Kosuke Fukudome did everything he could in his first major-league game — except bring the Cubs a victory.
Instead, the start of the Cubs’ 100th season since winning the World Series ended in familiar fashion. Tony Gwynn hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat Chicago 4-3 on a wet Monday at Wrigley Field.
Fukudome, the team’s main off-season acquisition, went 3-for-3, hitting a tying, three-run homer in the ninth off Eric Gagne (1-0). He then came out for a curtain call.
“It was a pretty good day for me, but we lost the game,” Fukudome said through a translator.
Fukudome excited the crowd of 41,089 when he doubled on his first major-league pitch from Ben Sheets, then singled, walked and homered. He got ovations throughout the game, including one when he first went to right field. He tipped his cap and bowed at the beginning of what would be an auspicious start.
“He had a great day today. We don’t really have a game plan for him yet. We’ll see how we adjust to him,” said Sheets, who gave up only two hits in 6R innings, both by Fukudome. “I know he’s a good player.”
Craig Counsell opened the 10th with a double off Bob Howry (0-1) and moved up on a sacrifice. And after Rickie Weeks was hit by a pitch for the second straight inning, Gwynn delivered the go-ahead fly.
Sheets and Chicago’s Carlos Zambrano pitched shutout ball, the Cubs ace forced out in the seventh because of a cramp.
But closers Kerry Wood and Gagne had rough outings. Corey Hart’s two-run double off Wood made it 3-0 in the ninth.
Because of the 100th anniversary, even more attention has been focused on the Cubs’ travails. Manager Lou Piniella has already told his team not to worry about the past and forge its own reputation.
“Not only have the Cubs not won in 100 years,” he said. “But they haven’t been in the postseason two years in a row in that span.”
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CUBS HITS
Fans: Wrigley by any other name not same
Opening Day outside Wrigley Field on Monday brimmed with the usual optimism about the Cubs’ season, but for some fans, high hopes were tempered by worry over the team’s for-sale sign and the naming rights of its historic ballpark.
One particularly graphic representation of those mixed feelings was the large voodoo doll of Tribune Chairman and Chief Executive Sam Zell, carried by Jerry Pritikin, 71, outside the main entrance Monday morning. “You just don’t change the name of a ballpark,” said Pritikin, a longtime fan also known as the “bleacher preacher.” “It stinks. I guarantee I won’t ever call it by its new name.”
That sentiment was echoed by Mike Cahill, 51, of Chicago, who protested the proposed changes to Wrigley Field’s name and landmark status with his wife, Kathy O’Connell, and his 12-year-old daughter, Mary. The three waved signs reading “Keep Wrigley ‘Wrigley’ ” and asked fans to sign a petition against the changes. They said they had collected nearly 400 names by noon Monday.
“I’m not saying the park’s a museum, don’t touch it,” Cahill said. “But do it through the landmark status we fought for. We don’t want Wrigley Field to be a ‘retro’ park — we’ve got the real thing.”
– The Cubs honored one of their greats, Hall of Famer Ernie Banks, whose brilliant career also lacked a World Series appearance. The team unveiled a statue of him in front of Wrigley Field on a wet afternoon.
– The game was delayed by 41 minutes at the start and another 49 minutes in the bottom of the third.
– Tribune
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DOT COMMENTS From chicagosports.com’s message boards:
“Difference in the game: Weeks and Gwynn are difference makers, [Pie], DeRosa and Theriot are DEAD WEIGHT.” — Whaat?
