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CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs surged ahead early in a 6-2 victory over the San Diego Padres in the third of a four-game set at Wrigley Field on Wednesday.

How it happened: Former Cub and No. 1 draft pick Andrew Cashner started for the first time against Chicago. Cashner was traded to San Diego for first baseman Anthony Rizzo in 2011. Manager Dale Sveum started seven left-handed hitters in his lineup. Starlin Castro started the scoring with an RBI single that plated Julio Borbon in the first inning. Cubs starting pitcher Scott Feldman doubled in the second run, scoring Darwin Barney in the second inning. Cashner's pitch count (76 through three innings) skyrocketed in the third, thanks in large part to a two-run double by catcher Dioner Navarro. Cashner’s 89th pitch was an RBI groundout off the bat of Luis Valbuena. Nate Schierholtz doubled home the sixth run in the seventh inning. San Diego second baseman Jedd Gyorko hits his first major league home run to break up Feldman's shutout in the eighth. Chase Headley homered with one out in the ninth.

What it means: The Cubs have won six of their past nine games. With a win on Thursday, they can wrap up their second straight series victory. Feldman pitched his first career complete game as he records his second consecutive win while striking out 12. That matches his career high. After a rough beginning to the season, the veteran pitcher has been outstanding as of late.

Outside the box: Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said infielder Ian Stewart is not ready to return to the major leagues; he's rehabbing a leg injury in the minors. Teams can send a player out for only 20 days on a rehab assignment. “You can always get recertified if you are not healthy yet," Epstein said. "He has had some bumps and bruises along the way. We will just monitor it daily and see how he is doing.” … Another rehab began for the Cubs as RHP Matt Garza threw 42 pitches in 2⅔ innings at Double-A on Wednesday. Garza is rehabbing from a strained side muscle he injured on Feb. 17. Sveum said Garza will return to the team in between minor league starts. He also stated his pitcher would be re-evaluated after the third outing.

Up next: Chicago LHP Travis Wood (2-1, 2.25 ERA) faces Padres LHP Eric Stults (2-2, 5.67 ERA) in Thursday's series finale.

CINCINNATI -- To really appreciate Chicago Cubs pitcher Carlos Villanueva's performance Tuesday you have to go inside the numbers.

Villanueva threw 99 pitches, two as slow as 60 mph and at least one as fast as 90 while allowing three hits in 8 1/3 innings of the Cubs' 4-2 victory in 10 innings.

It's the second game this year he's dipped as low as 60 mph on a pitch and surprisingly the first time he's reached 90 mph.

"That's on purpose," Villanueva said. "Sometimes you have to change the eye level."

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Chicago Cubs backup catcher Dioner Navarro interviews starter Welington Castillo about his career-high four-hit day on Thursday against the Rangers.

Chicago Cubs catcher Dioner Navarro made some history when he slugged a pinch-hit two-run home run off of San Francisco Giants starter Madison Bumgarner in the seventh inning of Saturday’s 3-2 defeat. It was the second day in a row Navarro came off the bench and went yard.

“I know I have a chance to pinch hit every day with an extra catcher [on the roster],” he said afterward. “I just get myself mentally ready and just go out there and swing.”

According to Stats, Inc. Navarro became just the third Cub in history to hit pinch-hit home runs in back-to-back games, and he did it from opposite sides of the plate. On Friday, he homered from the left side in the ninth inning to tie the game at three, then did it from the right side on Saturday to bring the Cubs within one.

“It’s a bittersweet situation,” Navarro stated. “I wish it could have been like yesterday where I could have tied the game.”

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it’s the first time a pinch hitter has homered from opposite sides of the plate in back-to-back games since Todd Benzinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers did it in 1992.

“I’m watching him pitch the whole game, whether it’s in the dugout or in the clubhouse,” Navarro said of his preparation. “I was looking for a fastball, and I got one and fortunately did not miss it.”

The two long balls in two days were the first two pinch-hit home runs of Navarro’s career.

Here’s a quick look at the Chicago Cubs' 3-2 defeat by the San Francisco Giants on Saturday:

How it happened: Wrigley Field produced another pitching duel, this time between Jeff Samardzija and Madison Bumgarner, as neither team scored until the fifth inning. The Giants tallied once each in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings while the Cubs finally got on the board on a pinch-hit two-run home run by Dioner Navarro in the bottom of the seventh.

Navarro’s streak: The Cubs' backup catcher has pinch hit home runs on consecutive days from either side of the plate, a feat that, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, hasn't been accomplished since Todd Benzinger did it for the Dodgers in 1992. On Friday, he hit a game-tying blast in the ninth inning from the left side and pulled the Cubs within one Saturday with a long ball from the right side. They're the first two pinch-hit home runs of his career.

