NOTES—Volquez has a career 0.96 ERA against the Cubs…..It’s not quite Aroldis Chapman’s time, but that time is fast approaching. The Reds called up RHP Carlos Fisher from Triple-A Louisville to replace RHP Russ Springer, who went on the disabled list with a strained left hip. But speaking about the organization’s much-hyped pitching prospect from Cuba, Baker said: “We’ll see Chapman soon enough.” Baker wouldn’t say if that would be before or after Sept. 1, when rosters can be expanded…..Geovany Soto was sidelined by a mild right shoulder sprain. Piniella said Soto won’t play Sunday but he hoped to have him back Monday in San Francisco.

MILWAUKEE—The 2010 Rush season came to an end Saturday night in Milwaukee, as the Rush fell to the Milwaukee Iron 64-54 in the opening round of the Arena Football League playoffs.Ultimately, it was a collection of injuries down the stretch that was the downfall of a team that ended the season losing four of its last five games.

“We just didn’t have the healthy bodies on the field to compete tonight against an opponent that I feel is very capable of winning the ArenaBowl,” said Rush head coach Mike Hohensee. “We were so banged up – especially on the offensive line – that we just couldn’t give our quarterback enough time to make things happen.Despite the way things ended, I really enjoyed coaching this team. The players worked hard all season and were a joy to be around. I would have liked to have seen how things would have turned out if we had been completely healthy.”

Despite its injuries, the Rush (10-7) looked like it had seized the momentum in the game when defensive back Josh Ferguson intercepted a Chris Greisen pass and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown to give the Rush a 27-20 lead with 11:27 remaining in the first half.However, the Rush could not capitalize on the momentum from Ferguson’s big play.After Milwaukee (12-5) scored to tie the game at 27-27, Rush QB J.J. Raterink, who was under intense pressure all night long, was forced to scramble out of the pocket. He was hit from behind and fumbled the ball, which was recovered by the Iron.Two plays later, Greisen hit Damian Harrell for the first of Harrell’s five touchdowns of the night to put the Iron back up seven, 34-27.Raterink (25-42, 295 yards, 7 TDs, 1 INT) brought the Rush right back, connecting with Syvelle Newton on a 13-yard score. However, Chris Gould’s second missed extra point of the game made the score 34-33 with 57 seconds left in the half.After a failed onsides kick attempt gave the Iron the ball with excellent field position, Greisen connected with Harrell again, making the score 41-33.The Rush got the ball with enough time to make a drive of its own, but the Iron defensive pressure was too much for the Rush to overcome, eventually forcing a turnover on downs with two seconds left in the half.The Iron used those two seconds to go up two scores for the first time in the game, as kicker Bob Forstrom connected on a 19-yard field goal that sent the two teams into the locker rooms with the score 44-33.Milwaukee’s momentum carried over to the second half, when Iron DB Carlton Brown intercepted a pass in the Milwaukee end zone.The Iron capitalized again, as Greisen hooked up with Harrell to put Milwaukee up 18, 51-33.However, the Rush kept fighting. After cutting the lead to ten, 64-54 with 4:52 remaining, Ferguson came up big again, forcing an Iron fumble at the Rush 10-yard line that was recovered by the Rush who marched down the field, moving to the Milwaukee 3-yard line. However, the Rush could not punch it into the end zone, ultimately turning the ball over when Raterink fumbled on the goal line trying to score on fourth-and-goal.The Iron took over and ran the clock out to secure the victory.

“We had it up 16 points, came out flat in the third quarter,” coach Steven Key said. “You allow a 10-0 run, an 11-2 run because you think you have done enough to win a game. Twenty minutes is nothing, I don’t know why we are complacent. We are still fighting for an opportunity, if somebody makes a mistake. for a playoff spot. I don’t know why we are getting complacent (after) we have 20 minutes of good basketball.”

