ATLANTA—Jeff Samardzija’s splitter baffled the Atlanta Braves. Again. Samardzija had a career-high 11 strikeouts, Luis Valbuena hit a tiebreaking three-run double in the seventh and the Cubs won 4-1 on Monday night. Samardzija (6-7) yielded one run and four hits in seven innings, rebounding from a rough June. The right-hander was 0-4 with a 12.27 ERA in his previous four starts, allowing a season-high nine runs during a 17-1 loss to the Mets on Wednesday.

“It’s about time, you know?” Samardzija said. “I just thought I took my time from pitch to pitch. I thought I made the right pitch selection based on the previous pitch.”

Samardzija began the night with a 5.05 ERA. But he also was sharp in his first start against Atlanta this season, tossing seven solid innings in a 5-1 victory at Wrigley Field on May 7.

“Both times I’ve faced him, he’s had unbelievable stuff,” Atlanta pitcher Tommy Hanson. “He throws hard and has that good split and starts throwing those sliders in there. Anytime you’re mixing three pitches, it’s tough.”

Cubs manager Dale Sveum said the key for Samardzija was using his slider, splitter and fastball, allowing “a three-pitch pitcher to be a three-pitch pitcher.”

The splitter was the most devastating option.

“There were a couple times he threw it four or five times in a row,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “And we had no chance on it. Especially left-handed hitters.”

Anthony Rizzo connected for the Cubs, who has won four straight and six of seven. Rizzo, one of the Cubs’ top prospects, has two homers in six games since he was recalled on Tuesday.

“The way we’re playing right now is exciting,” Samardzija said. “It’s solid all around.”

Samardzija said it may not be a coincidence that the Cubs’ surge has come since Rizzo joined the team.

“It definitely hasn’t hurt,” Samardzija said. “Rizzo’s presence in our lineup has been big, a big left-handed hitter.”

Rizzo, who had two hits, is hitting .304. Jeff Russell pitched the ninth for his second save. Hanson (9-5) gave up four runs and seven hits in seven innings for his first loss since May 28. He went 4-0 with a 3.13 ERA in June.Hanson made it through seven innings for only the sixth time in 17 starts, but appeared to fade in his final inning. Bryan LaHair and Steve Clevenger started the seventh with singles, and Darwin Barney walked to load the bases. Valbuena, the No. 8 hitter who began the day with a .226 batting average, then doubled to right field for a 4-1 lead.

“I wanted to throw a back-door slider right there and it kind of leaked over the middle,” Hanson said.

“I felt really good with my stuff. I was throwing strikes and getting ahead of guys. It just came down to that last inning.”

Rizzo hit Hanson’s first pitch of the fourth inning over the wall in left-center for his second homer. Atlanta tied it in the sixth. With two outs, Michael Bourn doubled to left field and scored on Martin Prado’s single. The Braves’ only hit through five innings came with two outs in the second, when Dan Uggla, hustling all the way, beat out a grounder to shortstop Starlin Castro.Andrelton Simmons led off the Atlanta third with a walk, took second on his first career stolen base and advanced to third on a wild pitch by Samardzija. Hanson then struck out and Bourn lined into a double play. Barney made a diving stop on Simmons’ ground ball behind second base and threw him out in the eighth. The second baseman then went the other way to snag a sharply hit grounder by pinch-hitter Eric Hinske for the second out.

NOTES—Ian Stewart, who has been on the disabled list since June 12, will have surgery on his left wrist. Sveum said the date for the procedure has not been set. Stewart is batting .201 with five homers and 17 RBIs in 179 at-bats…..Ryan Dempster, who has been on the 15-day DL since June 18 with tightness in his right lat muscle, threw 40 pitches in the bullpen. Barring a setback, he plans to throw again in the bullpen on Wednesday. Sveum said he doesn’t think Dempster will need a minor league rehab stint…..Braves C Brian McCann, who was only 3 for 21 on the homestand before Monday night, was moved down to seventh in the batting order, the first time he has hit below sixth this season. McCann was 0 for 3 and is hitting only .224…..The four-game series continues on Tuesday night with RHP Jair Jurrjens facing Chris Volstad…..Samardzija’s previous high of nine strikeouts came on April 24 against St. Louis.

