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ST. LOUIS -- Unfortunately both for himself and the Chicago Cubs, Travis Wood has been in this position before -- talking about a game in which he pitched well, but still came away with a loss.

“It wasn’t enough, really,” Wood said of his performance after a 5-2 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals Monday night.

Wood, whose record dropped to 5-6 despite a 2.74 ERA, registered his fourth consecutive quality start, only to see his record in those four games fall to 1-3.

“It’s tough for the team,” Wood said. “We’re scratching and clawing and trying to get everything we can right now. We’re trying to put together quality ballgames and falling a little short right now. We’re eventually going to get it together and string together some wins.”

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ST. LOUIS -- Chicago Cubs manager Dale Sveum received his third ejection of the season Monday night after arguing a close play at home plate in the seventh inning.

With the St. Louis Cardinals leading 2-0 and runners on second and third and one out, Pete Kozma hit a sharp grounder to third baseman Luis Valbuena, who knocked it down but threw late to first base. Anthony Rizzo then threw home as Yadier Molina broke for the plate, but the throw was wild.

Catcher Welington Castillo retrieved the ball and threw to pitcher Travis Wood, covering the plate, apparently in time to get the sliding Molina.

Umpire D.J. Reyburn, however, called Molina safe, bringing Sveum out of the dugout to protest the call.

“The throw definitely beat him,” said Sveum. “He (Reyburn) said he got it right.

“It was a big play in the game at that time. We had our best pitcher on the mound, he blocks the plate and gets there, it’s an out call. The ball beat him (Molina) by a lot. That’s what I saw on the replay.”

That play led to another run in the inning, and the Cardinals added another in the eighth for the 5-2 victory.

Wood said he had not seen a replay, but thought he tagged Molina before he reached the plate.

“My take was that he was out but he (Reyburn) has the overall say and he called him safe,” Wood said. “We’ve got to overcome that and get after the next batter and make the pitches.”

The ejection was the seventh for Sveum in his two seasons as the Cubs’ manager.

ST. LOUIS -- The Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals waited out a rain delay of nearly two hours before finally playing Monday night, but the Chicago bats took most of the rest of the night off as well in a 5-1 loss.

How it happened: The Cubs managed only two hits in the first five innings against Cardinals’ starter Shelby Miller -- a single by Luis Valbuena with one out in the third and a leadoff single by Welington Castillo in the fifth, both of whom were stranded at first base. Miller left the game after that inning because of cramping in his right leg.

The Cubs didn’t get another hit until the eighth, when Starlin Castro and Nate Schierholtz both singled off reliever Trevor Rosenthal, with Schierholtz’s hit driving in Valbuena, who had walked, with Chicago’s first run of the night.

The Cardinals scored twice against starter Travis Wood in the span of four batters in the fourth. Carlos Beltran and Matt Holliday singled, and one out later, Yadier Molina lined a two-run double to the wall in right center. They added two more runs in the seventh, the first coming on a throwing error by first baseman Anthony Rizzo to the plate, a play which got manager Dale Sveum ejected for arguing the call, and their final run in the eighth.

Darwin Barney hit his third homer of the season with two outs in the top of the ninth.

What it means: The loss dropped the Cubs’ record to 28-40 and back into a tie with the idle Milwaukee Brewers for last place in the NL Central. It is the 38th day this season the Cubs have been last or tied for last, compared to 35 days when they have been out of last place. The loss also dropped their record against division opponents to 8-22, even though they have only played three games (1-2) against the division-leading Cardinals.

Outside the box: Despite the fact Wood had a 3-2 career record against the Cardinals in seven starts, he had not exactly fooled many of their hitters. Of the top seven hitters in the St. Louis starting lineup, the only one with a career batting average under .300 against Wood coming into the game was Molina, at .294, and he happened to come into the game as the NL’s leading hitter, with a .352 average.

