--C Geovany Soto led the Cubs' attack, such as it was, by going 3-for-4. Soto has a four-game hitting streak, going 9-for-17 (.529). He's 21-for-55 (.382) with three homers and 16 RBIs over his last 16 games.
--RHP Jon Lieber will come off the DL Monday as rosters expand. The Cubs also will activate RHP Angel Guzman off the DL. Other immediate call-ups look to be RHP Michael Wuertz, 1B-OF Micah Hoffpauir, C Koyie Hill and IF Casey McGehee. All except McGehee have big league experience. Manager Lou Piniella says McGehee gives him a much-needed right-handed bat off the bench. At Class AAA Iowa (Des Moines), McGehee batted .296 with 12 homers and 92 RBIs. He can play third base, and he has catching experience. --LHP Rich Hill was recalled from the minor leagues, but not to pitch. That was a procedural matter. Hill was placed on the 15-day DL with lower back soreness.
--RHP Chad Gaudin was not available for Sunday's game because of lower-back problems, Piniella said. The injury is not thought to be serious.
--IF-OF Mark DeRosa started at second base and moved to shortstop, seeing his first action of the year at short. He also has played left field, right field, third base and first base. DeRosa has scored at least one run in 10 of his last 11 games. He's 34-for-90 (.378) with seven homers, 25 runs and 24 RBIs over his last 27 games.
--3B Aramis Ramirez reached the 100-RBI mark Saturday. It's Ramirez's sixth season of at least 100 RBIs. He becomes the 13th Cub since 1953 with 100 RBIs before Sept. 1 and the first since Sammy Sosa (135) in 2001.
BY THE NUMBERS: 11 -- The Cubs entered Monday's three-game series with Houston having gone 11 series without dropping a series. They're 9-0-2 in those series, having split a pair of four-gamers.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I don't believe in destiny. I believe in good pitching and good defense and timely hitting. That's destiny. You do enough of that, you create your own destiny." -- Manager Lou Piniella.
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