Cubs open 10-game homestand with 5-3 win over Rockies

The Cubs returned to Wrigley Field and beat the Colorado Rockies 5-3 this afternoon to start a three-game series and 10-game homestand.  Jeff Samardzija started for the Cubs and allowed three runs over six hits and walked two batters and struck out seven over seven innings pitched.

Although Samardzija ended up with a no-decision, he said, "If you look at all of my starts this year, that's probably one of the more proud starts I can say that I had.  There's been times when I've had good stuff and it's gone smoothly.  To come out early and scuffle, really not have fastball command or my slider all game, to get through the seven innings felt really good.  Felt like a starting pitcher."

Alfonso Soriano, Wellington Castillo and Brett Jackson all hit homers and Joe Mather had the go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning.  Relief pitcher James Russell ended up with the win today.

Brett Jackson is congratulated by third base coach Pat Listach after hitting his homer against the Rockies on Friday (photo from Chicago Tribune)

Relief pitcher James Russell earned the win on Friday against the Rockies (photo from Chicago Tribune)

In other Cubs news, the Cubs selected right-handed pitcher Miguel Socolovich off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles.  Socolovich was optioned him to Triple-A Iowa. In a corresponding move catcher Blake Lalli was designated for assignment.

The Cubs also selected left-handed pitcher Alex Hinshaw off waivers from the San Diego Padres earlier this week.  Hinshaw is with the team, but hasn't appeared in a game with the Cubs yet.

Tomorrow the Cubs and Rockies will play the second game of the series at 12:05 CT.  Brooks Raley will start for the Cubs and try to earn his second win. 

Cubs lose 7-4 to Red Sox; Geovany Soto expected to return soon

The Cubs lost 7-4 to the Boston Red Sox in the final game of the three-game series tonight at Wrigley Field.

Paul Maholm made the start for the Cubs and allowed three runs on six hits while walking one and striking out five batters over six innings pitched.  Maholm ended up with a no decision and reliever Shawn Camp was charged with the loss.

Paul Maholm started for the Cubs tonight (photo from Chicago Tribune)

Starlin Castro was a homer shy of the cycle in tonight's game, going 3-for-4 with a double, triple, and two RBIs.

Starlin Castro runs to third base in tonight's game against the Red Sox (photo from Chicago Tribune)

In other Cubs news, the Cubs are going to try to go with three catchers on the roster, which may be bad news for Adrian Cardenas.  Geovany Soto, who is expected to be reactivated from the disabled list on Monday, would be joined by Steve Clevenger and Wellington Castillo.

Catcher Koyie Hill did not accept his outright to Triple-A Iowa and is now a free agent.

Tomorrow the Cubs will head to the South Side to play the first of a three-game series against the White Sox at 7:10pm CT.  Matt Garza will start for the Cubs and try for his third win of the season.

Cubs come close, but lose 4-3 to the Red Sox; Cubs have signed 15 of 42 draft picks

The Cubs made tonight's game against the Boston Red Sox interesting in the 7th inning when third baseman Luis Valbuena hit a three-run homer to pull the Cubs within a run of the Red Sox.  However, the Cubs couldn't manage to score after that and end up losing the game 4-3.

Third baseman Luis Valbuena after hitting a three-run homer against the Red Sox (photo from Chicago Tribune)

Jeff Samardzija started for the Cubs and allowed three runs on four hits while striking out six and walking three batters over 5.1 innings pitched.  He didn't have his best outing, but he also didn't receive much run support.

Jeff Samardzija started in game 2 against the Red Sox (photo from Chicago Tribune)

 

Jeff Samardzija shows he's happy with catcher Wellington Castillo's play (photo from Chicago Tribune

In the sixth inning, Alfonso Soriano hit a ball hard to Red Sox third baseman Will Middlebrooks, who dropped the liner, but Soriano stood at the plate and never bothered to run to first base with two runners on base.  Fans booed Soriano's laziness and he was booed again when taking his spot in left field in the top of the seventh inning.  Who knows, that could've made the difference between the Cubs losing or winning the game.

Actor and Chicago area native Vince Vaughn threw out the first pitch and sang the seventh inning stretch tonight.

Actor Vince Vaughn throws out the first pitch before the Cubs-Red Sox game (photo from Chicago Tribune)

In other Cubs news, third baseman Ian Stewart, who is the disabled list with soreness in his left wrist, is scheduled to see a specialist at the Cleveland Clinic on Monday. 