NEW YORK—Phil Hughes fought the 95 degrees on the thermometer with zeros on the scoreboard.Hughes pitched eight efficient innings, Robinson Cano hit a tiebreaking two-run homer after wasting a chance with the bases loaded his first time up and the New York Yankees again rode the long ball to a 4-2 win Sunday over the White Sox for a series split between division leaders.

“He was throwing strikes, working quick,” Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said. “It was good for us because it was hot out there. He was in control the entire game.”

Eric Chavez connected for a two-run drive off Gavin Floyd in the second inning, helping New York raise its major league-leading total to 124 home runs. The power surge helped make Hughes a winner on the Yankees’ 66th Old-Timers’ Day.Coming off eight scoreless innings in his previous start, Hughes (9-6) gave up two runs in the first inning. He then settled in nicely to limit the hard-hitting White Sox to just three more hits over his final seven innings.

“Sometimes they’re not going to have their best stuff and they got to figure out a way to get through it,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “And that’s also a process, too — figuring out how to get through things. And today he did. That’s a good sign.”

Hughes followed Hiroki Kuroda and Ivan Nova in giving the Yankees three quality starts from a rotation that took a couple of big hits Wednesday — CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte went on the disabled list on the same day.

“It was great to see Phil pitch well today,” Sabathia said.

Freddy Garcia returns to the rotation Monday, starting for Pettitte. The lefty is out for at least two months with a broken leg.Rafael Soriano pitched the ninth for his 18th save in 19 chances this season.Cano, elected an All-Star starter by the fans, has homered in nine of his last 14 games and entered Sunday hitting .367 in 13 games since June 17. But when he came up with the bases loaded and none out in the first inning he hit a tapper back to Floyd that was turned into a slick 1-2-3 double play. Cano has only one hit in 14 at-bats (.071) with the bases full this season.

“I don’t think about that,” Cano said of his struggles with the bases loaded. “It’s hard to do it all.”

Cano homered in the third off Floyd (6-8) and the Yankees won the final two games of the four-game series.

“This was a long, hot week, a lot of energy spent here,” Paul Konerko said. “When you win the first two games of a four-game set, you’d like to get that third game, but they’re a good club, obviously.”

Teammates Curtis Granderson and Jeter will join Cano as starters for New York in the All-Star game July 10 in Kansas City. Sabathia was voted onto the team by his peers but a groin strain will keep him sidelined. He said he would attend the game with his family, though. Jeter went 1 for 5, dropping his batting average below .300 for the first time since April 8. He’s hitting .299 after being at .340 on June 1st and above .400 in May. The AL Central-leading White Sox landed Adam Dunn, Konerko and Chris Sale on the AL squad. Right-hander Jake Peavy is among the five candidates for the final roster spot.Alejandro De Aza led off the game with a sharp double and scored on Kevin Youkilis’ single, standing up and eluding the reach of catcher Russell Martin, who tried to make a swipe tag. There was reason De Aza was out of range: replays clearly showed he never stepped on home plate.After two outs, Alex Rios singled home another run for a 2-0 lead.Wiping his brow with his sleeve and tugging at his uniform after nearly every pitch in the 95-degree heat, Floyd pitched from behind in the count for much of his 5 1/3 innings.He was also in trouble the moment his toe touched the rubber, giving up consecutive singles and a walk to start. But Cano grounded into a double play and Nick Swisher struck out to extend Floyd’s scoreless streak to 14 1/3 innings.That would end in the second. Raul Ibanez led off with a single and Chavez connected for his sixth homer.

“Even though they got him a couple of times, he still pitched well,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “He battled, got out of some tough spots, even in the first. We just couldn’t mount anything after that first inning.”

Cano lined a shot deep into the seats in the third, a batter after Mark Teixeira drew one of Floyd’s season-high five walks.

NOTES—Ibanez cut his lip and broke a tooth when he hit his face on the bench avoiding a foul ball in the dugout…..Phil Humber was scheduled begin an injury rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on Sunday…..Girardi said Sabathia should begin playing catch next week….Yankees injured closer Mariano Rivera (torn knee ligament) was on the field before the Old-Timers’ game in shorts. He was wearing a light brace and said he felt good….Chavez made two tough catches into the sun while playing third base.