Trailing 66-56 at the start of the fourth quarter, the Lynx rallied and took a 69-68 lead on Nicky Anoskie’s layup with 6:16 to go.Perkins hit a jumper with 3:31 remaining – the Sky’s only field goal of the fourth quarter – to pull to 73-70. Fowles made one free throw and Canty hit two to tie the score with 2 1/2 minutes left, and neither team scored again in regulation.Minnesota trailed 49-33 at halftime, and then held the Sky to 24 points in the third and fourth quarters. Augustus scored seven points as the Lynx scored the first 12 points of the third quarter over the first 3 minutes.Shay Murphy and Perkins responded with consecutive 3s to push the Sky’s lead back to double digits a minute later. Wright hit a 3 and Anosike made 3 of 4 free throws to pull the Lynx to 57-53 with 3:49 remaining in the period.The Sky then had an 8-1 run to take a 65-54 lead on Fowles’ turnaround jumper with about 1 1/2 minutes left.

NOTES—Alex Rios sat out the game with a finger injury. He was 4 for 34 in his previous eight games…..Orioles SS Cesar Izturis also got the day off, delaying his quest for career hit 1,000 (he has 999).

NOTES—Attendance was 40,696…..Former Blackhawk(Canadian,Red Wing and Wolves)player Chris Chelios was the guest conductor in the 7th inning. He was wearing a Bob Probert #24 Hawks sweater as a tribute to his late teammate.He said he is defiantly done playing and wants to spend more time with his kids…..Randy Wells(5-9)faces Edinson Volquez(2-1)at 12:05 Saturday afternoon in game two of the series.

LES

NOTES—Pierre was thrown out on his next two steal attempts after his milestone stolen bases. He went 2 for 5 at the plate and stretched his hitting streak to a season-high 12 games. He’s 19 for 48 (.396) in that span….Detroit 2B Carlos Guillen, on the 15-day disabled list with a right calf strain, will join Single-A West Michigan Friday to begin an injury rehabilitation assignment…..Raburn also made an outstanding diving catch at second base, going to his right for Castro liner’s to end the top of the ninth.  

 After trailing by 10 points, the Sky closed to within 76-75 with 54.3 seconds to play. Toliver,who was traded after not getting along with Key last year, then made two free throws with 34.6 seconds left to extend the lead to three points.Perkins had a chance to tie the score but missed a 3-point shot with 20 seconds to go. The Sky’s Erin Thorn tried to keep the ball from going out of bounds but Penichero caught Thorn’s blind pass, got fouled and made two free throws to extend the margin to 79-75 with 16.7 seconds left.With Los Angeles leading 80-77, Thorn missed an off-balance shot from 3-point range. Milton-Jones grabbed the rebound made two free throws after being fouled.Due to Thompson’s absence, and injuries to Candace Parker and Betty Lennox, the Sparks dressed just eight players.   

An indictment of the Sky’s effort?  The Sky have never made the Playoffs.It doesn’t look good as this,their fifth season winds down. 

LEE ELIA AND THE BEST TIRADE EVER

by Clay Champlin and Ted Bauer

[Ed’s note: Today is the 25th Anniversary of Lee Elia’s classic meltdown. To cover it from multiple angles, we had one of our people in Chicago at the press conference commemorating the event. We also put together our own link dump of the best tirades and meltdowns ever. Enjoy.]
REPORTING FROM: HARRY CARAY’S
CHICAGO – The Cubs history of futility is enough to make a preacher curse like, well, Lee Elia. Twenty-five years ago today, the manager of the Cubs wove a post-game tapestry of F-bombs captured on tape that still hangs over Wrigley Field. But yesterday, Elia made peace with the fans, himself and the guy who took the tape public.

Elia was here to sell an autographed ball along with a recording of the tirade to benefit Chicago Baseball Cancer Charities. And reporter Les Grobstein, just like a quarter century ago, was there to get the scoop. Even using the same microphone that he used after a loss to the Dodgers dropped the Cubs to 5-14 on April 29th 1983. After the game, fans tossed beer on shortstop Larry Bowa and rightfielder Keith Moreland. At the post-game interview, Elia was out for beacher bum blood.