Catcher Koyie Hill, who was designated for assignment on Thursday, has cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Iowa today.

The Cubs have now signed 15 of their 42 draft picks, but first-round pick Albert Almora is not one of those 15.  Almora is an outfielder out of Mater Academy Charter School in Florida.  The Cubs have until July 13 to agree on a deal with Almora, who is expected to sign with the team.

Tomorrow the Cubs and Red Sox will play the rubber game at 7:05pm CT.  Left handed pitcher Paul Maholm will start for the Cubs and try for his fifth win of the season.

Cubs still have (Travis) Wood but lose 8th straight; Tony Campana = Superman?; Wellington Castillo to the DL

The Cubs lost 2-1 to the Houston Astros and increase their losing streak to eight games in a row. 

Travis Wood made his first start since replacing Chris Volstad as the fifth starter in the Cubs rotation.  He was impressive tonight as a pitcher, offensively, and defensively.  In the third inning, he hit a long double, which was just shy of going out of the ballpark.

Wood pitched 5 2/3 innigs and allowed two runs, one of which was scored after he left the game with two outs and a runner at first base.  He walked two batters and struck out three.  "Travis was great,'' Cubs manager Dale Sveum said.  "He did a great job. … He was really, really good.  He kept the ball down.  He had a good changeup — 12 mph off his fastball, with really good fade. He didn't use much of anything else (as an off-speed pitch).''

Alfonso Soriano's home run was the Cubs' only run scored.  Sveum needs to do what he said and shake up the lineup to see what happens.  I say, "Why not?"

Alfonso Soriano homers in tonight's game against the Astros (photo from cubs.com)

The defensive hightlight of the game was Tony Campana's Superman-like dive over Astros' third baseman Matt Downs to reach third base safely after a pick-off attempt at first base.  Campana was pinch-running for Reed Johnson after he singled.  What a play!  But unfortunately the play was wasted since Starlin Castro and Soriano both struck out and left Campana stranded on third.

Tony Campana dives for third over the Astros' Matt Downs after advancing on a wild pickoff throw in the eighth. (Getty photo)

The Cubs officially placed catcher Wellington Castillo on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained MCL in his right knee in order to make room on the roster for Wood.  Steve Clevenger is projected to come off the disabled list on Monday.

Sveum will miss tomorrow's finale in Houston to attend his son's high school graduation in Scottsdale, Arizona.  "He'll be graduating, so most of that time, I'll be looking at my phone [for updates]," Sveum said.  Bench coach Jamie Quirk will take over on Wednesday.

The two teams will play tomorrow at 7:05pm CT, where Jeff Samardzija will start for the Cubs and try to earn his fifth win.

Lots of changes on Cubs roster; Crosstown Classic game 2 recap

There continued to be lots of changes to the Cubs roster today.  Kerry Wood formally retired and held his retirement announcement on the field at Wrigley today at 2pm.  His wife Sarah and three kids were in attendance on the field, as well as the entire Cubs team.  Laura Ricketts spoke on behalf of the Ricketts family and presented Wood with a framed photo of Wood hugging his son after his last strikeout in yesterday's game.  Ricketts also gave Wood the flag that was hanging at Wrigley Field that represented his 20-strikeout game during his rookie season in 1998.

Kerry Wood makes his official retirement announcement at Wrigley Field today (photo from cubs.com)

Kerry and Sarah Wood at a celebratory retirement dinner (photo from Kerry Wood's twitter account)

Kerry Wood posted the photo above to his twitter account in a tweet that said, "Thanks for the warm wishes & amazing send off. A day my family & I will never forget. Cheers! #Newbeginning #Gocubs"

Catcher Geovany Soto was placed on the 15-day disabled following a left knee arthroscopy.  Backup catcher Wellington Castillo has a has a mild MCL sprain in right knee and may miss 4-7 days.  In a somewhat surprising move, the Cubs acquired former Cubs catcher Koyie Hill acquired from the Reds for cash considerations.  During tonight's game, Darwin Barney was the emergency catcher again.

The Cubs also recalled right-handed pitcher Randy Wells from Triple-A Iowa.  Wells takes Kerry Wood's spot on the 25-man roster and will pitch in long relief.  Wells is 27-31 with a 4.05 ERA (229 ER/509.0 IP) in 88 major league appearances, all but four as a starter.  He spent most of the last three seasons in the Cubs rotation, posting a 7-6 record with a 4.99 ERA (75 ER/135.1 IP) in 23 starts last year after missing nearly two months in April and May due to a right forearm strain.  Wells went 6-3 with a 4.04 ERA (40 ER/89.0 IP) in 14 starts after the All-Star Break.

