Andrew Bagnato

Zane Smith thought he pitched well enough to win in Game 2, allowing only one run on a bad-hop double. Monday afternoon, he`ll have another chance to win. Pittsburgh manager...

The Pirates doubt Doug Drabek will be able to start Game 5 Monday. Drabek strained a hamstring in his left leg in his opening-game victory. ''Drabek is still iffy,'' manager...

Leyland became a father for the first time Friday. His wife, Katie, gave birth at 3:15 p.m. to a baby boy at Magee Women`s Hospital. The boy, Patrick James Leyland,...

Ryne Sandberg waited as long as he could to drive in his 100th run. After a walk, a groundout and a bases-empty single, Sandberg found himself standing in the on-deck...

Friday`s rained-out Cubs-Cardinals game will be made up as part of a double-header at 1:05 p.m. Saturday. Gates open at noon. Tickets for Friday`s postponement can be exchanged for Saturday`s...

If manager Jim Essian were to remain as manager next season, he`d like to try Greg Maddux on short rest. Maddux threw his best game of the year Wednesday, a...

Frank Castillo`s season is finished. The Cubs right-hander was scratched from Saturday`s start after pain worsened in his right shoulder. He left Tuesday night`s start with tenderness in the same...

Jerome Walton has asked to be traded so he could have an opportunity to play elsewhere. But for the first time since April the Cubs are showing signs that he...

Cubs manager Jim Essian hasn`t seen Turk Wendell pitch, but he thinks he`s going to like him. He saw a TV report detailing the right-hander`s foibles. There apparently are many....

Third place not funny: Some might think the ''race'' for third place is a joke, but not Essian. The Cubs and the Phillies trailed the Mets by a game and...