--C Geovany Soto hit his 18th homer of the season. It's the most by a Cubs rookie since C Randy Hundley hit 19 in 1966.
--LHP Sean Marshall will start Sunday's finale at Florida, according to manager Lou Piniella. RHP Jeff Samardzija was a candidate to start, along with RHP Jason Marquis. Tuesday's rainout forced the Cubs to scramble with their rotation, and Piniella considered bringing Marquis back on three days' rest. Samardzija worked two scoreless innings of relief in Wednesday's first game. Marshall worked a scoreless inning in the second game. --RHP Jason Marquis is now 3-2 with a 2.27 ERA over his last five road starts.
--CF Jim Edmonds had one explanation for his successful season so far with the Cubs. "I'm not playing in San Diego," he said, referring to where he started the season and started slowly. "I don't know what's changed, to be honest with you." Edmonds has 16 homers this year, 15 with the Cubs since he joined them May 14 after being let go by the Padres. Edmonds had injury problems during spring training and couldn't get on track early.
--RHP Kerry Wood worked a scoreless eighth inning in the second game of the doubleheader. He may be ready to jump into the closer's role after battling blister and back problems of late. "We're getting much closer," manager Lou Piniella said. "He threw some nice breaking balls for strikes today." If Wood can close, RHP Carlos Marmol can go from interim closer back to eighth-inning setup man.
BY THE NUMBERS: 24 -- The Cubs reached a high-water mark of 24 games over .500 last week. Before that, the last time a Cubs team was 24 games over .500 was at the end of the 1989 season, when the Cubs won the NL East at 93-69.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Charlie Weis is tougher than I am. That I can tell you. It's easier playing for an easygoing guy like me." -- Manager Lou Piniella on RHP Jeff Samardzija having played football at Notre Dame under Weis.