Ryan Dempster started for the Cubs tonight and had his worst outing of the season as he gave up four runs on seven hits over six innings, which increased his ERA from 1.74 to 2.28.

Ryan Dempster started for the Cubs on Saturday (photo from cubs.com)

The Cubs ended up losing 7-4 to the White Sox.  For a complete game recap, here's a link to cubs.com.

Pitcher Blake Parker, who was just called up on Thursday, was pulled from his second career outing in tonight's game with tightness in his right hamstring.

Tomorrow the final game of the Crosstown Classic will be played at Wrigley Field at 1:20pm CT.  Paul Maholm is the scheduled starter for the Cubs and will go for his fifth win of the season.

Cubs don't give up, but cannot get the win against the Phillies; Blake Parker called up; Crosstown Classic on deck

The Cubs lost to the Philadelphia Phillies, 8-7 at Wrigley Field tonight.  The Cubs were hoping that starting pitcher Chris Volstad would turn his season around and help lead the team to a win, but Volstad lasted just two innings and allowed four runs on six hits and also walked three batters.

Cubs manager Dale Sveum said if Chris Volstad is pulled from starting rotation, Travis Wood would be called up from Triple-A Iowa.

Sveum brought in Casey Coleman, who was called up from Triple-A Iowa, in the third inning of tonight's game.

For more details, here's a link to a game recap from the Chicago Tribune.

Catcher Geovany Soto was scratched from tonight's lineup because of inflammation in his left knee.  His status is day to day.  Wellington Castillo took Soto's spot in the lineup.

The Cubs called up right handed reliever Blake Parker from Triple-A Iowa today and Scott Maine was sent back down. 

RHP Blake Parker was called up from Triple-A Iowa today (photo from cubs.com)

Relief pitcher Carlos Marmol will throw three to four innings on a brief rehab stint with Triple-A Iowa next week before returning from the disabled list.  He is due to come off the disabled list on May 27th and said,  "I'll be ready soon.  I have to figure out how to pitch good again, and I don't know what will happen after that."

The Chicago Police Department has confirmed there will be a larger-than-normal security presence at Wrigley Field this weekend with the two-day NATO summit set to begin in Chicago on Sunday.  Before Wednesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies, uniformed law-enforcement personnel had dogs sniffing throughout the entire park.

Tomorrow the Cubs will kick off a three-game series with their crosstown rivals the Chicago White Sox.  Jeff Samardzija is scheduled to start for the Cubs and will try for his fifth win of the season at 1:20pm CT.

Cubs lose in Philly tonight; Wellington Castillo called up to replace Steve Clevenger, who was put on the DL

The Cubs lost game 2 of the 4 game series against the Philadelphia Phillies tonight by a score of 5-2.  Randy Wells made his second start this season in place of Ryan Dempster, who is on the disabled list.  Wells got off to a good start and didn't allow a hit during the first three innings, but then allowed four runs on three hits and walked four and struck out three batters during 3.2 innings pitched.

Randy Wells made his second start of the season tonight against the Phillies (photo from cubs.com)

Wells' future is uncertain, since Ryan Dempster seems to be on track to return to the rotation on May 3rd.  Cubs manager Dale Sveum said, "We'll make those decisions on Thursday, if (Kerry Wood) bounces back from the simulated game on Monday, then obviously we'll have two decisions to make.  But we'll wait, depending on how the bullpen works out.  You never know what's going to go on in the five games up until that day."  Wells could either remain with the Cubs as a reliever or go back to Triple-A Iowa to stay stretched out as a starter.

Cubs backup catcher Steve Clevenger was put on the 15-day disabled list today for a right oblique strain and is out for an indefinite amount of time.  Wellington Castillo has been called up from Triple-A Iowa to take Clevenger's spot on the roster.

Clevenger flew back to Chicago Saturday to be treated and said the injury happened on his last swing of batting practice Friday in Philly.  Clevenger said, "I kind of waited a little bit to tell anybody," he said. “I went in between innings to go swing and I just couldn’t swing, so I had to let them know I couldn’t play.”

The Cubs will play their third game against the Phillies tomorrow at 12:35pm CT.  Matt Garza will be the Cubs' starting pitcher.