Cubs fail to sweep D-Backs, fall 6-4

Mike Quade prefers to think of all the good things the Cubs showed him in their first homestand rather then dwell on their record.The Cubs made three errors Wednesday in a 6-4 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks that dropped the team to 3-3 in a season that began with series against a pair of last-place ballclubs.The Cubs lost two of three to the Pirates, last in the NL Central last season, then took two of three from Arizona, the West’s worst last year.Quade’s day began with the news that Cubs starters Randy Wells (right forearm strain) and Andrew Cashner (strain in right rotator cuff) were headed to the 15-day disabled list.Alfonso Soriano hit his third homer of the season but made an error in the field, and Aramis Ramirez hit his second for the Cubs.Chris Young drove in two runs, scored twice and made a pair of nice catches in center field as Arizona ended its eight-game losing streak against the Cubs.Armando Galarraga (1-0) won in his first career NL start, giving up five hits and four runs in 7 1/3 innings. J.J. Putz pitched a perfect ninth for his second save. Gerardo Parra had three hits and scored a run and Miguel Montero hit his second homer of the season for the Diamondbacks.Ryan Dempster (0-2) gave up five runs — four earned — and 10 hits in seven innings. He struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter.After the Cubs tied it in the fourth, Arizona scored three times in the fifth.Young lifted a flyball into the left-field corner, which Soriano tracked to the wall. But the ball glanced off his glove as he reached the yet-to-bloom ivy. The play was scored a double. Young went to third when a relay throw got away from Cubs catcher Geovany Soto, who was charged with an error on the play, and scored on Kelly Johnson’s double.In the third Soriano was charged with an error backing up a play.Young hit a sinking drive to center. Cubs center fielder Marlon Byrd, in an effort to save a run, raced in and reached for a shoestring catch. He came up short and the ball rolled well behind him.Soriano bobbled the ball while backing up Byrd. That allowed Young to score. The play was scored a triple. An error was charged to Soriano.

NOTES—Relegated to pinch-hitting duties is Carlos Pena, who has a right thumb strain. Quade said Pena is “feeling better” and is getting close to returning ot full-time duty. … Former Bulls player and current television analyst Stacey King threw out Wednesday’s ceremonial first pitch at Wrigley Field and sang “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the seventh-inning stretch. The lefty shooter threw out the first pitch right-handed. … After a couple of rare days under 30,000, the Cubs announced an attendance of 32,272 for Wednesday’s game.