SAN DIEGO, Sept. 28 (UPI) — Alfonso Soriano hit a three-run home run and the Chicago Cubs scored five runs in the final two innings Tuesday to upend San Diego 6-2.

The Cubs, who banged out 11 hits, trailed 2-1 heading into the eighth inning. Soriano’s shot to center in the eighth gave Matt Garza (10-10) the victory.

Garza allowed two runs on five hits and struck out eight through seven innings for his fourth straight win.

Chad Qualls (6-8) gave up Soriano’s home run and ended up with the loss.

Kyle Blanks knocked in both San Diego runs. The Padres lost for the third time in five games.

CHICAGO (AP)—Starlin Castro(notes) desperately wanted to get his 200th hit of the
season in front of a supportive crowd at Wrigley Field.

Playing in the Chicago Cubs’ home finale, Castro got hits in his first two
at-bats to reach 199. But after that, he was walked intentionally, grounded out
and then walked again in his final plate appearance in the eighth inning of
Wednesday’s 7-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.

“I was excited to try and do it here, to try and see what the fans would
do,” Castro said.

Now he’ll move on to St. Louis and try to reach the milestone.

The 21-year-old Castro is bidding to become just the fifth major league
player since 1940 to collect at least 200 hits while being 21 years old or
younger, the Cubs said in citing the Elias Sports Bureau.

The list is impressive: Alex Rodriguez(notes) (1995), Garry Templeton (1977), Vada
Pinson (1959) and Al Kaline (1955).

In his final at-bat, Castro had a 3-0 count but didn’t get the green light
to swing from manager Mike Quade because the Cubs were so far ahead.

“The game is not even close. If you swing at that pitch and miss, the other
pitch (might be) in my back,” Castro said.

That’s how Quade saw it, too.

“If you see someone cut lose with that kind of lead, the next one might be
in his ribs,” Quade said. “Then he’s got no shot to get to 200. He’ll get it,
knock on wood.”

Matt Garza(notes) pitched a six-hitter for the Cubs, his second complete game of
the season and the first one as a winner. He also went the distance in a 1-0
loss to the White Sox in July.

Quade said he even asked Garza, who was up before Castro’s last at-bat, to
strike out and avoid hitting into a double play that could deprive Castro of one
more chance.

But Garza did swing and grounded out to the pitcher.

“I’m trying to hit, too,” Garza said. “I want 20 wins. I want 200
innings. I want 200-plus strikeouts. I was in my mode, so I’m going to go out
there and compete. I’m not going to just give up.”

What about Castro’s quest for 200?

“I know he has six more games to get it,” Garza said. “I’m pretty sure
he’s going to do it. That’s all I have to say about that.”

Garza’s pitching and Marlon Byrd’s(notes) three-run homer prolonged the Brewers’
chase to nail down the NL Central.

The loss left the Brewers’ magic number for winning the division title and
closing out second-place St. Louis at three. The Cardinals beat the Mets 6-5 on
Wednesday night.

Garza (9-10), 3-0 in his last five starts, allowed just an unearned run and
struck out 10 in pitching his second complete game this season and eighth of his
career. He walked one in a 123-pitch effort.

“There was no way I was coming out of this thing,” Garza said.

The Brewers dropped two of their games against the Cubs and finished 39-42
on the road. They now go to Miller Park to wind up the regular season with a
six-game homestand against the Marlins and Pirates beginning Friday.

“It’s nice to clinch at home, but I really don’t care,” Milwaukee manager
Ron Roenicke said. “I just want to get it. We would have loved to have done it
here.”

DJ LeMahieu(notes) broke a 1-all tie with two-out, two-run double in the fifth off
Randy Wolf(notes) (13-10) on a ball center fielder Nyjer Morgan(notes) appeared to lose in the
sun.

Byrd’s three-run shot, his ninth homer of the season, followed singles by
Jeff Baker(notes) and Geovany Soto(notes) in the sixth.

Wolf, who entered the game with a 1.37 ERA in three previous starts this
season against the Cubs, allowed 10 hits and six runs in six innings.

