But nothing looks bigger for this team than how the starting pitching holds up. And after strong starts by 1-2 starters Carlos Zambrano and Ryan Dempster, No. 3 Ted Lilly turned an early eight-run lead into a ballgame Wednesday night by giving up four home runs and lasting just five innings in his season debut.

A 16-hit attack that included home runs by Mike Fontenot and Kosuke Fukudome gave the Cubs an 11-6 victory at Minute Maid Park.

But not before Lilly continued a personal longball trend that started after his return from the World Baseball Classic -- with two mammoth home runs allowed to former teammate Mark DeRosa in his first start back, three allowed against the New York Yankees in the next one, and then Wednesday's slugfest.

''We're going to score a lot of runs, there's no doubt about that,'' Lilly said. ''[But] I don't know if we're going to score 11 every night.

''I definitely haven't felt sharp my last three outings. I want to be prepared [so] when I need to limit the opposing club to two runs or whatever is necessary to get the W, I'll be able to do that.''

Lilly got off to a slow start last year, too, before fighting back to win 17 games. But the Cubs can ill afford a slow start from any of their top three this time around -- with the depth questions that quickly follow them in the rotation.

Rich Harden (10-2, 2.07 ERA last year), whose long-time shoulder problems are expected to remain at least a handle-with-care issue all season, doesn't pitch until Friday. And fifth starter Sean Marshall, who looks strong but whose career high at any level is 147? innings, doesn't pitch for another week.

After that? The Cubs' sixth starter, should they need one, probably is at Class AAA Iowa. And nobody there has even a game of big-league starting experience.

The value of a good season -- and a lot of innings -- from Lilly likely can't be overstated in the Cubs' quest for a third straight playoff berth.

''There's no question I pride myself on finishing strong, but I'd also like to get out of the gate here well and really be a contributor to us early in the season,'' said Lilly, who disputes the starting pitching concerns.

''I really don't think there's a depth issue in our rotation,'' he said. ''I think our rotation's pretty darn good. Obviously, I can say that, but I have a lot of confidence that Sean Marshall is going to do more than just carry his own weight. And obviously, we've all seen what Rich Harden is capable of.''

And the Cubs have a lot of confidence in Lilly in the long run.

''He's going to get much better, there's no question,'' manager Lou Piniella said. ''He's going to get better and better as the season progresses. He's a worker, and he's confident, and he'll figure this out.''

The Cubs need to count on that as well as big seasons from Big Z and Dempster.

''No matter what team you're on, your 1-2-3 starters are the guys that you lean on to go out there and throw innings for you,'' said Dempster, who also downplayed depth concerns.

''Anything can happen, but I think people will find out that the five guys we've got [will do the job],'' he said.

Maybe. But Piniella expects to call on at least one additional starter at some point this year and doesn't know who it will be or for how long -- or if he'll need even a seventh or an eighth.

And until Jake Peavy shows up for this team, the Harden spot, Marshall spot and empty spots behind them will be concerns.

Comment at suntimes.com.

THE RECAP

AT THE PLATE

The Cubs batted around in the first two innings and scored four runs in each. The big blow was Mike Fontenot's three-run home run with two outs in the second. Kosuke Fukudome had three hits on three pitches in the first three innings -- his first three-hit game since Aug. 25 -- then added a homer in the ninth. Aramis Ramirez's career-high four hits included a two-run double.

ON THE MOUND

Ted Lilly (1-0) got 10 runs of support while he was in and needed almost all of it by the time he gave up four homers in five innings. David Patton made his major-league debut to start the sixth and gave up a fifth Astros homer before retiring the next six.

PIVOTAL POINT

The first seven Cubs reached base against Brian Moehler to start it all.

BOXSCORE

Cubs AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

ASoriano lf 5 2 2 0 1 0 .333

Fukudome cf 5 4 4 1 1 0 .444

AGuzman p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

DLee 1b 6 1 1 1 0 3 .154

Bradley rf 2 2 0 0 3 1 .000

ArRamirez 3b 6 1 4 4 0 1 .429

Fontenot 2b 5 1 2 4 0 1 .385

Theriot ss 4 0 2 1 1 0 .556

KHill c 5 0 1 0 0 2 .143

Lilly p 3 0 0 0 0 1 .000

a-Hoffpauir ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .500

Patton p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

Marmol p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

c-Gathright ph-cf 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Totals 43 11 16 11 6 9

