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CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs rookie reliever Lendy Castillo was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left groin strain, and left-hander Scott Maine was recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday.

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CHICAGO -- It was perfect baseball weather Monday night, 70 degrees with clear skies, and the price at U.S. Cellular Field was just as welcoming: half-off.

But the announced attendance was just 23,358 for a mid-May game against division rival Detroit Tigers. And that's a problem. Even worse, it was the Chicago White Sox's fourth-best gate in 19 home games. The only three better came in the opening series of the season.

"You have to ask yourself is price the biggest factor?" Sox vice president and chief marketing officer Brooks Boyer said. "I don't think price is the biggest factor on a value Monday. If people aren't there on a day like last night, when prices are half the regular price, is it price? Maybe we need to do more to get the trust of our fans."

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ST. LOUIS -- Mike Matheny was feeling a bit giddy after the St. Louis Cardinals avoided an 0-5 homestand.

"There's going to be some loud music playing in the clubhouse, and there's going to be some crazy stuff on the plane, too," Matheny said after Yadier Molina's RBI single with two outs in the ninth gave St. Louis a 7-6 victory over the Chicago Cubs Tuesday. "I can't tell you how proud I am about just the fight in this team. That's going to pay off."

The Cubs shaded Molina to hit up the middle, and second baseman Darwin Barney could only get his glove partially on a grounder to the right side. Molina noticed the alignment.

"I'm just trying to put a ball in play, hopefully find a hole," Molina said. "I didn't try to hit the ball that way, but I just wanted to stay back a little bit more. We really needed this win."

Although Molina has had numerous big hits through the right side during his career, the Cubs' data called for a shift, and manager Dale Sveum said he'd do it again.

"It's unfortunate," Barney said. "One quarter of a step from maybe saving a run and having another chance."

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Here’s a quick look at the St. Louis Cardinals’ 7-6 win over the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium on Tuesday.

How it happened: Yadier Molina's single to right field off Rafael Dolis drove in Matt Holliday with the winning run in the ninth inning for the Cardinals, who erased three Cubs' leads on the day. The Cubs built a 3-0 lead, and the Cardinals answered with three runs. The Cardinals went up 4-3, and the Cubs fought back to tie the game. The Cubs took a 5-4 lead in the seventh inning, and the Cardinals came back again. Matt Carpenter gave the Cardinals the game’s final lead with a solo home run in the eighth inning. But Alfonso Soriano brought the Cubs back with his first home run of the season, tying the game at 6 in the ninth inning. Bryan LaHair also played a big part in the Cubs’ offense, hitting his 10th home run of the season. Cubs starter Paul Maholm wasn’t as stellar as he’s been lately, but he did leave the game with the lead before the bullpen squandered it. James Russell and Kerry Wood also allowed a run in relief for the Cubs.

What it means: The Cubs split the two-game series with the Cardinals. The Cubs fell to six games behind the Cardinals in the National League Central standings.

Outside the box: Seven of LaHair’s home runs have either tied the game or put the Cubs in the lead this season. Seven of his homers have also been solo shots.

Up next: The Cubs return home Wednesday and begin a two-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies. Matt Garza (2-1, 2.56) will start for the Cubs, and Vance Worley (3-2, 3.07) will go for the Phillies in the 7:05 p.m. start.

The Chicago Cubs acquired minor league left-handed pitcher Hunter Cervenka from the Boston Red Sox to complete the Marlon Byrd trade from April 21.

The 22-year-old Cervenka is 0-3 with an 8.04 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings in nine relief appearances for Single-A Greenville this season. He was a 27th-round draft pick of the Red Sox in the 2008 draft out of Baytown, Texas.

The Cubs also acquired reliever Michael Bowden in the deal for Byrd.

The Chicago Cubs signed right-handed reliever Mike MacDougal to a minor-league deal on Tuesday and assigned him to Triple-A Iowa.

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Chicago Cubs pitcher Paul Maholm looks to continue his recent brilliance when he again takes the mound against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

Maholm is 4-0 with a 1.07 ERA in his last four starts. He’s the first Cubs’ left-handed pitcher in 43 years to have four consecutive starts of at least six innings with one or no runs allowed. Ken Holtzman matched the feat in 1969. No Cubs’ lefty has accomplished it in five consecutive starts since 1918.

Kyle Lohse (5-1, 2.08) will start for the Cardinals in the final game of the two-game series in St. Louis.

Here’s the entire Cubs’ lineup for Tuesday:

1. David DeJesus, RF
2. Tony Campana, CF
3. Starlin Castro, SS
4. Bryan LaHair, 1B
5. Alfonso Soriano, LF
6. Ian Stewart, 3B
7. Welington Castillo, C
8. Darwin Barney, 2B
9. Paul Maholm, P

CHICAGO -- Chicago White Sox designated hitter Adam Dunn will play left field for the first time since 2010 when the Sox visit the Chicago Cubs this weekend, manager Robin Ventura said Tuesday.

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Bruce Levine takes your Cubs and Sox questions at 12 CT.

Submit questions here and come back for the chat.

Tim Kurkjian speaks to Bryan LaHair following his big night at the dish in a win over the Cardinals.

Here’s a quick look at the Chicago Cubs’ 6-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Monday.

How it happened: The Cubs appeared as if they were trying to give Monday’s game to their National League Central rival, stranding the bases loaded three times. They left 14 runners on base. Worst of all, Cubs manager Dale Sveum chose to bunt with No. 3 hitter Starlin Castro with runners on first and second with no outs and the game tied in the eighth inning. Castro’s bunt resulted in a double play and the Cardinals intentionally walking Bryan LaHair. Alfonso Soriano, however, saved the Cubs by following Castro’s bunt with a single to score Tony Campana for the game-winning run. The Cubs added a run in the ninth inning thanks to two Cardinals’ errors. Cubs starter Ryan Dempster had his worst outing of the season. After the Cubs gave him a 4-0 lead in the fifth inning, Dempster allowed four runs in the sixth inning. He lasted six innings, and his ERA rose to 1.74. LaHair continued his tear and was 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs. Rafael Dolis picked up his fourth save of the season.