He said his cut fastball not the same after he was hit in the wrist with a
pitch by Garza while attempting to bunt in the third inning. He said the wrist
was stiff, but he expected to be OK in a couple of days.

“I don’t know how much it affected me throwing. My cutter after that wasn’t
really the same, but it wasn’t painful, so I could battle through it,” he said.

“For the most part after that, it was OK, not great, but that one inning,
I’ve got a couple of dunk hits and I left a cutter out with Marlon and he
punished it.”

Wolf said the chance to clinch at home and claim the franchise’s first
division title since 1982—the only time the Brewers made the World Series—
will more than make up for the wait.

“Definitely we want to get it over with. I think the one thing that was a
possibility that we really didn’t want was to clinch on our off-day (Thursday).
That would have been anticlimactic,” he said.

“It will be great to do it at home so we can spray some of the fans with
champagne, that’s something they’ve been dying for. Something I definitely want
to do to them. Not in a bad way,” he said.

NOTES: Castro has reached base in 34 straight games, matching the Cubs’
record for a shortstop set in 1929 by Woody English. … Cubs 3B Aramis Ramirez(notes)
sat out with a leg injury in what could have been his final home game for the
Cubs. … A crowd of 30,965 gave the Cubs a home attendance for 2011 of
3,017,966. It marked the eighth straight season the Cubs have drawn more than 3
million fans. Chicago finished 39-42 at home.

Zack Greinke came to Milwaukee for the thrill of a playoff race.
Instead, the Brewers are way out in front with just over a month to
go.

Greinke pitched effectively into the eighth inning to remain
perfect at home, Corey Hart homered for the second time in as many
days and Milwaukee held on to sweep the Chicago Cubs with a 3-2 win
Sunday.

The NL Central-leading Brewers stayed a franchise-best 10 1/2
games ahead of St. Louis after the Cardinals beat Pittsburgh 7-4.
Milwaukee and St. Louis play a three-game series at Miller Park
beginning Tuesday.

“The double-digit lead is hard to believe, it seemed like just
the other day we were one back. That is weird to see,” Greinke
said. “We’re enjoying playing, but nothing’s locked up yet.”

Greinke (13-5) improved to 10-0 at home as the Brewers kept up
their remarkable run. They were in third place on July 25 before
winning 27 of 32 overall.

Milwaukee has won 21 times this month, tying the franchise mark
for most victories in a month set in June 1978.

“They know where we are,” Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said.
“But their focus is so much on that game, that day, I don’t think
we’re worried about where that end is going to come.”

It became a tense ninth when Tyler Colvin homered off Brewers
closer John Axford with one out.

Axford walked Marlon Byrd before getting Alfonso Soriano to hit
a warning track flyball for the second out. Third baseman Casey
McGehee then misplayed pinch-hitter Reed Johnson’s grounder to put
two on.

McGehee bobbled the next ball, too, by pinch-hitter Geovany
Soto, but recovered to tag out Byrd and give Axford his 40th save
this year.

“It seemed like it was spinning for a little while up there,”
Axford said. “I’m glad it went in his glove, that’s for sure.”

Greinke gave up four hits, not allowing any until Byrd’s
fifth-inning bloop. In the bottom of the inning, Greinke singled,
stole second for the first swipe of his career and scored on Hart’s
homer.

In the eighth, Greinke left with two out and a runner on second
for Francisco Rodriguez, who allowed an RBI double to Darwin Barney
that made it 3-1 before Aramis Ramirez grounded out to end the
inning.

Greinke, the 2009 AL Cy Young winner who was traded from Kansas
City in the offsesason, extended his franchise-best home start. He
has a 2.96 ERA over 12 starts at Miller Park, all wins for the
Brewers.

Milwaukee won for a major-league best 50th time at home this
season.

“That’s a lot of wins. Yeah, the guys continue to play well
here,” Roenicke said. “Started again with great pitching from
Zack.”

Just like the day before, the Brewers scored in the first
against the Cubs.

Hart extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single,
reached second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Ryan Braun’s
double.

