Prior Impressive in Season Debut

Mark Prior was a success in his season debut, while Kerry Wood struggled again.

Prior pitched six shutout innings in his first game of the season and Derrek Lee had five runs batted in to lead the Chicago Cubs over the San Diego Padres, 8-3, Wednesday for a doubleheader split.

Wood gave up three home runs in the opener, including one to Geoff Blum leading off the game, as the Padres won, 8-3.

Prior (1-0) made only one start in spring training and went on the disabled list because of right elbow inflammation. He got hit hard last week in a minor league rehabilitation start but, backed by a quick 7-0 lead Wednesday, he gave up four hits, struck out six and walked one, throwing 92 pitches.

“I wanted to go out there and throw strikes,” Prior said. “I had good down angle on the ball, throwing my fastballs down in the zone pretty good. I was happy with the command I did have on my fastball. Even the first three or four pitches of the game, I threw it right where I wanted.”

Fans, some of whom booed Wood in the opener, cheered loudly for Prior, whose start was delayed a day by Tuesday’s rainout.

“It was kind of a nice, little welcome back to the season,” Prior said. “It was pretty cool.”

Prior also started a four-run second inning with a single up the middle, scoring on Corey Patterson’s RBI single. He had another single in the third inning.

While Cub Manager Dusty Baker said he was grateful for his offensive contributions, he was mostly glad to see Prior on the mound.

“You’re always concerned when a guy hasn’t pitched very much,” Baker said. “He had good command, good tempo. His mechanics looked good.”

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New York 1, Houston 0 -- Former Dodger Kazuhisa Ishii matched Roger Clemens for seven innings and Jose Reyes hit an RBI single in the 11th inning to lead the Mets at New York.

Mike DeJean (1-0), the fourth Met pitcher, pitched the 11th inning. Roberto Hernandez pitched a hitless eighth, and Braden Looper worked a 1-2-3 ninth and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the 10th.

Ishii and Clemens each gave up two hits over seven innings. Each team finished with four hits.

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Florida 4, Philadelphia 0 -- Dontrelle Willis threw a three-hitter for his second consecutive shutout, and the Marlins used another pitching gem to beat the Phillies at Miami.

Willis (2-0) beat Washington with a five-hit shutout last Friday, and his latest performance dropped the Marlins’ team earned-run average to 1.36, best in the major leagues.

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Washington 11, Atlanta 4 -- Jose Guillen homered twice to become the first player in the major leagues with five this season and lead the Nationals at Atlanta.

After winning the last two games of the three-game series, the Nationals play their home opener at RFK Stadium tonight. President Bush, the Texas Rangers’ former owner, is scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

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Milwaukee 6, Pittsburgh 2 -- Carlos Lee’s two-run double off Mike Gonzalez in the eighth sparked a four-run rally at Milwaukee to give the Brewers their fourth win in five games against the Pirates.

Milwaukee, 6-12 against Pittsburgh last year, erased a 2-0 deficit with solo homers by Geoff Jenkins and Lyle Overbay off Josh Fogg.

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Cincinnati 6, St. Louis 5 -- At St. Louis, Mark Mulder (0-1) gave up six runs and 11 hits in five innings in his second outing for the Cardinals, his ERA rising to 8.18 in a loss to the Reds.

Austin Kearns hit a three-run homer and Joe Randa had three hits for Cincinnati.

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Arizona 5, Colorado 2 -- Shawn Estes (1-0) gave up one run and four hits in seven innings, Tony Clark doubled in two runs and the host Diamondbacks handed the Rockies their seventh straight loss.