The work of relief pitchers Larry Casian, Rodney Myers, Bob Patterson and Doug Jones was a bright side in Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Dodgers in Wrigley Field.
Sharing the final 3 2/3 innings, the four Cubs relievers blanked the Dodgers without a hit. They fanned two and walked two.
Streaking: Mark Grace had his hitting streak snapped at four games Saturday, but Brian McRae and Sammy Sosa extended theirs to five games each. McRae singled in the seventh and Sosa singled in the ninth as the Cubs outhit the Dodgers 9-5.
Larceny: Stealing third base was a popular pastime Saturday. Delino DeShields and Brett Butler each did it for the Dodgers, and McRae did it for the Cubs. Grace was the trailer on McRae’s, steal, getting his first theft of the season.
Rehabbing: Third baseman Dave Magadan, recovering from hand surgery, batted against live pitching in Arizona over the weekend. Manager Jim Riggleman said Magadan’s rehabilitation is progressing well, and he may join the Cubs between April 15-20.
Down on the farm: Kerry Wood and Jayson Peterson, the Cubs’ No. 1 draft picks in 1995 and 1994, respectively, each started and failed to record a decision Friday. Wood struck out seven batters, walked four and permitted three unearned runs as his Class A Daytona team beat West Palm Beach 7-5. Peterson fanned six and allowed five runs in six innings as the Class A Rockford Cubbies opened their season with a 9-5 victory over Lansing.
Mastery: Tom Candiotti’s career earned-run average against the Cubs is a teriffic 0.62, even after he was the loser in Friday’s 11-1 Cubs win. Four of the five runs he allowed were unearned. He has given up only two earned runs in 29 innings against the Cubs.