Chicago Cubs Get 1st Win of 2012 Season

The Chicago Cubs were finally able to close out a game Sunday afternoon, as Carlos Marmol was able to get his first save of the season. 

Jeff Samardzjia made it look easy today, as he went a career-high eight-and-two-third innings, allowing four hits and only one earned run.  

Samardzjia exited the game with two outs in the ninth, after he allowed a two-run shot to Adam LaRoche.  

After walking Jayson Werth, Marmol was able to get Xavier Nady to pop out to Ian Stewart to end the game.

Alfonso Soriano got the Cubs' scoring started, as he had a sacrifice fly to left that scored Starlin Castro. Soriano then gave the Cubs the lead in the sixth, as he singled home Darwin Barney to make it 2-1.  

David DeJesus led off the eighth inning with a walk, and after a Darwin Barney strikeout, Castro doubled to left center, scoring DeJesus to make the score 3-1. 

The Cubs would later add on some insurance runs, as Ian Stewart singled home Castro making the score 4-1.  

Jeff Samardzjia was on cruise control throughout the game, until the bottom of the ninth inning when he surrendered a two-run homer to LaRoche, ending a spectacular outing. After blowing the leads Friday and Saturday, Marmol was able to get Xavier Nady to pop out to end the game.

Pitching was at a premium this weekend, as Cubs starters went a combined 22.1 innings pitched and allowed a grand total of four earned runs. Kerry Wood and Carlos Marmol blew good outings by both Ryan Dempster on Friday and Matt Garza yesterday.  

The Cubs are going to need Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood to be at the top of their games every outing, especially after the departures of Sean Marshall and Andrew Cashner.

Up next for the Chicago Cubs: Chris Volstad vs Milwaukee Brewers tomorrow night at 6:05 p.m.