Up next: The Cubs and Cardinals will meet in the second game of the four-game series on Tuesday night. Jeff Samardzija (3-7, 3.46 ERA) will pitch against Adam Wainwright (10-3, 2.18 ERA) in the 7:05 p.m. game.

ST. LOUIS -- What to do with Carlos Marmol?

Much of the discussion before Monday's rain-delayed game between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals concerned reliever Carlos Marmol, whose blown save cost the Cubs a win in New York on Sunday.

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NEW YORK -- Matt Garza put the Chicago Cubs in position to win Sunday. His bullpen just didn't cooperate.

"Another strong outing from our starter is wasted again," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said after his bullpen collapsed in the ninth inning of a 4-3 loss to the New York Mets. "Garza was really good. That fastball command today, down and away, I think he had a really good slider as well."

Garza had his best outing of the season as he threw seven shutout innings of three-hit ball while recording a no-decision. Garza's strong effort followed perhaps the worst outing of his career, a five-inning, nine-run debacle against the Cincinnati Reds.

"I felt pretty good about [the start]," Garza said. "My stuff and my location wasn't really there all the time but found a way to get through some jams. Just felt comfortable and felt like I had a little bit of rhythm."

Garza worked efficiently against a weak Mets lineup, keeping New York from getting anything going for most of the game. In the sixth inning, when the Mets put the first two on, Garza retired the middle of the order in succession to keep the Cubs ahead 3-0.

With the trade deadline now coming into view, Garza recognizes he's going to be a hot topic once again.

"I've been probably in trade talks throughout my entire career," Garza said. "It's nothing new. I get ready for the next five and do my part. Everything will take care of itself."

Big change: Leaving New York on a loss instead of a four-game winning streak had Cubs outfielder Alfonso Soriano frustrated.

"We have like 99 [percent] chance to win, the whole game we're winning, and it's very tough. In the last inning, with just less than three outs left to win the game, and we lost. It's unacceptable," Soriano said. "It's hard to take, hard to swallow."

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NEW YORK -- What once came so easy to Carlos Marmol now continues to be a nightmare for the Chicago Cubs reliever.

"This year, all the other innings, he's done a pretty good job," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "He's having trouble with those last three outs."

Marmol imploded in the ninth inning on Sunday as he allowed four runs in the New York Mets' 4-3 win over the Cubs. Equipped with a 3-0 lead in the ninth, and attempting to pitch the Cubs to a sweep, Marmol gave up two homers, including a walk-off three-run shot to the light-hitting Kirk Nieuwenhuis.

"It's tough. It's tough for anybody," Marmol said. "You don't save (it), you lost the game. It's tough."

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NEW YORK -- The Chicago Cubs were three outs from a sweep.

Then Carlos Marmol entered.

Marmol gave up four runs in the ninth and the Cubs fell 4-3 to the New York Mets on Sunday at Citi Field. The Cubs led 3-0 entering the frame.

How it happened: Marmol gave up two homers, a walk and a single. The only out he recorded came on a sacrifice bunt. Marmol yielded a walk-off three-run homer to Kirk Nieuwenhuis. The other homer was a solo shot by Marlon Byrd.

What it means: Instead of winning four straight and sweeping the Mets, the Cubs instead suffered a heartbreaking loss. Matt Garza pitched excellent, giving up no runs over seven innings, but Marmol couldn't hold up his end.

Outside the box: The Mets surely are going to be in SportsCenter's "Not Top 10" this week after making three errant throws in a span of about 15 seconds. With the Cubs ahead 1-0 in the fifth with two men on and two outs, Alfonso Soriano hit a sharp grounder to third and Mets third baseman David Wright dived to his left to snag the ball.His throw to first went high and wide of the base, and Starlin Castro headed home as Daniel Murphy retrieved the ball. Murphy made a quick turn and throw toward the plate, only for his throw to go wide as Castro scored. Nate Schierholtz then headed home while Omar Quintanilla recovered the ball, and Schierholtz scored easily as Quintanilla threw wide of catcher John Buck. Soriano ended up at third. The Mets were credited with two errors.