Greinke’s steal came when Cubs starter Casey Coleman (2-7) never
looked over at him. Hart reached safely for the 10th straight plate
appearance with his home run to left.

Greinke struck out seven and walked two.

“Fastball command was pretty good, but changeup was as good as
it’s been and the curve and slider were usable,” Greinke said.
“They hit a lot toward our guys, and that made it easier.”

It was another dismal series in Milwaukee for the Cubs, who won
their first game at Miller Park this season and lost the final
eight. Ramirez’s 16-game hitting streak and Starlin Castro’s
career-high 11-game streak ended, but Cubs manager Mike Quade
didn’t see much of it. He was ejected by plate umpire Bill Miller
after Ramirez struck out in the first.

“I wanted to make sure (Ramirez) didn’t get thrown out,” Quade
said. “I didn’t want to get thrown out myself. Rammy rarely says
anything so I just wanted to make sure that Bill wasn’t upset with
him, to make sure we had him for nine innings.”

NOTES: According to STATS LLC, Greinke joined Cliff Lee of the
Phillies and Ted Lilly of the Dodgers as the only pitchers with
stolen bases this season. … The Brewers have a day off Monday
before facing the Cardinals. Brewers RHP Shaun Marcum (11-4, 3.38
ERA) is expected to face RHP Edwin Jackson (3-2, 3.99) in the
opener. … The Cubs open a three-game series in San Francisco on
Monday. Cubs RHP Randy Wells (5-4, 5.53) will take the mound
against Tim Lincecum (12-10, 2.46).

CHICAGO — Tyler Colvin’s RBI single in the 10th inning off Octavio Dotel lifted the Chicago Cubs to a 5-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.

Geovany Soto led off the 10th with a single off Dotel (0-2), advanced to second on Marlon Byrd’s sacrifice bunt, and scored on Colvin’s hit to center field just hours after the Cubs fired general manager Jim Hendry.

Soto also had a game-tying RBI double in the eighth inning. Darwin Barney homered and tripled, and Starlin Castro added two hits for the Cubs. Sean Marshall (6-5) pitched a perfect 10th to earn the win.

Castro, who leads the NL with 162 hits, has 301 in his career. He is the fifth Cubs player to pass 300 in his first two seasons.

Chicago beat the rival Cardinals for just the third time in 10 games this season, delighting a home crowd of 42,343 — the largest at Wrigley Field since the home opener in 1978.

The Cubs responded in their first game following the firing of Hendry, who was let go about three hours before the game. He was replaced on an interim basis by assistant general manager Randy Bush.
Yadier Molina hit a two-run homer for the Cardinals, and David Freese added a solo shot.

Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia left with a 4-3 lead after he scattered nine hits in 6 1/3 innings. Garcia, who entered the game hitting .085, added an RBI single.

Chicago’s Randy Wells gave up four hits in seven innings and struck out five. He set down the Cardinals in order in four of his seven innings, but was hurt by homers by Molina and Freese.

The Cubs nearly won the game in the ninth, but ran themselves out of the inning.

Tony Campana reached first leading off the ninth when second baseman Ryan Theriot bobbled a routine grounder for an error, but he was doubled up when Castro flied to center on what appeared to be a hit-and-run play. Reed Johnson followed with a two-out single, and Aramis Ramirez walked, but the threat ended when Carlos Pena flied out to right.

After trailing for 7 1/2 innings, the Cubs tied it 4-4 in the eighth. Soto’s double into the left-field corner scored Pena all the way from first base.

Molina’s second-inning homer opened the scoring, and Garcia’s single up the middle scored Theriot to make it 3-0. Freese hit a solo shot in the fourth to put the Cardinals ahead 4-1. He has an RBI in seven of his last eight games.

Barney brought the Cubs within 4-2 with his second homer of the season, landing a shot just barely into the basket in the left-field corner. His previous homer was April 25 against Colorado.

Barney added a triple when Lance Berkman overran a blooper into the right-field corner in the seventh. He scored when pinch-hitter Blake DeWitt’s fly to center was misplayed by John Jay, and the ball rolled to the wall for another triple.