Houston AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

KMatsui 2b 5 1 1 1 0 0 .250

Keppinger 3b 5 1 2 1 0 0 .500

Berkman 1b 4 1 1 1 0 1 .300

CaLee lf 4 0 1 0 0 0 .083

Tejada ss 4 1 1 0 0 0 .455

Pence rf 4 1 2 1 0 0 .400

IRodriguez c 4 1 2 2 0 0 .250

Bourn cf 4 0 1 0 0 1 .333

Moehler p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

Ortiz p 2 0 0 0 0 2 .000

Sampson p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

b-JSmith ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .000

Geary p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

Wright p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

Brocail p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

d-Erstad ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .000

Totals 38 6 11 6 0 6

Cubs 440 020 001--11 16 0

Houston 002 211 000-- 6 11 1

a-flied out for Lilly in the 6th. b-struck out for Sampson in the 6th. c-grounded out for Marmol in the 9th. d-struck out for Brocail in the 9th.

E--Tejada (2). LOB--Cubs 12, Houston 5. 2B--ASoriano (1), Fukudome (1), DLee (1), ArRamirez (1), CaLee (1), Pence (1), IRodriguez (1). HR--Fukudome (1), off Brocail; Pence (2), off Patton; KMatsui (1), off Lilly; IRodriguez (1), off Lilly; Berkman (1), off Lilly; Keppinger (1), off Lilly; Fontenot (1), off Ortiz. RBI--Fukudome (1), DLee (2), ArRamirez 4 (5), Fontenot 4 (4), Theriot (2), KMatsui (1), Keppinger (2), Berkman (1), Pence (3), IRodriguez 2 (2). SB--ASoriano (1), Fukudome (1). GIDP--KHill.

Runners left in scoring position--Cubs 8 (Bradley 2, ArRamirez, Fontenot 2, Lilly 3); Houston 3 (Tejada, IRodriguez, Bourn).

DP--Houston 1 (Berkman and IRodriguez).

Cubs IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Lilly W, 1-0 5 8 5 5 0 3 73 9.00

Patton 2 1 1 1 0 2 25 4.50

Marmol 1 1 0 0 0 0 16 0.00

AGuzman 1 1 0 0 0 1 16 0.00

Houston IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Moehler L, 0-1 1.2 8 7 7 1 1 37 37.80

Ortiz 3 4 3 3 4 6 73 9.00

Sampson 1.1 1 0 0 0 0 17 0.00

Geary 1 1 0 0 0 1 24 3.00

Wright 1 1 0 0 0 1 11 0.00

Brocail 1 1 1 1 1 0 20 6.75

Inherited runners-scored--Ortiz 2-2, Sampson 3-2. HBP--by Moehler (Bradley).

Umpires--Home, Bill Miller; First, Brian Knight; Second, Derryl Cousins; Third, Jim Joyce. T--3:14. A--30,047 (40,976).

HOW THEY SCORED

Cubs FIRST Soriano singled. Fukudome singled, Soriano to second. Lee doubled, Soriano scored, Fukudome to third. Bradley walked. Ramirez singled, Fukudome scored, Lee to third, Bradley to second. Fontenot infield single, Lee scored, Bradley to third, Ramirez to second. Theriot singled, Bradley scored. Four runs. Cubs 4, Astros 0.

Cubs SECOND Soriano lined out. Fukudome singled. Lee struck out. Bradley was hit by a pitch, Fukudome to second. Ramirez singled, Fukudome scored, Bradley to third. Ortiz pitching. Fontenot homered, Bradley scored, Ramirez scored. Four runs. Cubs 8, Astros 0.

Astros THIRD Ortiz struck out. Matsui grounded out. Keppinger homered. Berkman homered. Two runs. Cubs 8, Astros 2.

Astros FOURTH Tejada singled. Pence fouled out. I.Rodriguez homered, Tejada scored. Two runs. Cubs 8, Astros 4.

Cubs FIFTH Lilly struck out. Soriano walked. Fukudome walked, Soriano to second. Lee popped out. Soriano stole third. Fukudome stole second. Bradley walked. Sampson pitching. Ramirez doubled, Soriano scored, Fukudome scored. Two runs. Cubs 10, Astros 4.

Astros FIFTH Matsui homered. One run. Cubs 10, Astros 5.

Astros SIXTH Patton pitching. Pence homered. One run. Cubs 10, Astros 6.

Cubs NINTH Brocail pitching. Gathright grounded out. Soriano fouled out. Fukudome homered. One run. Cubs 11, Astros 6.