PHOENIX (AP) – Aramis Ramirez celebrated a new contract and combined with his teammates to give the Chicago Cubs a record-setting offense on opening day.

Ramirez went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and four RBIs, and the Cubs amassed 23 hits Monday in a 16-6 rout of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Chicago set a team record for runs in an opener, topping by one its total in 1899 and 2003.

Derrek Lee had four hits and five RBIs, including a three-run homer and two doubles. Todd Walker, Jeromy Burnitz and Corey Patterson also had three hits apiece for the Cubs.

On the first day of the season. Sammy Sosa and Moises Alou were not missed. Ramirez, who agreed to a $42 million, four-year deal before the game, hit a two-run double in the second and a two-run homer in the seventh.

Winner Glendon Rusch allowed two runs in 2 2-3 innings of relief. Javier Vazquez, acquired from the New York Yankees in the Randy Johnson deal, lasted just 1 2-3 innings and allowed seven runs and 10 hits.

For the first time since their 1998 expansion season, the Diamondbacks didn’t open with Johnson, who beat Boston in Sunday’s major league opener. Vazquez, who pitched poorly in the second half of last season, was booed as he walked off the mound.

The Cubs got two runs in the first and five in the second.

Chicago starter Carlos Zambrano doubled leading off the second and scored on Patterson’s single. Nomar Garciaparra doubled in another, Ramirez doubled off the center-field wall, then Lee made it 7-0 with an RBI double that finished Vazquez.

Jose Cruz Jr., one of six starters not with Arizona during its 111-loss season last year, hit a solo homer in the second. Arizona cut the lead to 7-2 when Luis Gonzalez surprised the Cubs with a bunt single down the third-base line to score Quinton McCracken from third.

Zambrano fell one out shy of earning the victory, then made a less-than-graceful exit. After walking Cruz with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth, Zambrano was lifted and was ejected by plate umpire Dale Scott following an exchange of words. Zambrano gave up three runs and seven hits, throwing 106 pitches in 4 2-3 innings.

Notes: Every Chicago starter got a hit. … New Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg threw out the first ball, throwing it from his old position at second base to former Cubs teammate Mark Grace at first. … Muhammad Ali attended the game and received a standing ovation when introduced. … Vazquez has started three season openers, the other two with Montreal. … The crowd of 45,539 was about 4,000 shy of a sellout. … Arizona opens the season with a nine-game homestand.

AP-ES-04-04-05 2041EDT