Yonder Alonso hits 1st homer, but makes costly misplay

As much as Yonder Alonso might like to forget his first weekend at Wrigley Field, he may not have a choice.

Alonso hit his major league home run, but misplayed a ball in Wrigley Field's adventurous outfield that helped the Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 11-4 Saturday for their seventh straight win.

After a scary collision between second baseman Brandon Phillips and center fielder Drew Stubbs led to Reed Johnson's leadoff double in the fourth inning, Alfonso Soriano hit a routine flyball to left.

Alonso, playing for the injured Chris Heisey, stepped on a sprinkler in the outfield and was unable to track down the ball. Johnson scored and Soriano made it to second base.

The Cubs went on to score nine runs over the next three innings to put the game out of reach. The Reds matched their season high by committing three errors in the game.

"I stepped on a sprinkler ... I definitely should have caught that ball," Alonso said. "You have to learn with it. First time in this stadium, I've never been here. It's a little tough to play with the wind and the sun and all that. No excuses, really."

Alonso also misplayed a ball in the series opener on Friday that led to Tony Campana's inside-the-park home run.

The 24-year-old rookie then hit his first career homer in the sixth, a solo shot off Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano, but said the moment was bittersweet.

"Obviously you want to get that win," he said. "It's nice to get that home run so it's not a '0' anymore, it's a '11 in there. Just move with it, accept it and be positive with it. Shake it off because tomorrow we have to go at it again."


(ap.com)