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The crowd a Pittsburgh’s PNC Park figures to be bigger than normal when the Chicago Cubs' Paul Maholm pitches in his old haunt Saturday.

Maholm's presence, though, is just the sideshow.

“I was just informed that it’s fireworks night so on Saturday there’s a good chance there will be some fans there,” Maholm said.

For now he will pretend it’s not a coincidence the postgame festivities are paired up with his return.

“The fireworks are just for me, obviously,” he joked.

On his Twitter account, Maholm recently touted his return and said the responses from his former team’s fans were mixed. He isn’t sure what to expect and isn’t too worried about it.

He pitched well along the Allegheny River but wasn’t exactly a legend. The club had no glory days that will forever intertwine him with the fan base. He said the moment he will most remember from his Pittsburgh days was the club finding itself in first place near midseason last season only to fade away in a flash.

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HOUSTON – Jeff Samardzija isn’t the root of the Cubs’ problems like the statistics might suggest.

Eight Cubs pitchers have taken a loss during the club’s nine-game losing streak and Samardzija is the only one to lose twice in that run.

This losing trend is mostly about a struggling offense, though. Samardzija has actually been the least of the Cubs’ worries. He is 2-2 over his last six outings with a 1.82 ERA.

“I thought I battled with guy on base, put a couple of good swings on the ball,” Samardzija said. “I need to get a couple of quicker outs there (in the fourth inning) and get our offense back in the dugout. But I thought I battled and made some pitches.”

Even on the two-run triple from J.D. Martinez in the fourth inning, Samardzija got the result he wanted. David DeJesus appeared to make a sliding catch on the right-field line but Darwin Barney, also hustling on the play, knocked the ball from DeJesus’ glove. It was the only scoring play of the night for the Astros.

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HOUSTON -- It’s getting so bad for the Cubs now that even their hustle is getting punished.

The Cubs lost their ninth consecutive Wednesday after Darwin Barney’s all-out hustle toward the right-field line only ended up knocking the ball from the glove of a sliding David DeJesus.

Instead of getting the third out and preserving a one-run lead for starter Jeff Samardzija in the fourth inning, the Astros scored two runs on what was ruled a triple for J.D. Martinez. They would be the only runs the Astros scored off Samardzija in an eventual 5-1 victory.

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HOUSTON – The Cubs’ losing streak reached nine Wednesday with a 5-1 defeat to the Houston Astros, the longest skid since a nine-gamer almost exactly 10 years ago (May 8-18, 2002).

How it happened: Jeff Samardzija pitched well and Reed Johnson gave the Cubs an early lead with a home run, but it was the same old story in yet another defeat. The Cubs couldn’t get out of their own way in this one as a hustling Darwin Barney managed only to knock the ball from the glove of a sliding David DeJesus in right field in the fourth inning. Two Astros runs scored on the play. The Cubs managed 10 hits, but none in the clutch yet again.

What it means: It wasn’t like the Cubs got bad pitching while being swept at Houston. Matt Garza did have a poor outing Monday, but Travis Wood was solid Tuesday and was backed nicely by the bullpen. Jeff Samardzija held up his end of the bargain Wednesday, although Rafael Dolis struggled. The solid starting pitching, at least, is the reversal of a recent trend, as the staff had logged a 5.68 ERA in the team’s past 12 games since May 10, second-highest in baseball.

Outside the box: The Cubs had gone 59 innings without a lead of any kind when Johnson put them on top 1-0 just two batters into Wednesday’s game. The last time they were ahead was last Wednesday when they were on top of the Phillies in the fourth inning. The Cubs have scored in just four of their past 47 innings, starting with the eighth inning Friday against the White Sox.

Off beat: Bonus points for knowing who was the last Cubs pitcher to win a game. As a matter of fact, he got the win in the past two Cubs’ victories. … Shawn Camp was the last winner when the Cubs topped the St. Louis Cardinals on May 14. A day earlier in Milwaukee he also picked up the victory. Since then, though, he is one of eight Cubs pitchers to be charged with a loss in the losing streak. Samardzija has lost two of the nine games.

Up next: After an off day Thursday, the Cubs will open a three-game series at Pittsburgh with Ryan Dempster (0-2, 2.28 ERA) taking on the Pirates’ A.J. Burnett (2-2, 4.78) in the 6:05 p.m. start from PNC Park.

HOUSTON – Carlos Marmol was impressive enough during a simulated game at Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday that the Cubs are thinking about moving up his return to game action by a day.

Acting manager Jamie Quirk said that Marmol could pitch for Iowa on Friday instead of Saturday, but didn’t know of a timetable when the right-hander might return to the major leagues.

Marmol has been out since May 12 with a right hamstring strain. He had already been pulled from his closer role before the injury.