Dale Sveum and Theo Epstein saw the upside in Travis Wood while he was pitching for the Cincinnati Reds. Now he is throwing just the way the pitcher the Cubs’ new manager and club president envisioned. Wood pitched shutout ball into the eighth inning and used some nifty baserunning to set up Anthony Rizzo’s go-ahead single as the Cubs completed a three-game sweep of the Houston Astros with a 3-0 win on Sunday.

“That was another pretty dominating outing. It was impressive how he kept the ball inside as well as making all of his pitches. He stuck to a game plan and it was perfect. He didn’t walk anybody there wasn’t a lot of hard contact to tell you the truth,” Sveum said. “That was about as good as it gets even though he one of those last time, too.”

Before the game, Houston Astros first baseman Carlos Lee said he still hadn’t decided if he would accept a trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was 1 for 4 with a double in the ninth. Wood (3-3) held the Astros to three hits in 7 2/3 innings. He struck out four and didn’t allow a walk in his longest outing of the season. Wood left the game to a loud ovation after retiring Brian Bixler in the eighth. The 25-year-old lefty has yielded one run over 20 2/3 innings in his last three starts.It was scoreless in the sixth when Wood led off with a double against Wandy Rodriguez (6-6).Reed Johnson followed with a grounder to third baseman Matt Downs, who made a sliding stop. Downs didn’t look Wood back, and the pitcher took third as Johnson was thrown out.

“He’s actually an offensive asset when he is up there. His athleticism and things like that change a game around,” Sveum said. “It was the Travis Wood show today, no doubt about it.”

After an intentional walk to Starlin Castro, Rizzo singled. Jeff Baker followed with a two-run double to left.

“One mistake to the pitcher. He’s leading off and I think he’s going to take one strike and I threw a fastball and he hit it for a double,” Rodriguez said. “After that I tried to put the ball down for a ground ball. That’s my big mistake today.”

Two of Epstein’s biggest offseason acquisitions — Wood and Rizzo — teamed up on this victory. Wood was obtained in a trade with Cincinnati for reliever Sean Marshall and Rizzo came from San Diego in a trade involving starter Andrew Cashner.

“That’s the reason why we traded for him,” Sveum said. “We obviously gave up one of the best relievers in baseball for him. That’s what we thought about him. As well as myself, seeing him on the other side of the fence with Cincinnati, how well he pitched against the Brewers when I was there, against a really good right-handed lineup. I knew it was somewhere in there.”

Rizzo hit his first homer of the season Saturday, a two-run, go-ahead shot.Cubs reliever Shawn Camp retired one batter in the eighth and closer Carlos Marmol pitched a scoreless ninth for eighth save in 10 chances. He saved all three games of the series. The game started after a 56-minute weather delay and the teams combined for just one baserunner in the first four innings. Luis Valbuena’s single with one out in the Cubs’ third was the first hit of the game.After Wood retired the first 12 Houston batters, he allowed a leadoff double to J.D. Martinez in the fifth. Wood pitched out of the inning by retiring Downs, Brian Bogusevic and Bixler in order.

NOTES—All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve was back in the Houston lineup after missing six straight games because of a right hamstring injury. He was 1 for 4 with two strikeouts. … Castro was selected to his second straight All-Star game at shortstop and Cubs OF Bryan LaHair was selected to his first All-Star game. LaHair had the day off.

American League
Starters
C: Mike Napoli, Rangers
1B: Prince Fielder, Tigers
2B: Robinson Cano, Yankees
SS: Derek Jeter, Yankees
3B: Adrian Beltre, Rangers
OF: Josh Hamilton, Rangers
OF: Curtis Granderson, Yankees
OF: Jose Bautista, Blue Jays
DH: David Ortiz, Red Sox

Pitchers
Matt Harrison, Rangers
Joe Nathan, Rangers
Felix Hernandez, Mariners
Ryan Cook, Athletics
Justin Verlander, Tigers
CC Sabathia, Yankees
C.J. Wilson, Angels
Jered Weaver, Angels
Jim Johnson, Orioles
Chris Sale, WHITE SOX
Chris Perez, Indians
Fernando Rodney, Rays
David Price, Rays

Reserves
OF Adam Jones, Orioles
C Matt Wieters, Orioles
DH Adam Dunn, WHITE SOX
1B Paul Konerko, WHITE SOX
SS Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians
1B Miguel Cabrera, Tigers
DH Billy Butler, Royals
OF Mike Trout, Angels
C Joe Mauer, Twins
SS Elvis Andrus, Rangers
2B Ian Kinsler, Rangers