What it means: The Cubs moved to within five games of the Cardinals, who lead the Central.

Outside the box: The Cubs are now 4-3 against the Cardinals this season. The Cubs went 5-10 overall and 2-7 at Busch Stadium against the Cardinals last season.

Up next: Paul Maholm will look for his fifth consecutive win in as many starts when he takes the mound Tuesday in the final game of the two-game series against the Cardinals. He’s allowed a total of three runs in his last four starts. Kyle Lohse (5-1, 2.08) will start for the Cardinals.

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Ryan Dempster will make his 300th career start when he pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday.

Dempster will be the 19th active pitcher to reach the milestone. Jamie Moyer leads active pitchers with 635 starts.

Dempster is 0-1 with a 1.02 ERA in five starts this season. He leads the majors in ERA. He has received a NL-worst average 2.04 run support.

Dempster will be countered by Cardinals starter Jake Westbrook (4-2, 1.76) on Monday. Here’s the Cubs’ lineup:

1. David DeJesus -- RF

2. Tony Campana – CF

3. Starlin Castro – SS

4. Bryan LaHair – 1B

5. Alfonso Soriano – LF

6. Ian Stewart – 3B

7. Geovany Soto – C

8. Darwin Barney – 2B

9. Ryan Dempster -- P

STREAKING

1. Ryan Dempster, SP: This unlucky pitcher should have five wins. Instead he is looking for his first victory since Aug. 10 mostly due to a lack of run support. Dempster has been almost unhittable since the start of the season and much of that has to do with great command of his stuff. He has 36 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings and leads the National League with a 1.02 ERA and is second in WHIP at 0.85 in five starts. Dempster has allowed one run and nine hits in his last 15 innings. He could be the first All-Star starting pitcher who enters the game without a victory.

2. David DeJesus, RF: A solid free agent pickup in the offseason, DeJesus had a hot week, batting .350 and contributing some key hits in both wins and losses. DeJesus had a memorable night on Friday with a pinch-hit grand slam to give the Cubs a lead, and then he did it again with an RBI triple in the ninth inning to send their game against the Brewers to extra innings. Give the Cubs brass the credit for getting this move right. DeJesus has been a solid defender and has a .371 on-base percentage as the leadoff man.

SLUMPING

1. Geovany Soto, C: He makes this list for the second time as his offense continues to go down the tubes. All the good sessions he has with hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo seems to go by the boards when he enters a game. Soto was 2 for 15 with one RBI this week. On the season he has a microscopic .517 OPS, third-worst in baseball among catchers with at least 80 at-bats, trailing only Oakland’s Kurt Suzuki and San Diego’s Nick Hundley. Trade talks for Soto at this point would be one-sided.

2. Alfonso Soriano, LF: Try on a 3-for-17 week with two RBIs for size as this 36-year-old slugger tries to find his offensive game. Soriano is the last highly-paid hitter not to have a home run so far this season. Like Soto, his .587 OPS is among the worst of regulars in baseball. Twenty-two of his 28 hits this season are singles. On a positive note, Soriano’s defense has been at least average and at times game-saving, as a big catch in the gap proved against Atlanta last week.

MILWAUKEE -- Despite a bullpen that has yet to gain any traction, manager Dale Sveum still trusted his relievers with the final four innings Sunday.

What looked like a questionable move when he pinch hit for Jeff Samardzija in the sixth inning, paid off handsomely when that hitter, Reed Johnson, hit a home run and the offense poured it on late with base hits.

Samardzija had given up little and was locked in a 1-1 tie with Milwaukee Brewers starter Marco Estrada when it was his turn to lead off the sixth inning.

Samardzija was even headed to the bat rack when he noticed that Sveum had other plans.

“They caught me pretty quick there coming down the dugout,” Samardzija said. “But when you have guys like Reed and them to pinch hit for you, especially with the top of the lineup coming up it’s the way it goes sometimes.”

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MILWAUKEE -- If this was a tortoise vs. the hare race, the Cubs’ offense just made things interesting.

The power-starved Cubs entered play Sunday with just 19 home runs, which was one more than the Texas Rangers' Josh Hamilton had all by himself. Hamilton’s Rangers played later Sunday.

Ian Stewart gave the Cubs a little breathing room in this race with a fifth-inning home run and one inning later, Reed Johnson delivered another in pinch-hit fashion. The Cubs went on to an 8-2 victory over the Brewers.

Hamilton aside, the Cubs haven’t been getting anything in the way of power outside of Bryan LaHair. They entered the day 15th in the 16-team National League in home runs, ahead of only the San Diego Padres.

The opening month was plagued by winds blowing in during home games, not to mention a series at spacious Marlins Park, which the Cubs left empty handed. But it hasn’t helped that Alfonso Soriano has yet to hit a home run and that Stewart had just three before his shot to right field Sunday.

“Obviously power has been an issue, even with the weather,” Johnson said. “It’s still been something where you think we would have more home runs than we’ve had even with the weather. Hopefully guys can get hot and drive some balls.”

Soriano hit a double off the base of the center-field wall, but continues to look hobbled by a sore left knee that kept him out of a pair of games last week.

“Soriano is one of our key bats in the middle of the lineup that we’re going to need power from,” Johnson said. “Hopefully the combination of him getting some balls in the air and the weather starting to warm up will be good for this team.”