Up next: The Cubs will try to rebound against St. Louis as they begin a four-game series at Busch Stadium on Monday. Travis Wood (5-5, 2.65 ERA) faces Shelby Miller (7-4, 2.21) at 6:05 p.m. CT.

NEW YORK -- Chicago Cubs starter Edwin Jackson knows firsthand the dangers of being hit in the head by a line drive, as he was struck in 2006 while with Tampa Bay.

After Rays starter Alex Cobb took a liner off the head Saturday, suffering a mild concussion, Jackson acknowledged those type of plays can be difficult to avoid.

"Sometimes there isn't so much you can do. You see a lot of times the catches people make, they throw the glove up there. It's just one of those unfortunate parts of the game," Jackson said on Sunday. "Sometimes balls come back at you. Sometimes you can get out of the way, sometimes you can't. I don't really play the game thinking about it. I know it can happen just as easy as someone can throw a ball and hit a batter in the head. It's one of those unfortunate things."

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NEW YORK -- Chicago Cubs manager Dale Sveum wasn’t cringing because Scott Feldman decided to slide head-first into third base.

“Actually in his case, we’re probably better off that he head-first dives because of [his] knee,” Sveum said after Feldman carried the Cubs to a 5-2 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday afternoon with his arm, bat and legs.

“I was cringing because why are you going to third? You’re a starting pitcher, and you’ve got a bad knee. That’s what I was thinking as he was running to third.”

Feldman (6-5, 3.05 ERA) ended up picking up the win after allowing just one run on two hits over seven innings. He also delivered a clutch two-run single with two outs in the fourth that staked the Cubs to a 2-0 lead, then proceeded to go from first to third on Darwin Barney’s base knock.

It was anything but graceful, though it worked.

“I didn’t know what I was doing, actually,” Feldman, who thinks the last time he slid head-first was back in college, said. “I just kinda decided to go, I guess, and then I realized it was gonna be a close play. You don’t want to make the third out at third, so I just tried to [do] everything I could to sneak my hand in there.”

Feldman now has eight RBIs this season -- four of them against the Mets.

With David DeJesus on the disabled list, the Cubs are short on the bench, and Sveum mentioned that he could possibly use Feldman as a pinch hitter.

“Ha. I don’t know. I think I might be fourth or fifth on the depth chart with that, but maybe pinch runner,” Feldman said.

Feldman surrendered back-to-back doubles to Daniel Murphy and David Wright to start the fourth before retiring the final 12 batters he faced. He did face a scare with two outs in the sixth when Wright drilled a ball to deep left, but Alfonso Soriano jumped at the wall to make the catch.

“The one that David Wright hit, the minute that I let it go I was wishing I could have it back, and I thought he’d tied the game right there,” Feldman said. “I was talking with [former Met Scott] Hairston, and he was saying the wind was blowing slightly in, so that was what saved me right there.”

Feldman, who signed a one-year, $6 million contract in the offseason, understands that his name is going to come up in trade rumors prior to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. But, while he understands it’s part of the business, he made it clear that he wants to stay in Chicago.

“Absolutely. Yeah. I’d love to [stay here],” Feldman said. “That kinda stuff always happens this time of year with a number of players, and I’ve never really been in that position before, but I hope we can get hot and get back in this thing a little bit and then it’ll be harder to trade away some of the guys. But either way I love it in Chicago, and I’m happy to put a Cubs uniform on.”

NEW YORK -- Dealing on the mound. Coming through in the clutch at the plate. Even going first to third and sliding in headfirst.

Simply put: Scott Feldman did it all on Saturday afternoon, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 5-2 victory over the New York Mets at Citi Field.