National League
Starters
C: Buster Posey, Giants
1B: Joey Votto, Reds
2B: Dan Uggla, Braves
SS: Rafael Furcal, Cardinals
3B: Pablo Sandoval, Giants
OF: Matt Kemp, Dodgers
OF: Carlos Beltran, Cardinals
OF: Melky Cabrera, Giants

Pitchers
Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
Craig Kimbrel, Braves
Aroldis Chapman, Reds
Gio Gonzalez, Nationals
Stephen Strasburg, Nationals
Cole Hamels, Phillies
Jonathan Papelbon, Phillies
Wade Miley, Diamondbacks
R.A. Dickey, Mets
Lance Lynn, Cardinals
Huston Street, Padres
Matt Cain, Giants
Joel Hanrahan, Pirates

Reserves
SS Starlin Castro, CUBS
1B/OF Bryan LaHair, CUBS
OF Jay Bruce, Reds
OF Carlos Gonzalez, Rockies
2B Jose Altuve, Astros
OF Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins
OF Ryan Braun, Brewers
3B David Wright, Mets
OF Andrew McCutchen, Pirates
C Yadier Molina, Cardinals
SS Ian Desmond, Nationals
C Carlos Ruiz, Phillies

For the 11th time, fans will decide the final player on the roster for each team. The five American League candidates are Royals closer Jonathan Broxton, Rangers starter Yu Darvish, Angels closer Ernesto Frieri, Orioles starter Jason Hammel and WHITE SOX starter Jake Peavy.

The National League candidates are Cardinals third baseman David Freese, Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, Diamondbacks second baseman Aaron Hill, Braves third baseman Chipper Jones and Braves outfielder Michael Bourn.

ROSEMONT—The ball never bounced the Chicago Rush’s (9-6) way when they needed it to as they fell 75-61 to the San Jose SaberCats (10-6) Saturday night at Allstate Arena.

“I thought our guys clawed and battled for sixty minutes, we just couldn’t come through with one more big play to turn the game in our favor,” stated Rush head coach Bob McMillen.

Lacking in time of possession, committing too many penalties and coughing up a fumble all in the first fifteen minutes drove the Rush to an early hole against the SaberCats. The lone first quarter bright spot came when Russ Michna evaded the pressure, stepped up in the pocket and hit a streaking Jared Perry for a 30-yard touchdown to tie the game at seven.Broken coverage cost the Rush on the next San Jose possession as nine-year veteran James Roe slinked past the Rush secondary to catch an 18-yard touchdown pass. More good fortunes landed in the lap of San Jose when Fred Williams stripped the ball from the hands of Reggie Gray on the ensuing kickoff. The SaberCats only needed one play to extend the lead out to 14 as Williams took the momentum from the fumble recovery by catching a 9-yard pass from Mark Grieb to go up 21-7.Trying to reel the game back in, the Rush used a six play drive to get back within one score when Perry tipped the ball off hishand, but still secured it against the side board with his chest for a 6-yard touchdown catch.Even as the game drew closer, the SaberCats offense never backed down and employed the services of many throughout the night. Samora Goodson added the other dimension when he froze Rush defensive back Jorrick Calvin with a double move that Grieb took advantage of. Lofting the pass 21yards in the air, Goodson coasted into the end zone to begin a twenty-sevenpoint second quarter for San Jose.The Rush kept pace with a 25-yard out and up scoring toss to Gray and then a two yard rush by Perry a possession later. The score put the Rush back within striking distance, but left forty-three seconds on the second quarter clock for another San Jose possession.The SaberCats squeezed in seven plays in those forty-three seconds to steal one last touchdown before halftime. After an awful pass interference penalty on Calvin that breathed 6,851 Allstate fans down on the officials, the SaberCats faced a do or die play at the Rush 1-yard line with three seconds to go. Having his first read covered, Grieb flushed away from the oncoming Rush defense to toss the ball into a sea of players.Tipped back towards the goal line, center Jasper Harvey threw his hands underneath the pigskin before it hit the ground according to officlas to notch seven more points for San Jose as they went into the locker room with a 48-27 lead.The replay showed the ball clearly hit the ground,but the Referee refrused to overturn it via replay.