What it means: The Cubs battled to the end, but the lack of offense against lefties this season has been striking. In three games, Cubs starters have managed one run combined against left-handers. Manager Dale Sveum says he is sticking with righties Dave Sappelt and Scott Hairston when a lefty is on the mound, which means sitting David DeJesus and .355 hitter Nate Schierholtz. DeJesus had three hits Friday, including a home run, but was on the bench Saturday.

Defensively, the Cubs continue to be sloppy. They left several double plays on the field, and right fielder Hairston made an errant throw as Bumgarner crossed the plate with the eventual winning run in the seventh.

What’s next: The 4-7 Cubs will try to salvage a split of the series when Edwin Jackson takes the mound Sunday.

The Chicago Cubs could actually have a very productive bench in 2013. Final roster guys who will only get limited at-bats are never a sure bet, but considering the Cubs could employ up to two platoons (in right field and third base) it means the non-starter that day will be a little more ready than most teams who employ the same nine nearly every day.

So when Scott Hairston and Brent Lillibridge, for example, do pinch hit they should be expected to do more than the league average off the bench because they will be also getting at-bats as a starter. Hairston is more of a long-ball threat with nine home runs in 199 plate appearances as a pinch hitter, including three last season, but his overall average (.182) off the bench is nothing special.

Coming over from the American League, Lillibridge has had fewer opportunities for straight pinch-hitting duties. His value is in double switches and considering he played all positions on the diamond this spring save pitcher and catcher, Lillibridge will come in handy.

The real pop off the bench comes in the form of lefty Steve Clevenger and righty Dave Sappelt. “Mighty Mite” as Sappelt is known can pack a wallop against left-handed pitching. He’s a .345 hitter with a .410 on-base percentage against southpaws in his short career, but those numbers come way down against right-handed pitching.

Clevenger was a monster off the bench this spring. He hit everything in sight the final couple of weeks and he did a lot of it in dramatic fashion: in the seventh inning or later when the Cubs needed an RBI or a base-runner.

It’s unknown if back-up catcher Dioner Navarro can hit as he did this spring when he led the Cubs in RBIs (16) and was second with four home runs, but he’s the only real veteran catcher on the team so his value is there more than anywhere. By all accounts he calls a pretty good game.

3 KEYS TO SUCCESS

Lillibridge might see action in some form or another nearly every game. He’ll start some at third base and when coming off the bench -- if he can handle any of the outfield positions along with helping out when Starlin Castro or Darwin Barney need a breather -- his value rises even more. He has to play sound defense first and foremost and then anything he gives the Cubs at the plate is a bonus.

Sappelt is the next best option in centerfield if David DeJesus comes out of the game, but more important is what Sappelt means against left-handed pitching. The Cubs are a very left-handed team which means opposing managers will bring in their specialists to negate the advantage -- that’s when Sappelt comes in. And he’ll get his chances against righties too, so improvement against them is vital. But when he rakes against a lefty he can do some damage.

Hairston is flying under the radar right now as manager Dale Sveum insists Nate Schierholtz is going to mostly be the starter in right field, even against many left-handers. But what Hairston did last season can’t be overlooked. He hit 20 home runs in 377 at-bats. The Cubs need all the power they can get, so if Schierholtz is struggling Hairston might become a more prominent player.

MESA, Ariz. -- Let’s put a lid on the Chicago Cubs' 2013 spring training, their last at HoHoKam Park (which the Cubs have called their spring home since 1997) and the longest in history due to the World Baseball Classic.

There were some mundane days, but even for a team coming off 101 losses, there were plenty of storylines, players and moments of interest. Here’s the wrap-up:

Spring record: 16-18-1
Batting average leader (min. 20 at-bats): Brian Bogusevic, .410
HR leader: Alfonso Soriano, 5
RBI leader: Dioner Navarro, 16
ERA leader (min. 10 innings): Chris Rusin, 1.93

Most impressive veteran: It was close between David DeJesus and Starlin Castro; the latter missed two weeks but never missed a beat. DeJesus gets the nod simply because he was consistently good at the plate from day one to the end. He finally went a game without a hit because he got only one at-bat on the final day. Before that he was on fire, hitting in 14 straight and batting .364 in Cactus League play overall. And many of his outs were hit as hard as his hits.

Most impressive prospect: It’s closer than you might think between Jorge Soler and Javier Baez. Baez was simply better later in camp so that’s what people remember. Asking the experts, Soler is more refined at the plate and perhaps in the field as well -- but Baez has more flair. Soler did more of his damage in batting practice before games while Baez did it in games, so we’ll give the nod to him. The instincts in both players were impressive.

Best off-field moment: When Baez’s name “came up” a little too much in meetings, as one player put it, Cubs veterans decided to pull a fast one on him by dressing up his car with a major league logo and a large bumper sticker that said “Rookie on Board.” The 2011 first-round pick took it all in stride -– and had to drive with it on his car for a day.

Best on-field moment: Baez gets the nod here as well. His four home runs on seven pitches over two days broke up the monotony of camp and created a buzz. They were also rocket shots. Honorable mention goes to Jeff Samardzija, who hit two home runs in his first four at-bats of the spring.

