Travis Wood Does Damage On The Mound And At The Plate As The Cubs Beat The D-backs 5-1

WP: Travis Wood (1-2) LP: Bronson Arroyo (1-2)

It's not too often to witness a starting pitcher deal on the mound and have four RBI's from the plate. Well, Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Travis Wood did just that, carrying the Cubs to a 5-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Not only was the D-backs starting pitching again hopeless on Monday, but their offense was as well.

Once again, the Diamondbacks found themselves down early. The Cubs struck for four runs off D-backs starter Bronson Arroyo, who hasn't been anywhere near the type of pitcher the Diamondbacks paid for in the offseason.  Cubs catcher Wellington Castillo started the rally by hitting a bloop single to right field to score Starlin Castro from second. Ryan Kalish would also single, and the worse case scenario would again hinder the D-backs. Pitcher Travis Wood would blast a three run home run deep into the left field bleachers, putting Chicago up 4-0.

The Cubs would add one more run in the bottom of the fourth inning as Travis Wood hit a RBI double to deep center field scoring Ryan Kalish. Arroyo would finish his outing pitching 5 1/3 innings, giving up five earned runs on eight hits and three walks. As for the D-backs offense, they wouldn't score until the seventh inning, as Mark Trumbo jacked a signature "Trumbomb" to deep center field. That would be the only run Wood and the Cubs would surrender, as Wood finished his day pitching seven great innings, allowing just the one run on six hits, while striking out nine. Don't forget, he was also two for three from the dish with four RBI'S.

The Diamondbacks contnue to simmer with the league's worst record, now at 5-17, and have lost nine of their last ten ballgames. They have a chance to turn things around in the second game of the four game series on Tuesday. Brandon McCarhy takes the mound for the D-backs, facing Jason Hammel of the Cubs.