With DeWitt on third and one out, representing the tying run, Jason Motte relieved Garcia and worked out of the jam by striking out Castro and getting Johnson on a grounder.

Notes:St. Louis’ Allen Craig made his first career start in center field as manager Tony La Russa wanted to give the slumping Jay a break. Jay replaced Craig in the fifth inning. Cubs pitcher Andrew Cashner threw his third live batting practice session on Friday, the latest step in his recovery from a strained right rotator cuff that has had him on the disabled list since April 6. Larry King sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh-inning stretch. Edwin Jackson will start for the Cardinals on Saturday against the Cubs’ Matt Garza. Jackson will be making his first in Chicago since being dealt by the crosstown White Sox on July 27. He’s won both of his career starts against the Cubs. Garza is 1-1 with a 7.80 ERA in three career starts against St. Louis. The big crowd was entertained by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds practicing over Lake Michigan a few blocks east of Wrigley Field during the middle part of the game in advance of the weekend’s air and water show in Chicago.

CHICAGO (AP) — Tyler Colvin’s RBI single in the 10th inning off Octavio Dotel lifted the Chicago Cubs to a 5-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.

Geovany Soto led off the 10th with a single off Dotel (0-2), advanced to second on Marlon Byrd’s sacrifice bunt, and scored on Colvin’s hit to center field just hours after the Cubs fired general manager Jim Hendry.

Soto also had a game-tying RBI double in the eighth inning. Darwin Barney homered and tripled, and Starlin Castro added two hits for the Cubs. Sean Marshall (6-5) pitched a perfect 10th to earn the win.

Castro, who leads the NL with 162 hits, has 301 in his career. He is the fifth Cubs player to pass 300 in his first two seasons.

Chicago beat the rival Cardinals for just the third time in 10 games this season, delighting a home crowd of 42,343 — the largest at Wrigley Field since the home opener in 1978.

The Cubs responded in their first game following the firing of Hendry, who was let go about three hours before the game. He was replaced on an interim basis by assistant general manager Randy Bush.

Yadier Molina hit a two-run homer for the Cardinals, and David Freese added a solo shot.

Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia left with a 4-3 lead after he scattered nine hits in 6 1-3 innings. Garcia, who entered the game hitting .085, added an RBI single.

Chicago’s Randy Wells gave up four hits in seven innings and struck out five. He set down the Cardinals in order in four of his seven innings, but was hurt by homers by Molina and Freese.

The Cubs nearly won the game in the ninth, but ran themselves out of the inning.

Tony Campana reached first leading off the ninth when second baseman Ryan Theriot bobbled a routine grounder for an error, but he was doubled up when Castro flied to center on what appeared to be a hit-and-run play. Reed Johnson followed with a two-out single, and Aramis Ramirez walked, but the threat ended when Carlos Pena flied out to right.

After trailing for 7½ innings, the Cubs tied it 4-4 in the eighth. Soto’s double into the left-field corner scored Pena all the way from first base.

Molina’s second-inning homer opened the scoring, and Garcia’s single up the middle scored Theriot to make it 3-0. Freese hit a solo shot in the fourth to put the Cardinals ahead 4-1. He has an RBI in seven of his last eight games.

Barney brought the Cubs within 4-2 with his second homer of the season, landing a shot just barely into the basket in the left-field corner. His previous homer was April 25 against Colorado.

Barney added a triple when Lance Berkman overran a blooper into the right-field corner in the seventh. He scored when pinch-hitter Blake DeWitt’s fly to center was misplayed by John Jay, and the ball rolled to the wall for another triple.

With DeWitt on third and one out, representing the tying run, Jason Motte relieved Garcia and worked out of the jam by striking out Castro and getting Johnson on a grounder.