How it happened: Feldman, who signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the Cubs in the offseason, was terrific. He allowed just one run on two hits over seven innings, and delivered a two-run single to center with two outs in the fourth. Feldman has eight RBIs this season. After Feldman surrendered back-to-back doubles to Daniel Murphy and David Wright leading off the fourth, he retired the final 12 hitters he faced. The Cubs tacked on three insurance runs in the eighth -- highlighted by Starlin Castro’s two-run double. Castro had struck out in his first three at-bats, then grounded into a fielder’s choice before coming through in his fifth AB. Carlos Villanueva and Kevin Gregg worked in and out of trouble to close it out. Cody Ransom reached base in five of his six plate appearances.

What it means: Feldman (6-5, 3.05 ERA) rebounded from having one of his worst outings of the season by having one of his best. The right-hander had given up a season-high tying five runs in his last start on June 10 against the Cincinnati Reds. The Cubs have now won three games in a row.

Outside the box: The Cubs are an outfielder short on the bench, meaning more pinch-hit opportunities … for Travis Wood? Yes, manager Dale Sveum said that his southpaw, who is hitting .296 with two homers and seven RBIs this season, might be called on to pinch hit early or late in games. He did not get an opportunity Saturday. The Cubs walked a season-high nine times. They left 16 men on base.

Up next: Matt Garza (1-1, 6.26 ERA) versus Jeremy Hefner (1-6, 4.11) on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is slated for 12:10 p.m. CT.

NEW YORK -- The Chicago Cubs activated right-handed reliever Shawn Camp from the 15-day disabled list and placed center fielder David DeJesus on the 15-day DL with a right shoulder sprain, the team announced Saturday.

Camp, 37, who had been rehabbing a sprained right big toe, gives the Cubs more depth in their bullpen. This season, he’s 1-1 with a 7.56 ERA in 20 appearances.

Camp pitched two scoreless innings in relief for Class-A Kane County in his final rehab appearance Friday night.

DeJesus injured himself after crashing into the outfield wall while trying to catch a fly ball. He will undergo an MRI on Monday after traveling back to Chicago Sunday, Cubs manager Dale Sveum said.

Ryan Sweeney got the start in place of DeJesus on Saturday.

" Sveum said the team will look to add an outfielder to its roster once its bullpen “gets back in shape.” It doesn’t appear that once-highly touted prospect Brett Jackson would be called up, but Dave Sappelt could get the nod. Sveum indicated that southpaw Travis Wood, a .296 hitter who has belted two homers and amassed seven RBIs, could get some pinch-hit at-bats given Chicago’s lack of position players on the bench.

" Second baseman Darwin Barney was in the leadoff spot Saturday against Mets left-hander Jon Niese, but Sveum indicated that he’d go with Luis Valbuena or Sweeney in the leadoff hole against righties while DeJesus is out.

" Cubs first-round pick Kris Bryant won the 2013 Dick Howser Trophy as collegiate player of the year. Chicago took Bryant second overall in the MLB draft.

NEW YORK -- Chicago Cubs starter Edwin Jackson would sign up in an instant for more games like the one that played out Friday, when he trotted out to the mound in the second inning already equipped with a five-run advantage.

"You get those early runs it's definitely a luxury. Most times than not, it's going to be those games where you got to pitch mistake-free or pretty much close to it," Jackson said. "We come out and get an offensive explosion like we did tonight, it's definitely great."

The offense gave Jackson room to work and he made sure those runs didn't go to waste as he pitched six innings of one-run ball in the Cubs’ 6-3 win over the New York Mets on Friday at Citi Field. Jackson won consecutive starts for the first time all year, and has given up just two runs in his last 13 innings.

"I'm just trying to come out and just continue to battle and help the team win. Just going out and trying to give it a 100 percent," Jackson said. "We come out and we score like we did, and get early runs, as a starter you definitely will take that every time. Just want to go out and continue to come at batters and let the defense work, and keep the bats in the guys’ hands while they're hot."

The Cubs had topped four runs just once in their past seven games, but they went to work early on Mets starter Shaun Marcum, tagging him for five runs through two. Handed the most runs he's received in more than a month, Jackson took care of the lowly Mets as he improved to 3-8.

