Well, at least the games weren’t wanting for drama. But how about a little help from the back end of the bullpens? Both the Cubs and Sox took their first losses on Opening Day, but the journey from beginning to end had plenty of other firsts too. Some of them positive. Our reporters take you through the day.
CUBS FIRSTS
Many firsts, but first place not one
Mention of 100 years
Lou Piniella’s pregame press briefing … brought up by Piniella.
Rain delay warning
12:30 p.m.
Test of new field drain
At 1 p.m., grounds crew removed the tarp and a huge infield “lake” was whooshed away in minutes.
Unveiling of NL Central banner
1:35 p.m.
Ceremonial pitch
Thrown by Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks, who earlier unveiled his statue.
Entrance
At 1:58 p.m., Derrek Lee led the Cubs’ charge from the third-base dugout onto the field.
Pitch
At 2:01 p.m., Carlos Zambrano fired a strike past Milwaukee’s Rickie Weeks.
Rain delay
Lasted 41 minutes.
Hit
A first-inning infield roller by Milwaukee’s Tony Gwynn Jr.
Cubs hit
In his first Cub at-bat Kosuke Fukudome laced a double to deep center.
Standing ovation
For Fukudome as he stood on second base.
In-game rain delay
Began in the bottom of the third inning at 2:41 p.m. and ended at 3:30.
Fukudome catch
Fifth inning, easy fly ball off the bat of J.J. Hardy.
Scary moment
In the seventh inning, after Zambrano walked off the mound with what turned out to be a forearm cramp.
Hit batter
Mark DeRosa was plunked by Salomon Torres in the seventh inning.
Kerry Wood sighting
New closer started top of ninth and hit Weeks with his first pitch.
Run
Ryan Braun’s single scored Weeks in ninth.
Boos
As Wood left mound after giving up three runs.
Home run
Fukudome tied the game at 3-3 with a line shot to right-center.
Curtain call
Fukudome popped out of the dugout and lifted his cap after his homer.
Loss
Opening Day.
3
Batters hit by pitches during the Cubs’ game against the Brewers. Mark DeRosa was plunked by Salomon Torres in the seventh inning, Kerry Wood drilled Rickie Weeks in the ninth and Bob Howry nailed Weeks again in the 10th.
Booooooo!
It wasn’t too early in the season for boo-birds to sound off at Wrigley. The object of their ire: Kerry Wood, after he gave up 3 runs.
1:38 p.m.
Cleveland fans boo the White Sox’s Jim Thome, a former Indian.
2:10 p.m.
Jim Thome hits his first home run of the season, off C.C. Sabathia.
White Sox firsts
Thome’s bat answers boos in old home
Pre-series scouting meeting
11:30 a.m.
Unveiling of the American flag
1:37 p.m.
Boos for Sox
1:38 p.m.
Boos for former Indian Jim Thome
1:38 p.m.
Fan greeting to Nick Swisher
1:58 p.m.
Pitch
2:05 p.m.
Sox baserunner
Walk to Orlando Cabrera on four pitches, 2:08 p.m.
Sox stolen base
Cabrera, 2:09 p.m.
Sox home run
Thome, 2:10 p.m.
Mixup
Center fielder Alexei Ramirez runs into right fielder Jermaine Dye on first out, 2:16 p.m.
Strikeout
Mark Buehrle gets Travis Hafner looking, 2:18 p.m.
Ramirez at-bat
Groundout, 2:21 p.m.
Homer off Buehrle
By Franklin Gutierrez, 2:38 p.m.
Mound visit by pitching coach Don Cooper
2:42 p.m.
Bullpen activity
Nick Masset gets up in the second inning, 2:45 p.m.
Sox standing ovation
Buehrle leaving field, 2:48 p.m.
Swisher hit
Single, 2:58 p.m.
Diving putout
Ramirez’s diving catch in center field, 3:31 p.m.
Rule-breaking
Cabrera running through third-base coach Jeff Cox’s stop sign, 4:21 p.m.
Failed bunt attempt
Juan Uribe, 4:47 p.m.
Argument by manager Ozzie Guillen
Disputed play at home plate, 4:52 p.m.
Loss
Opening Day.