“We’re unable to challenge offensive lineman being down the field. We thought a couple of their guys made it into the end zone a little too early, but in the end the call stood and we had to move on,” said McMillen.

Gray tried to kick start the Rush comeback right away in the second half by beating Andre Jones for a 26-yard touchdown reception. The Rush defense was on the heels of giving their offense an opportunity to get within a score, but the ball escaped defensive back Calvin’s hands when he crashed into the end zone wall with Fred Williams.Tides did eventually turn to the favor of the Rush when the clock struck 4:26 in the third quarter. The defense held up at the goal line on four straight plays at the 2-yard line to force a San Jose turnover on downs. With the fans’ voices rising up from the defensive stand to help aid the offense, it in turn sped up the wheels of a streaking Perry as he caught 35-yard pass in stride for a touchdown.The Fred Williams show couldn’t be stopped though. Beating Calvin in a foot race, Williams brought in a late third quarter pass for a 32-yard touchdown and then added a fifth touchdown when he knifed through the Rush special teams for a 57-yard kickoff return with 12:49 left in the game.Erasing the chances for a last minute comeback happened when the ball was punched out of Michna’s hands with the Rush driving, turning the ball back over to San Jose to clinch the win.

Offensive records continued to fall in the Rush history books with Michna tossing his 83rd touchdown of the season, a single-season Rush record.Gray and Perry accounted for 322 of Michna’s 375 yards passing. They also combined to catch every one of his seven touchdowns.On top of his forced fumble on special teams, game MVP Williams of the SaberCats totaled 269 yards by returning kicks, catching and rushing on way to five touchdowns.The Rush will look ahead to July 8th as they take on National Central Division opponent San Antonio (12-3) in what will be a pivotal game for their playoff lives. Hopefully this officiating crew will be hundreds of miles away from Rosemont!

NEW YORK—After a calamitous couple of days for the Yankees pitching staff, Hiroki Kuroda provided some needed calm.All he had to do was be himself.His start Saturday was as good as any he’s had since an unimpressive first two months. The right-hander struck out 11 in seven innings to help New York end the White Sox winning streak at four games by beating them 4-0.The strikeouts tied a career high for Kuroda, and his teammates backed him with three home runs. A day after outfielder Dewayne Wise was perfect in his pro pitching debut during a mop-up role, he was perfect at the plate. He had three hits and homered, with Curtis Granderson and Robinson Cano also connecting.New York’s pitching situation has been fraught since Wednesday, when the Yankees placed CC Sabathia on the disabled list with a strained groin, and lost Andy Pettitte for two months when he was hit in the lower left fibula by a batted ball, breaking the bone at the ankle.Kuroda (8-7) pitched three-hit ball for seven innings and walked one in the matchup of AL division leaders.Jake Peavy (6-5) struck out 11 without a walk in his fourth complete game this year.The Yankees had another homer happy day in the heat, but far more gratifying to them must have been Kuroda’s performance.Since they lost their ace and their key veteran left-hander, Ivan Nova gave the Yankees a good start in a game the bullpen lost Thursday and rookie Adam Warren couldn’t get out of the third inning on Friday night in a game that the bullpen made even worse. Wise had to finish off the 14-7 loss by getting the last two outs.Kuroda began the game by allowing a single to Alejandro De Aza, who was thrown out trying to steal second. Then he allowed a two-out walk and single. After that, he retired 15 straight batters after Paul Konerko’s two-out single in the first inning, ending his streak by hitting Kevin Youkilis with a pitch when there were two outs in the sixth. The plunking came after Derek Jeter had been hit by a pitch in the bottom of the fifth following Wise’s homer.

“I was trying to be too careful, too perfect,” Kuroda said. “Now I try to be as aggressive as possible.”

He was talking about Saturday, but he could have been talking about his acclimation to the American League. In his last seven starts he’s 5-1 with 46 strikeouts against 11 walks in his last seven starts and a 1.65 ERA.David Robertson pitched the eighth and left-hander Boone Logan and closer Rafael Soriano protected the four-run lead in the ninth to finish the three-hitter.The Sox still won six of eight during a run that helped it overtake Cleveland for the AL Central lead. The White Sox fell to 23-15 on the road, which still has them only a half-game behind the Yankees for best in the AL.Peavy was taken deep to right three times, all by left-handed hitters.Granderson hit one out in the first, Wise’s homer came in the fifth and Cano led off the sixth with a towering first-pitch drive. The Yankees began the day with what was already a major league-best 119 home runs.Wise also hit an RBI double in the second and tied a career high with three hits.