HOUSTON – And not only can Tony Campana leap over tags like he did in Tuesday’s game against the Astros, he can also dunk a basketball.

That’s what he says anyway, although he’s never been able to prove it. Campana told his teammates as much, but the 5-foot-8 speedster has only received scoffs.

Bryan LaHair, sitting at a nearby locker shook his head in disagreement. Bench coach Jamie Quirk gave a quick “No,” when asked if Campana could throw one down on a baseball court.

Before Tuesday, though, they probably would have said he couldn’t dive over the glove of somebody standing right in front of him. It happened in the eighth inning when Campana tried to go from first to third on an errant pickoff throw.

Astros first baseman Carlos Lee got a good bounce off the railing in front of the field-level seats and threw to Astros third baseman Matt Downs. The ball beat Campana by at least 35 feet but he took to the air to avoid the tag. It didn’t hurt that Downs appeared to flinch when Campana’s body went flying past his head.

He actually had to dive twice, once to avoid Downs’ glove and again when he found himself in foul territory and had to beat Downs to the third-base bag.

Campana never did score the tying run as Starlin Castro and Alfonso Soriano both struck out, but his play still got plenty of attention on television Wednesday.

Maybe that slam dunk would get similar attention, although Campana admitted that because he can’t palm a basketball it might take him a few tries to do it.

“I’d have to see it,” Quirk said, thinking about his ‘No’ answer, “but I wouldn’t put it past him.”

HOUSTON – Cubs bench coach Jamie Quirk is back in the manager saddle again, he just might not get as much attention this time.

Quirk was managing Wednesday while Dale Sveum attended the high-school graduation of his son in Arizona, five days after he took over midgame when Sveum was ejected.

That game on Friday turned out to be Kerry Wood’s farewell and Quirk found himself right in the middle of the moment.

The plan was simple: Get Wood in one last game in a spot he is normally used and afterward the right-hander would walk off into the sunset. If it didn’t happen Friday then fine, but it was expected to happen soon.

It did happen Friday, though, and Quirk ended up doing a little improvising. He first thought he would use Wood for consecutive right-handed batters. But then he also though that since the pitcher’s spot was due up sixth after that half inning he might even let Wood get those two outs and go back for more the next inning.

Then came Wood’s three-pitch strikeout to the White Sox’s Dayan Viciedo, with the final strike coming on Wood’s patented curveball, and a new plan was hatched.

“The right-hander was up who had real poor numbers against left-handed pitching and we had (James) Russell ready so I just went out and said, ‘Let’s do it right now,” Quirk said. “It was fun. I was excited that I got to be the guy. I was definitely not about me by any means but it was fun to be the guy.”

Quirk said he did have one regret.

“When I went to take him out he handed me the ball,” Quirk said. “We got the ball for him but I wish I would have said, ‘No, you take the ball on in.’ I didn’t think about that at the time but it worked out well.”

Through all the drama, Quirk was careful not to lose sight what was also important.

“We still had a ballgame,” Quirk said. “I knew I wasn’t hurting our chances to win by bringing in Russell to face the right-hander because the right-hander did not hit lefties well. So I wasn’t putting the game in jeopardy. It was still a one-run game. I didn’t want to do that. If it was in jeopardy I would have him face the other right-hander and gone on with the other plan. It was just right to do it at that time.”

HOUSTON – As it turns out, the new guy follows the same line of thinking as the other new guy.

Jamie Quirk, who is the Cubs acting manager for the night as Dale Sveum attends the high-school graduation of his son, used the same lineup against a left-handed starter as the regular manager did the previous night.

Despite the season-long struggles of the right-handed dominated lineup, Quirk went with it again. It’s nearly identical to the lineup that scored just one run Tuesday night as the Cubs dropped their eighth consecutive game.

“We talked about the lineups going in to the series and then we sat on it last night for a couple of hours and talked,” Quirk said. “But it was all set. Of course something could change but last night we decided that the two lefties, you get your right-handed batters some at-bats.”

The only lineup change is that Koyie Hill is behind the plate instead of Blake Lalli, otherwise things are similar to Tuesday, aside from the pitcher.

It means that Tony Campana, Bryan LaHair and Ian Stewart all begin the game on the bench for the second consecutive day. Starlin Castro, who struck out four times Tuesday is back in the No. 3 spot.

“It was a good chance to get (Jeff) Baker, (Joe) Mather and Reed (Johnson) some well deserved at-bats,” Quirk said.

The Cubs’ lineup Wednesday against Astros left-hander Wandy Rodrigiez:

David DeJesus, RF
Johnson, CF
Castro, SS
Alfonso Soriano, LF
Mather, 3B
Baker, 1B
Darwin Barney, 2B
Hill, C
Jeff Samardzija, P

Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts remains determined to work with Mayor Rahm Emanuel on renovations to Wrigley Field despite a controversy involving Rickets' father that drew the ire of Emanuel last week.

