By JAY COHEN ADVERTISING By JAY COHEN AP Sports Writer CHICAGO — The crowd roared for Joe Maddon, Jon Lester and the rest of the Chicago Cubs. There were more cheers for a tribute to Ernie Banks, and a hearty
By JAY COHEN
AP Sports Writer
CHICAGO — The crowd roared for Joe Maddon, Jon Lester and the rest of the Chicago Cubs. There were more cheers for a tribute to Ernie Banks, and a hearty round of boos for the St. Louis Cardinals.
When the game started, it was the same ol’ Cubbies. Same old Cardinals, too.
At least for one night.
Lester was chased in the fifth inning, and Adam Wainwright pitched the Cardinals to a 3-0 victory in the major league opener on Sunday.
“Just wasn’t real sharp,” Lester said. “Ball was flat. Anytime I get that many fly balls I know that I’m not where I need to be.”
Jason Heyward had three hits in his St. Louis debut and Matt Holliday drove in two runs for the NL Central champions. Throw in Matt Carpenter’s two hits at new-look Wrigley Field, and the top third of the Cardinals’ lineup went 7 for 14 with three RBIs.
“Selfishly, I like the idea of hitting between those two,” Heyward said. “Holly can do damage and Carp sees so many pitches and has good (at-bats). I’m going to be kind of spoiled hitting there.”
St. Louis second baseman Kolten Wong went 0 for 3 with a walk and scored a run.
Playing their most anticipated opener in years, the Cubs went 0 for 13 with runners in scoring position. Lester, who got a $155 million, six-year contract during free agency, allowed three runs and eight hits over 4 1-3 innings in his fifth straight opening day start.
“He just really hasn’t had a chance to nail everything down yet, I don’t think,” Maddon said. “Of course, I believe he will.”
The addition of Lester to go along with Maddon in the dugout increased the expectations for Chicago after five straight losing seasons. But it was more of the same in their first game.
The biggest difference for the home team was a giant videoboard in left field, part of a major renovation for the iconic neighborhood ballpark. The closed bleachers were covered by pictures of Banks, a Hall of Fame slugger who played for Chicago for 19 seasons and died in January at age 83.
The Cubs honored Banks with a pregame moment of silence, and his sons Jerry and Joey Banks each threw out a ceremonial first pitch. The club also extended its condolences to the Cardinals for Oscar Taveras, an outfield prospect who died in a car crash in his native Dominican Republic last October.
Heyward got the majors’ first hit of the season when he doubled and scored on Holliday’s single in the first. Holliday had another RBI single in the fifth.
It was more than enough for Wainwright, who was slowed by an abdominal injury early in spring training, but looked just fine in his fourth opening day start. The 6-foot-7 right-hander made the most of umpire Mike Winters’ wide strike zone, striking out six with no walks. He gave up all five Cubs hits.
“I was fortunate to throw some good pitches when I needed to throw some good pitches,” Wainwright said.
Carlos Martinez, who won the fifth starter job in training camp, then worked the seventh for St. Louis. Jordan Walden got three outs before Trevor Rosenthal struck out the side for the save.
The shutout was sure to have some Cubs fans clamoring for Kris Bryant, the power-hitting prospect who recently was sent to the minors for more seasoning.
• Padres obtain Kimbrel, Melvin Upton from Braves
SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres couldn’t start the season without yet another blockbuster deal by first-year general manager A.J. Preller.
Preller pushed ahead with his remarkable makeover of the Padres on Sunday when he acquired All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel and outfielder Melvin Upton from the Atlanta Braves for outfielders Carlos Quentin and Cameron Maybin, plus two minor leaguers and a draft pick.
While Upton will be reunited with his younger brother, Padres left fielder Justin Upton, this deal centered around Kimbrel, whom Preller called “an A-level performer.”
The Padres take on $80.35 million in guaranteed salaries to Kimbrel and Upton while shedding the $24 million guaranteed still owed to the oft-injured Quentin and Maybin.
“With the chance to acquire Kimbrel, who’s one of the best in the game, if not the best, it was a price we were willing to pay,” Preller said during a conference call. “He’s an A-level performer. He’s 26 years old. It’s an opportunity to strengthen our club.”
Taking on the remaining $46.35 million on Melvin Upton’s contract appeared to be the price for landing Kimbrel, who is owed a guaranteed $34 million. Melvin Upton was placed on the disabled list Saturday with a left foot injury.
Preller said the Padres weren’t necessarily “motivated to try to get Melvin and Justin together as brothers. It was a situation where we felt overall the deal fit for us and we attempted to go out and add quality pieces to get Craig Kimbrel in this deal.”
Kimbrel led the NL for the second-straight year with 47 saves after saving 50 games in 2013, which tied Baltimore’s Jim Johnson for the major league lead. Kimbrel was tied for most in the NL in both 2011 (46) and 2012 (42).
Since his first full season in 2011, when he won the NL Rookie of the Year award, Kimbrel leads all big league closers with 185 saves. He has been an All-Star each of the last four seasons.
Preller said Kimbrel was trying to catch a plane in Miami to make it to Los Angeles in time for the Padres’ opener against the Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers on Monday afternoon.
Huston Street led San Diego with 24 saves last year before being traded to the Angels. Joaquin Benoit, the incumbent closer before Kimbrel was obtained, had 11 saves last year.
The Upton brothers played together for two seasons in Atlanta. Melvin Upton missed most of spring training — he didn’t have a single big league exhibition at-bat — and Preller said the Braves felt he will not be ready to play in a game for three-to-four weeks.
Melvin Upton is owed $14.45 million this year, $15.45 million in 2016 and $16.45 million in 2017.
Kimbrel will make $9 million this season, $11 million in 2016 and $13 million in 2017, and his contract includes a $13 million club option for 2018 with a $1 million buyout.
San Diego had a glut of outfielders after Preller obtained Matt Kemp, Justin Upton and Wil Myers in separate deals in December.
Quentin has been slowed by knee injuries and never played more than 86 games in any of his three seasons with his hometown Padres.
Maybin also has been slowed by injuries. He was suspended for 25 games last year after testing positive for amphetamines.
The Braves also receive minor league right-hander Matt Wisler and outfielder Jordan Paroubeck, plus the 41st overall draft pick.
