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Cubs put Lendy Castillo on DL, recall lefty Scott Maine

BY GORDON WITTENMYER gwittenmyer@suntimes.com May 17, 2012 12:24AM

Center fielder Tony Campanfouls off bunt first inning Wednesday Wrigley Field. | Tom Cruze~Sun-Times

Center fielder Tony Campana fouls off a bunt in the first inning Wednesday at Wrigley Field. | Tom Cruze~Sun-Times

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TONIGHT

Phillies
at Cubs

The facts: 7:05, Ch. 9, 720-AM.

The pitchers: Roy Halladay (3-3, 3.20 ERA) vs. Chris Volstad (0-5, 6.92).

Related Stories

Updated: June 29, 2012 9:30AM



The Cubs got what amounted to another arm in their bullpen when little-used Rule 5 pick Lendy Castillo (groin) went on the disabled list Wednesday.

But the bullpen gave up seven runs in the last two innings of a 9-2 loss to Philadelphia.

‘‘We had all the matchups, whatever kind of matchup you want,’’ manager Dale Sveum said. ‘‘But [ Scott ] Maine just couldn’t throw a strike.’’

Maine, the left-hander called up from Class AAA Iowa, gave up a double, hit a guy and walked another without getting an out in the ninth. He was replaced by Michael Bowden, who immediately gave up a two-run single and later in the inning a grand slam to Hector Luna .Early bullpen MVP

Shawn Camp already had given up the go-ahead homer in the eighth.

The pen has a 5-11 record and ranks 13th in the National League with a 4.76 ERA. Bright side? They didn’t add to their eight blown saves — one shy of the league lead.

‘‘They’re trying [hard],’’ starter

Matt Garza said. ‘‘They’re young. We knew we were going to take some lumps. … But there’s no easier way to pop up than after somebody kicks you in the teeth. You get [ticked] off, and you get back up, and you make sure it doesn’t happen again. That’s the kind of guys we’ve got.’’

Happy new year

Left fielder Alfonso Soriano admitted he was getting concerned as his home-run drought neared the six-week mark until he hit his first one in at-bat No. 120 on Tuesday.

‘‘Just a little worried,’’ he said. ‘‘I think this team needs my offense a lot. It’s a talented lineup, but we need my offense, too.

‘‘Now I want to forget my first six weeks and start a new season.’’

Soriano then hit his second homer in three at-bats — a two-run, go-ahead shot in the fourth.

Yips? What yips?

Garza said he’s not worried about two more short-armed ‘‘throws’’ into the grass after fielding bunts Wednesday by Juan Pierre .

He said the one in the first inning was just a matter of rushing because Pierre got down the line so fast. The second was a matter of trying to stop his throw in mid-motion after catcher Geovany Soto yelled for him not to throw.

‘‘I was trying to hold on to it, and it just slipped out,’’ he said.

‘‘I’m not too worried about it. If teams feel like they’re just going to bunt against me, we’re going to have some quick games.’’ 

Notes

Blake DeWitt cleared waivers and was outrighted to Iowa.

◆ Steve Clevenger (oblique) took light swings and expects a rehab assignment to start late this week with a return from the DL a week after that.




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