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HOUSTON -- Just because the Chicago Cubs head into play Wednesday with the worst winning percentage in baseball doesn't mean they don't have a magic number.

Whether the Cubs want to admit it or not, that magic number is 104.

If red-hot slugging prospect Anthony Rizzo is on the major league roster for 104 days this season he would be eligible for free agency in 2017 instead of 2018. It could mean as much as $10 million in the difference between an arbitration-eligible contract and a free-agent one.

And if the Cubs aren't in a position to retain Rizzo, it could mean one less year with the club.

Cubs management has insisted all along, though, that service time has nothing to do with whether guys like Rizzo or Brett Jackson are called up to the major leagues. But when seeing how Rizzo has torn up Triple-A pitching, and with the major league offense in dire need of help, it has become a hot topic of conversation.

"Service time is not really a factor," president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said way back in spring training, well before Rizzo was crushing the ball at Iowa. "With potentially impact young players we always try to make decisions based on what is best for their development.

"There is certain criteria for advancement that we have at each level of the minor-league system and a checklist that goes into how those decisions are made. The same is true for the promotion of a potential regular player from Triple-A to the big leagues."

Raw numbers aren't always the only criteria for advancement, but Rizzo has certainly made a case for himself with a .352 batting average, a .697 slugging percentage, 15 home runs and 42 RBIs. He easily leads the Pacific Coast league in home runs and is second in RBIs, just two behind Reno's Randy Ruiz.

So what more does Rizzo have to do?

"I'd like to see players get a significant amount of time at Triple-A, usually a full calendar year if possible," Epstein said. "And certainly I'd like to check all the boxes and make sure all the criteria are fit before they advance up here. So as talented as some players are, and as talented as Anthony and Brett are, there are still some issues left in their development so we would like to see those addressed before they get up here."

Rizzo had 93 games of experience at the Triple-A level last season and another 43 this year gives him 136. When it comes to his major-league experience he had 68 days of service with the San Diego Padres last season and another 104 days would put him at the magical 172 mark that would mark a full season and alter his arbitration-eligible/free-agent status.

Jed Hoyer was the San Diego Padres GM last season and called up Rizzo on June 9, but he struggled with 14 hits in 98 at-bats (.143) and was sent back down. He was called back up in September.

So if the Cubs do go ahead and recall Rizzo for a two-week stretch in June, when the team would need a designated hitter in a June 8-10 series at Minnesota and a June 18-20 series across town against the White Sox, he could then go back down again if the Cubs want to keep his service time under 172 days. He could then be recalled again after the All-Star break.

Or if what Epstein said was true and that service time isn't a factor he could stick around. But he only will play first base, which means Bryan LaHair could move to left field. What that means for Alfonso Soriano, who is making $19 million not only this season but also $19 million in each of the next two as well, would remain to be seen.

As the Cubs endure an eight-game losing streak, ESPNChicago.com's Doug Padilla takes your questions during a live chat at noon Wednesday. Click here to submit your questions.

HOUSTON -- For a pitcher who struggled with the mental side of the game this spring, starting Tuesday's game by allowing a home run and a ground-rule double appeared to be a recipe for disaster.

But Travis Wood proved that he is a different pitcher now, recovering nicely from his unfortunate start and showing that maybe that offseason trade with the Cincinnati Reds isn’t so bad after all.

Wood didn’t allow a hit for the remainder of his outing, but his sixth-inning walk came back to haunt him and the Cubs. After giving way to reliever Shawn Camp with that walk at first base in the form of Justin Maxwell, the Astros took the lead for good two batters later on J.D. Martinez's single.

It was the best outing the Cubs received from the spot in the rotation that was previously held by Chris Volstad before he was optioned to Triple-A Iowa last week. The Cubs have still lost all nine times that spot has come up in the rotation.

“Travis was great,” manager Dale Sveum said. “A leadoff home run and other than that he was really, really good. He kept the ball on his arm side all day, he kept it down and he had a really good changeup. It was 12 mph off his fastball with some good fade.”

There was also some impressive hitting from Wood, including a double off the wall in his first at-bat that made him 3-for-3 on the season. He lined out hard to left field in his only other at-bat on the day.

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HOUSTON -- When an offensive highlight of the night is a double from the pitcher that didn’t even lead to a run, it was probably an effort not worthy of distinction.

The Cubs have now gone 59 consecutive innings without holding a lead. The last time they were on top was in the fourth inning last Wednesday at home against the Philadelphia Phillies.