“85% OF THE (blank)ing world is working, the other 15 come out here!” Elia screamed.

That’s the part he regrets most. “I’m not a percentage guy,” he says now. “I can barely break a dollar.”

Elia admitted to holding a grudge against Grobstein, kicking him out of his office five years later when he was managing the Phillies. But he now realizes Grobstein was just doing his job. “It’s nice to get some closure,” Elia says.

“I had closure the day it happened,” says Grobstein, sitting next to Elia in the dark wood paneled banquet room. As sports director of WLS, Grobstein knew he had radio gold as he ran out of the clubhouse to feed the tape back to the station. He also knew it would take engineers a while to edit the tape. “There were 54 bleeps, 45 of them f-bombs,” Les re-calls. Soon the Tirade Heard Around The World spread like (bleep)ing wildfire.

Today’s interview ended differently: Grobstein and Elia shook hands.

Elia looked at the familiar microphone and asked, “What are you going to do with that?” Grobstein smiled and said, “Konerko has already made an offer on it.” But he said he’s thinking about auctioning it off for charity.

“I can always buy a new mic.”

Geovany Soto homered and had five RBIs, pinch-hitter Aramis Ramirez capped a six-run sixth inning with a three-run shot, and the Cubs snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 15-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday.Blake DeWitt added a homer and four RBIs and Starlin Castro had a career-high four hits for the Cubs, who avoided matching the longest skid of Lou Piniella’s four years as manager.Outscored 67-20 during the streak – which included Monday’s 18-1 loss to the Crew – the Cubs responded with their highest-scoring game this season.Ryan Dempster (9-8) allowed three hits and no earned runs in six innings to improve to 5-0 with a 2.48 ERA in his last six starts against Milwaukee.Manny Parra (3-9) gave up only two hits through five innings, including Tyler Colvin’s solo homer, but couldn’t survive the sixth and is 0-4 with an 8.56 ERA since last winning July 3.Castro opened the sixth with an infield single. After Derrek Lee struck out, Parra walked Marlon Byrd and gave up Soto’s RBI single. Parra fanned Alfonso Soriano before giving up consecutive RBI singles to DeWitt and Jeff Baker as the Cubs took a 4-3 lead.Ramirez then homered on reliever Todd Coffey’s third pitch. After hitting three home runs and driving in seven on July 20, Ramirez had batted .186 with no homers and two RBIs.Carlos Zambrano pitched a scoreless seventh for the Cubs. He was suspended, sent to anger-management counseling and banished to the bullpen after a June 25 dugout tirade, but is expected to return to the rotation Monday at San Francisco.Piniella said he hopes to get 75 to 80 pitches out of the $91.5 million former All-Star, who is 12-14 with a 4.63 ERA in 55 outings since pitching a no-hitter on Sept. 14, 2008.Soto hit a three-run homer off LaTroy Hawkins in the seventh to make it 10-3. Hawkins,not exactly a favorite with Cub Fans, then hit Soriano with a pitch and was ejected. Brewers manager Ken Macha, who had been upset that Cubs reliever Brian Schlitter wasn’t thrown out after beaning Carlos Gomez on Monday, argued with umpire Tom Hallion and also was tossed.The Cubs scored five more in the eighth on Lee’s 400th career double, Soto’s RBI single and DeWitt’s three-run homer.Baker’s error at third base had paved the way for three unearned runs off Dempster in the fifth. Corey Hart had a two-run double in the inning, giving him 75 RBIs.

NOTES—The 20-year-old Castro leads all rookies with a .318 average since making his debut May 7. … Brewers LHP Randy Wolf expects to take the mound as scheduled Saturday against Houston. He was hit on the left wrist by a line drive in his last start, but X-rays and an MRI exam revealed no damage.