--3B Aramis Ramirez left the game in the fifth inning with a left hip contusion. He suffered the bruise sliding into home plate that same inning on a double by C Geovany Soto. The Cubs list Ramirez as day-to-day. Ramirez hit a three-run homer in the third inning. He now has at least 20 homers and 30 doubles in five straight seasons as a Cub. The last Cub to accomplish the feat was Hack Wilson from 1926-30.
--C Koyie Hill and INF/OF Micah Hoffpauir figure to be among the Cubs minor-leaguers who will be called up in September. Both players are at Class AAA Iowa. Hill saw time with the big club last year, and the Cubs want to add a third catcher. Hoffpauir has been up and down this year. Also getting consideration will be RHPs Angel Guzman, Jose Ascanio and Michael Wuertz. --INF/OF Daryle Ward has manager Lou Piniella at a loss for words. Ward is only 4-for-40 as a pinch hitter, his specialty. When asked how Ward could regain his stroke, Piniella said: "I don't know how. We've tried. I don't know how. More at-bats? I don't know." Ward hit a sacrifice fly Thursday.
--RHP Bob Howry continues to struggle. Howry gave up a three-run homer to Jeff Francoeur, slicing an 11-4 Cubs lead to 11-7. Howry gave up the three runs and four hits in two-thirds of an inning.
--RHP Carlos Marmol was sharp in his first relief appearance since Sunday. He retired all four batters he faced, striking out two.
--LHP Ted Lilly denied throwing intentionally at Yunel Escobar in the sixth inning. Escobar pointed at Lilly as both benches emptied. There were no fisticuffs or ejections. "I'm trying to throw inside," Lilly said. "That's what I do. That's part of my game. If I'm going to hit him, he's going to be upset. I understand."
--SS Ryan Theriot was on base four times, with two walks and two singles. His on-base percentage is .398.
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.
