Cubs Win Behind Strong Effort Behind Wells

That's right I'm saying it.

Forget Big Z and his 54.00 ERA. Forget Ted Lilly and Ryan Dempester. They are both nice guys and good pitchers but they aren't aces.

Randy Wells is our ace.

At 27, Wells is a late bloomer only finally making it into the rotation last year making 27 starts winning 12 and posting a 3.05 ERA. But tonight he proved last year wasn't a fluke.

He pitched the Cubs to their first win of the season pitching 6 innings allowing 6 hits 2 walks and getting 1 K while not allowing a run.

Much like last season Wells not very little run support but tonight all he needed was the first career home run of young Tyler Colvin who went yard in his first at bat which came in the second inning. Colvin saw his first playing time of the season in left putting Soriano on the bench. Marlon Byrd provided an insurance run with his solo shot in the 4th.

Soriano was joined on the bench with Soto and Mike Fontentot who were replaced by Jeff Baker and Koyie Hill. Soriano did get to pitch hit for Wells in the 7th but grounded out  to short.

Sean Marshall then entered the game to get 2 quick outs on only 7 pitches to start the 7th. Then fastforward through Caridad getting the final out of the 7th and the first 2 in the 8th before he gave way to Garbow who was unable to get the final out of the 8th so Sweet Lou went to his closer Carlos Marmol for the first time this season.

Marmol was going to need 4 outs and he got them all stiking out 2 while also allowing a hit and a walk to record his first save of the season.

Overall I liked what I saw tonight and reading about the game last night overall it makes the season opener just seem like a bad day. With Marshall and Marmol they are solid at the back end of the bullpen. Minus Zambrano the starters have looked good. My big concern is the offense worries me but maybe it is just the solid pitching of the Braves.

Braves super rookie Jason Heyward went 0-4 and might be coming back down to Earth after his big opening day. However maybe not after Bobby Cox compared him to the likes of Mickey Mantle today when he was on ESPN 1000 with Waddle & Silvi. I know I was upset when I missed him in my fantasy draft.

Cubs open a series against the Reds and former manager Dusty Baker tomorrow before the home opener on Monday. First pitch is 7:10 Friday and 1:10 Saturday and Sunday. I'm interested to see the Reds who have some young power arms. If I'm a Reds fan I am scared cause us in Chicago know how Dusty handles a pitching staff.

So all Cubs fans raise those W flags take a deep breath and step back from that ledge because 1-2 isn't that bad.

Check out all my sports thoughts at Da Chicago Fan