--RHP Kevin Gregg has saved five of the Cubs' last 10 victories and finished two others dating to May 1. Gregg is 6-for-7 in save chances for the season and has converted his last five in a row.
--OF Kosuke Fukudome has turned things around after an 0-for-13 slump through May 5. Fukudome has a seven-game hitting streak, during which he's 12-for-26 (.462). Fukudome has 11 walks in his last 12 games. His OBP is .462, tops among Cubs regulars. --LF Alfonso Soriano's leadoff homer Wednesday was his 21st as a Cub, setting a club record. He had shared the mark with Jimmy Ryan. Soriano now has 53 leadoff homers, tying him for second all time with Craig Biggio. Rickey Henderson is the leader with 81.
BY THE NUMBERS: 61 -- Cubs relief pitchers entered the week with 61 walks in 86 innings pitched. To put that into perspective, the starting pitchers had issued 67 walks in 180 2/3 innings.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I've never seen anything quite like this. Every day, it seems to be something different. Just tough it out. What can I say? It just gets frustrating. Every time you put something a little together, something different happens." -- Manager Lou Piniella.