In yet another game over the past week where the Cubs’ offense barely made a dent, Alfonso Soriano supplied the only run Tuesday with an impressive home run to left field.

Make that four home runs for Soriano over the past eight games. The bad news is that the Cubs have lost all eight of those games.

Doesn’t it figure that once one of the club’s power bats finally comes to life that everybody else goes into a slide, including Bryan LaHair, who now has one hit over his last 20 at-bats.

And then there is Starlin Castro, who struck out all four times he came to the plate, including once in the eighth inning with the tying run at third base and one out. His 31 strikeouts are now third most on the club behind sluggers Soriano (32) and LaHair (46). He has just four walks, or the same amount as Reed Johnson has in nearly two-thirds less at-bats.

“We just can’t seem to get anything going,” manager Dale Sveum said. “You get a guy at third and less than two outs and you get a couple of strikeouts. We just can’t get anything out of the ballpark. Soriano hit a solo shot but we just can’t seem to get that three-run shot.”

The Cubs are now batting .223 (51-for-229) with 20 runs over their last seven games after batting .277 (54-for-195) and scoring 29 runs over their five-game road trip to Milwaukee and St. Louis that ended last Tuesday.

Only Soriano is delivering now after not hitting a home run over the team’s first 30 games. He has driven in a run in eight of the team’s last 13 games.

“I started hitting homers but it’s not enough to win,” Soriano said. “It’s better to win games. I don’t care about my homers because I know I have been doing that for 12 years. The more important thing is to get a win. I don’t know what we have to do to win one game and hit more. We’re struggling not getting hits so we have to work more.”

Batting in the cleanup spot Tuesday, Soriano had a close up view from the on-deck circle of Castro’s four strikeouts.

“He’s just in his third year in the league so he’ll figure it out,” Soriano said. “That happened to him last year too. He had little struggles. It’s a long season and sometimes you have (struggles) one week or two weeks. But when you get out of your slump you become a better player. I hope when he gets out he will come out hot and be a better player.”

Soriano hopes that by everybody continuing to plug away, the offense can finally get in sync.

“I just try to do my job no matter if we’re struggling or not,” Soriano said. “If you’re young or a veteran, everybody has to do their job. I came here to play and try to do my job to make the team better and try to win.”

HOUSTON -- The Chicago Cubs lost their eighth consecutive game Tuesday and are now the owners of the worst winning percentage in baseball after dropping a 2-1 decision to the Houston Astros.

How it happened: Travis Wood gave up a home run and a double to the first two batters, but allowed no other hits over 5 2/3 innings. He did walk a batter in the sixth inning that came around to score the eventual winning run against Shawn Camp. Alfonso Soriano crushed a solo home run in the fourth inning, his fourth long ball over the team’s past four series.

What it means: Wood looks nothing like the pitcher who struggled in spring training, delivering two solid starts so far this season. He topped the three runs over six innings he allowed the Dodgers on May 6, by giving up two runs on just two hits over 5 2/3 innings Tuesday. The Cubs had not received anything close to this kind of outing when Chris Volstad was pitching, but the team has still lost all nine games in this spot of the rotation.

Outside the box: Sure the offense has struggled of late, but the pitching has been dealing with its own issues. Going back to May 10 (not counting Tuesday night’s game), Cubs pitchers had a combined 5.96 ERA over an 11-game span. That was the highest ERA in baseball over that stretch (the Rockies were second at 5.84). The starters had a 6.22 ERA over those 11 games while the bullpen was at 5.58.

Off beat: The between-inning “Kiss Cam” video board feature at most ballparks isn’t just for fans, as Alfonso Soriano proved Tuesday. After making an impressive sliding catch in left field on a sinking line drive from the Astros’ Jed Lowrie in the sixth inning, Soriano removed the ball from his glove and gave it a little smooch. It was all in a day’s work for Soriano, who also hit a home run while playing on knee that has been sore most of the season.

Up next: The Cubs will send right-hander Jeff Samardzija (4-2, 3.00 ERA) to the mound in Wednesday’s series finale. The Astros will counter with left-hander Wandy Rodriguez (3-4, 2.24) in the 7:05 p.m. start from Minute Maid Park.

HOUSTON -- Dale Sveum will not manage the Cubs on Wednesday as he attends the high school graduation of his son in Arizona.

“Almost an empty-nester,” Sveum said. “Nothing at home.”

With the Cubs on a seven-game losing streak, Sveum hoped for a convincing victory Tuesday so he can leave on a positive note and not have the worry of the slide while he is supposed to be enjoying a festive occasion.

“It’s hard,” Sveum said about leaving the club. “He’ll be graduating (at game time) so most of that part I’m going to have to be looking on my phone and won’t be able to watch the game because I’ll be at the graduation.”

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