“He’s swinging the bat real well and we like the way he’s swinging the bat,” Girardi said. “He even got two outs last night for us, so he’s kind of doing everything for us.”

NOTES—White Sox RHP Gavin Floyd is set to face Yankees righty Phil Hughes in Sunday’s game, which will be Old-Timers’ Day at Yankee Stadium…. Gametime temperature was 93 degrees….The Sox return home after Sunday’s series finale for an off day before facing Texas and Toronto for six games going into the All-Star break. The Yankees wrap up before the break with three games at Tampa Bay and a four-game set in Boston that includes a day-night doubleheader on Saturday, July 7….Kuroda also fanned 11 in 2008 vs. the Cubs, when he was with the Dodgers.

Anthony Rizzo’s arrival in Chicago has generated hype throughout the city. It’s also given a last-place team such as the Cubs an encouraging glimpse of the future.Rizzo hit his first homer in a Cubs uniform Saturday, a two-run, go-ahead shot to spark a 3-2 victory over the Houston Astros. He now has two game-winning hits in four games and the Cubs are 3-1 since he joined the team.

“It’s good to come into a new clubhouse and produce like that and help the team win,” said Rizzo, who also made a nice play in the field to cut down a run. “It’s a lot of fun when you do that. It’s just good to win.”

Matt Garza (4-6) struggled but got the victory by working 5 1/3 innings. Five Cubs relievers combined to allow one hit and no runs over the final 3 2/3 innings with Carlos Marmol pitching the ninth for his seventh save in nine chances.Rizzo has worked to shorten up his swing since spring training and put up impressive numbers at Triple-A. And his homer Saturday — the second of his career after hitting one with the Padres last season — came off a left-hander in J.A. Happ.

“That’s another thing I worked on hard this year, hitting lefties and I feel comfortable if it’s a lefty or righty,” he said.

Said Garza: “He’s going a great job producing and doing what he does.Let the guy enjoy it,” he said. “Let him enjoy his ride.”

Happ (6-8) allowed five hits, four walks and three runs in six innings. But the former Northwestern University pitcher is winless in his past 11 road decisions dating to May 3, 2011.

“It’s frustrating. It was a walk, a bloop and a blast, then a loss,” Happ said. “It’s tough taking that, but other than that I felt good out there.”

Veteran Astros first baseman Carlos Lee, the subject of trade rumors involving the Los Angeles Dodgers, went 0 for 4. He said after the game he would talk to his wife about whether to accept the move.

“Probably tomorrow I’ll let you know,” Lee said after the game. “Because I don’t want to go through this. Either I’m going or I’m not.”

Rizzo’s long and high drive to right field scored Starlin Castro for a 3-2 lead. Moments earlier, Castro had hit a two-out RBI single for the Cubs first run.Garza labored on the 92-degree afternoon but was backed by three double plays and some overly aggressive baserunning by the Astros. He gave up two runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings and threw 104 pitches with three walks. Scott Maine relieved him in the sixth and gave up a single to Jason Castro, but Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano made a strong throw to get Chris Johnson trying to make third on the hit.A leadoff single by J.D. Martinez, a double by Scott Moore and a single by Jordan Schafer gave the Astros a 1-0 lead in the third. But a big inning was averted when Rizzo fielded Jed Lowrie’s grounder to first base and made a strong throw to the plate to easily nail Moore.

“That’s my go-to place,” Rizzo said. “Hitting’s going to come and go but fielding’s going to be the consistent thing I pride myself on all the time. That’s where I go to.”

Martinez hit a two-out RBI single in the fourth, right after the Cubs had turned a 5-3 double play with two runners on. But he was caught off second after initially heading for third on Moore’s single and was tagged out to end the inning.Lowrie saved a run in the fourth with a great stop on Darwin Barney’s hard two-out grounder to shortstop, shoveling it backhanded to second baseman Moore for the out.

NOTES—Ian Stewart could be headed for surgery after his injured left wrist has not responded to treatment. ….Ryan Dempster (DL with a lat injury) is slated to throw a bullpen session Monday in Atlanta.