Lilly loses no-hitter but Cubs prevail

Ted Lilly held Colorado hitless for 6 2/3 innings and the Chicago Cubs won their home opener Monday by holding the Rockies to one hit in a 4-0 victory in front of 40,077.

Garrett Atkins grounded a single between shortstop and third base on a 1-and-0 pitch with two outs in the seventh inning to spoil the left-hander’s no-hit bid. After Seth Smith followed the single with a walk, Manager Lou Piniella removed Lilly.

“I was aware, but I wasn’t really thinking about it,” Lilly said. “I was still trying to focus on making quality pitches, not so much how am I going to protect that, you know protect the no-hitter.”

Lilly (2-0) gave up two walks and the single, and struck out eight. Angel Guzman, Aaron Heilman and Kevin Gregg completed the shutout.

On a wet and blustery day with the game-time temperature at 36 degrees and the wind blowing in at 10 mph, Lilly shut down the Rockies with an efficient assortment of pitches. The start of the game was delayed 1 hour 12 minutes because of rain.

Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez (1-1) walked six and hit a batter in 3 2/3 innings. He threw 104 pitches and gave up three runs and four hits.

Lilly lost no-hitters in the seventh inning twice in September.