Darvish's two scoreless innings set stage for victory over Cubs

real time posted: Friday, March 13, 2009 8:08:00 AM

JAPAN 3, CUBS 2
at Mesa, Ariz.
Thursday, March 12

Japan at the plate: Munenori Kawasaki hit a one-out triple in the third and scored on a passed ball. Kosuke Fukudome, who will join the Cubs after Team Japan is finished in the World Baseball Classic, went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in the sixth.

Cubs at the plate: Mike Fontenot had two singles and scored on Paul Bako's single in the fourth. Derrek Lee also hit a double with one out in the fifth but was stranded.

Japan on the mound: Yu Darvish gave up two hits and two walks over two innings, striking out two. Tetsuya Yamaguchi threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

Cubs on the mound: Carlos Zambrano gave up two runs, one earned, on three hits over four innings. He struck out two and did not walk a batter. Zambrano also was 0-for-2 at the plate.

Up next: The Cubs have a split-squad day Friday, with both games scheduled to start at 3:05 p.m. CT. Half the team will travel to Tempe to face the Angels. Chad Gaudin, one of the options for the fifth starter spot, is slated to start for Chicago. The Cubs will also host the Seattle Mariners on Friday, sending lefty Sean Marshall to the mound for his fourth spring start. In nine innings over his three starts so far, Marshall has given up one earned run on six hits. He's the leading candidate for the fifth starter spot.

Team Japan will head to San Diego, where it will resume play in the World Baseball Classic on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET. Japan was to face the winner of Pool B, which is to be determined Thursday in a game between Mexico and Cuba.