 innings of the game. Ryan Dempster matched him pitch for pitch until the top of the 6th when the Diamondbacks plated a pair of runs on a bases loaded walk by Justin Upton and a fielder's choice ground out with the bases loaded by Mark Reynolds.

Bob Melvin replaced Scherzer with Chad Qualls in the 7th inning. For the second day in a row Mark DeRosa started the Cubs rally with a base hit. After a sacrifice bunt by Reed Johnson put DeRosa in scoring position, Daryle Ward came through with his first pinch hit of the season (0-for-14). Ward's opposite field single scored DeRosa with the tying run. Alfonso Soriano doubled in pinch runner Jason Marquis with the eventual winning run....the second game in as many days Soriano drove in the winning run.

Ryan Theriot followed with a single to center, an obviously hindered Soriano scored on a close play at the plate. Derrek Lee was robbed of a single but advanced Theriot into scoring position. Aramis Ramirez drove in Theriot with a single to right center and Kosuke Fukudome hit his first home run since Opening Day to cap the scoring.

Alfonso Soriano scored two big runs with two close plays at the plate and finished the day 4-for-5 with the game winning RBI. The Cubs scored a season high 6 runs in the 7th inning and took over the lead in the National League with 205 runs scored.

Ryan Dempster pitched an excellent game but did not figure into the decision after allowing a pair of run in his last inning of work. Dempster tied a season-high with 7 strikeouts, walked 3 and gave up only the 2 runs on 3 hits. Scott Eyre picked up the win in his first appearance of the year. Bobby Howry was impressive in the 8th and Carlos Marmol recorded the 27th out to secure the win.

After struggling for the past two weeks, Lou Piniella's crew has won 3 of the last 4 games and their first series since sweeping the Mets back on April 22nd.