The Mets mounted threats in several innings, but Jackson managed to avoid big trouble, giving up his lone run in the third. He stranded two runners in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings. Jackson gave up just five hits and struck out seven.

"Pitched good. I don't think he had great command of his fastball, but I think he had one of his better sliders tonight, that's for sure," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. "He had the depth on it and the velocity. He got a lot of swings and misses and no real contact at all on his slider. ... Did another really, really good job."

Rizzo comes through: Batting fifth for the first time all season, Anthony Rizzo went 3-for-4 and scored two runs. Rizzo ignited the team's four-run rally in the second with a bloop to center field.

"Hopefully that blooper got things going," Sveum said. "Hit two balls hard. Guy throwing 90-plus mph -- the left hander (Josh Edgin) -- come in and get a hit off him, and then obviously smoked one in the gap. Hopefully that blooper is what gets guys going."

While Sveum wouldn't like to change the lineup after the offensive explosion and Rizzo's big night, the Mets are throwing a left-hander on Saturday in Jonathon Niese and that will force a certain structure to the lineup.

NEW YORK -- Chicago Cubs center fielder David DeJesus will be placed on the disabled list after suffering a right shoulder sprain in the team's 6-3 win against the New York Mets on Friday at Citi Field.

DeJesus left in the third inning after crashing into the outfield wall and underwent an X-ray. He will be evaluated next week to determine a timetable, and a corresponding roster move hasn't been made yet, according to a team spokesman.

"It felt like I ran into the wall and my shoulder just went the other way. It's a tough one," DeJesus said. "It was just like the pressure didn't want to stop. We'll see."

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NEW YORK -- A win over the lowly New York Mets may have come at a costly price for the Chicago Cubs.

During the Cubs’ 6-3 win over the Mets on Friday at Citi Field, center fielder David DeJesus left in the third inning after crashing into the outfield wall. DeJesus underwent an X-ray on his right shoulder, and while the results of the X-ray aren't known, DeJesus appeared to have suffered an injury.

How it happened: The usually much-maligned Cubs offense got to work right away against Mets starter Shaun Marcum. Nate Schierholtz hit a solo homer in the first, and the Cubs plated four in the second, three coming via a bases-clearing triple by DeJesus. In the sixth, the Cubs chased Marcum when Luis Valbuena hit an RBI double to make it 6-1. On the hill, Edwin Jackson flirted with danger, but he gave up just one run over six innings. He's now 3-8 on the season.

What it means: The most pressing matter for the Cubs will be the severity of DeJesus' injury. If DeJesus is forced to miss any time, the Cubs will have to formulate a plan of what to do in center. Ryan Sweeney, Julio Borbon and Dave Sappelt have started games in center this year for the Cubs and could be options. Sweeney replaced DeJesus when he left the game.

Outside the box: First baseman Anthony Rizzo hit fifth for the first time all season. Rizzo, who leads the team in RBIs and homers, usually bats third, but he was hitting just .135 in June entering the game. Rizzo went 3-for-4 on Friday, igniting the four-run rally in the second with a single to start the frame. Schierholtz batted third and went 1-for-4 with his solo shot in the first inning.

Up next: The Cubs will look to win their third straight as they send Scott Feldman (5-5, 3.22 ERA) to the mound against Jonathon Niese (3-5, 4.24). First pitch is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. CT.

NEW YORK -- Before facing the New York Mets on Friday, Chicago Cubs outfielder Scott Hairston stopped by Central Park with his family, taking in one of the most historic places in a city he called home for two years.

"Always enjoy coming here," Hairston said.

Hairston is playing in Flushing for the first time since he left the Mets to sign with the Cubs in the offseason. Hairston played for the Mets in 2011-12, excelling as a pinch hitter.

"It's nice. It's always good to see familiar places," Hairston said. "Had a lot of good times here in New York. I appreciated being a part of Mets history."

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