NOTES: St. Louis’ Allen Craig made his first career start in center field as manager Tony La Russa wanted to give the slumping Jay a break. Jay replaced Craig in the fifth inning. Cubs pitcher Andrew Cashner threw his third live batting practice session on Friday, the latest step in his recovery from a strained right rotator cuff that has had him on the disabled list since April 6. Larry King sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh-inning stretch. Edwin Jackson will start for the Cardinals on Saturday against the Cubs’ Matt Garza. Jackson will be making his first in Chicago since being dealt by the crosstown White Sox on July 27. He’s won both of his career starts against the Cubs. Garza is 1-1 with a 7.80 ERA in three career starts against St. Louis. The big crowd was entertained by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds practicing over Lake Michigan a few blocks east of Wrigley Field during the middle part of the game in advance of the weekend’s air and water show in Chicago.

Marmol allowed the Astros to load the base before surrendering a grand slam to pinch-hitter Brian Bogusevic for a 6-5 loss that ended the Cubs’ three-game winning streak.

“When you’re not sharp sometimes you get beat,” Cubs manager Mike Quade said of Marmol’s performance. “His slider wasn’t as good as it usually is, and his fastball command left him.”

“One swing can beat you. It’s one of those things.”

Until the bottom of the ninth inning, the Cubs seemed poised to take the three-game series with a game to spare.

Tyler Colvin hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning, and Aramis Ramirez added a solo shot in the eighth as the Cubs built a 5-2 lead. Colvin, who has spent time in Triple-A this season and is hitting just .135, has homered three times in the last 13 games, including Tuesday’s blast that landed in the second deck in right field.

Houston starter Brett Myers exited after the seventh inning having yielded six hits and four runs in seven innings and hasn’t won since June 17.

The Cubs jumped to an early lead, getting Myers for two runs in the first inning.

Starlin Castro hit a leadoff single followed by a single by Darwin Barney. Ramirez hit the third single of the inning to score Castro and give Chicago a 1-0 lead. Carlos Pena walked before Marlon Byrd grounded into a double play and Barney scored to make it 2-0.

Rookie Jimmy Paredes’ RBI double in the bottom of the first inning got the Astros back in it.

But Houston failed to overcome the one-run deficit despite Myers shutting out the Cubs over the next four innings.

Cubs starter Ryan Dempster was partly to blame. Much like Myers, Dempster settled after giving up an early run. He shut out the Astros the next five innings.

By the time the Astros managed to score again — Humberto Quintero’s sac fly off Dempster brought home J.B. Shuck in the bottom of the seventh — the Astros had dug themselves in what looked like too big of a hole.

The run again cut the Chicago’s lead in half, only this time the score was 4-2 in favor of the Cubs.

Dempster left after the seventh inning having just allowed four hits and two runs, replaced by Kerry Wood, who pitched a scoreless eighth.

“That’s a bummer,” Dempster said. “We had a chance to win the series. It just didn’t work out. The guy came up, swung and missed two fastballs and he hits one out.”

Ramirez’s 22nd homer came off reliever Wilton Lopez in the eighth inning and pushed the lead to 5-2.

Then came Houston’s rally.

Shuck singled with one out in the ninth off Marmol (2-4) before advancing to second on a wild pitch. Clint Barmes singled and Matt Downs drew a walk to load the bases and bring up Bogusevic, who went deep to left center field for first career grand slam.

“Bad day, you know?” said Marmol of his eighth blown save. “I’ve been pitching good. Hopefully that continues tomorrow and (I) forget about today.”

Houston rookie reliever Aneury Rodriguez (1-4) struck out one in 2-3 innings for the win, his first in the majors.

“I was surprised (about Marmol),” Quade said. “We just didn’t get it done. We played well. Obviously you never know how many runs you’re going to need.”

NOTES: Houston OF Jordan Schafer, on the DL since July 20 with an injured left middle finger, was cleared to start a rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Oklahoma City on Wednesday. If his rehabilitation goes well, he could join Houston on Monday in Colorado. Schafer was acquired from Atlanta in the Michael Bourn trade. … Bud Norris starts for Houston in Wednesday’s finale against Chicago’s Casey Coleman. … Norris didn’t allow a run in seven innings in his last start, but did not factor in the decision. … Coleman was recalled from Triple-A Iowa to replace Carlos Zambrano in the rotation. Coleman is 2-4 with a 7.23 ERA in 11 games this season for Chicago.

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