Alfonso Soriano redeemed himself after starting the game by going 0-4 and not even running to first base on a ground out as he knocked in four runs in the bottom of the 13th inning with a grand slam to center field off of Astros reliever Chris Sampson that gave the Cubs a 5-1 victory. Before Soriano’s grand slam, it was a pretty bad day for him at the plate but he all but made up for it with one swing of the bat.

“I never thought about it, to hit a grand slam,” Soriano said. “I just wanted to try put the ball in the air, try to score the run because it was the 13th inning. I made a very good swing.”

The only other run in the game for the Cubs came off the bat of Derrek Lee who smashed a fastball from Wandy Rodriguez deep to left field. I think it was one of the hardest hit balls by Lee who is really seeing the ball well and making some very good contact.

I was pretty mad with out things turned out in the bottom of the ninth inning when the Cubs had a great chance to end the game then. Pitch hitter Mike Fontenot came to the plate with the bases loaded and just one out. Fontenot couldn’t execute a suicide squeeze and Milton Bradley was meat at home plate. I think in that situation if Lou had talked about the squeeze play going on before Fontenot entered the game, he would have been better off sending Andres Blanco in there to get the job done.

Carlos Zambrano was the starting pitcher for the Cubs and he threw great. Just one mistake to Carlos Lee in  the second innings when he had Lee down 0-2 and Lee took Big Z deep to center field for the Astros lone run in the game. Just another no decision for the big guy.

Jeff Samardzija pitched two scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win and improve his record to 1-1.

The Cubs got some good news on Monday as Ryan Dempster says everything feels fine and he will make his return on Tuesday night against the Astros. Expect Dempster to be on a 80-85 pitch count tonight.

- Cliff