Best quote: This goes to Dale Sveum, when he called a back-of-the-shoulder ailment to Junior Lake a “trapeze” injury. He was trying to say “trapezoid.” He was wrong there, too.

Strangest spring moment: It didn’t occur on the field, but a massive hailstorm that also brought snow caught everyone off guard. Samardzija was pelted while putting on the 12th hole, while players’ cars were covered in the wintry mess. The fields and grass parking lots the next day were soaked.

The Chicago Cubs' infield could be one of the better ones in the National League -- at least on defense.

Manager Dale Sveum truly believes that, and with a Gold Glove winner at second base in Darwin Barney and a two-time All-Star at shortstop in Starlin Castro, it would be hard to argue with him.

Anthony Rizzo is more than capable at first base and although Ian Stewart is a natural third baseman, his replacement for now, Luis Valbuena, showed last season he could play the position. Welington Castillo is the X factor as a first time starting catcher.

The questions come on offense. Can Barney be better? And will Rizzo do it for a full year as most expect? Castro remains the centerpiece. He has all the abilities to put together a breakout year and should be a bigger threat with his speed and power. Castillo has pop but hit under .200 in spring training.

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Chicago Cubs catcher Dioner Navarro discusses his spring training experience, the competition with fellow catcher Wellington Castillo, his defense and playing at Wrigley Field.

MESA, Ariz. -- New Chicago Cubs pitcher Kyuji Fujikawa struggled for the first time in spring training on Wednesday in a 2-0 loss to the Colorado Rockies. And that allowed manager Dale Sveum to take advantage of a new Major League Baseball rule which allows an interpreter to come to the mound with the manager or pitching coach during an inning.

After Fujikawa walked his second batter in the sixth inning, pitching coach Chris Bosio and Japanese interpreter Ryo Shinkawa, went to talk to him with catcher Dioner Navarro. Navarro said communication before Shinkawa appeared on the mound didn't go so well between catcher and pitcher.

"A little rough," Navarro said after the game. "It's part of spring training. We're trying to get on the same page."

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MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs will be counting on catcher Welington Castillo to anchor their pitching staff as he enters his first season as a starter.

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MESA, Ariz. -- With several Chicago Cubs already suffering injuries in camp (Matt Garza, Ian Stewart, Josh Vitters) and others working their way back from previous injuries (Scott Baker), if there is one player seemingly ready for the regular season -- and possibly a big one -- it’s pitcher Jeff Samardzija.

After nearly getting his head taken off by a line drive up the middle, Samardzija got through his two innings of work in his Cactus League debut against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday in good fashion, and he knew what worked for him.

“I think the fastball, splitter like we did today,” Samardzija said. “That’s a big combo for me. Speed ‘em up, slow ‘em down. Didn’t walk anyone, that’s exciting. And kept the ball on the ground.”

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MESA, Ariz. -- Saturday marks the official start of Chicago Cubs manager Dale Sveum’s annual spring training bunting tournament. Brackets were posted outside the locker room, with 61 players, a bullpen coach and a yet-to-be named 64th participant all vying to unseat David DeJesus as the reigning champion.

The 64th player in the tournament will come from a play-in bracket to be completed Saturday afternoon featuring nonplayer Cubs personnel and front-office types. The highlight of the play-in has team president Theo Epstein taking on general manager Jed Hoyer.

“I just hope no one gets hurt,” pitcher James Russell said Saturday morning of the play-in bracket.

Russell is just one of several participants –- all pitchers -– who aren’t exactly ready for the tournament.

“I haven’t picked up a bat this spring, so it’s going to be interesting,” he said. “It’s like riding a bike. You don’t forget how to do it.”

The bunting tournament is Sveum's brainchild and consists of a March Madness-type tournament in which participants are given points for a series of well-placed bunts. The winners move on.

“You know who’s going to win: the one with the most money on it,” new catcher Dioner Navarro said. “The rich get richer.”

Pitcher Casey Coleman faced DeJesus in the final last year and likes the outfielder’s chances of repeating.

“He does everything well, especially bunting,” Coleman said. “He’s got great bunt control.”

Coleman claims now that he’s become a reliever, he hasn’t been bunting as much as when he was starting, so he’s not picking himself to go far.

Neither is Russell, but he and Coleman said it's more about not losing to certain people than it is about winning.

“If you lose to [Anthony] Rizzo, that’s not good,” Coleman said.

Russell added: “It’s bad especially if you lose to a catcher.”

Navarro didn’t take to kindly to that remark.

“I can bunt. I can get the job done,” he said. “I can beat a pitcher.”

Not surprisingly, Matt Garza was very vocal on the subject of the bunting tournament, claiming he lost to Carlos Marmol on a “technicality.”

“I just want to get out of the second round,” Garza said. “I better not lose to Marmol again.”

After the play-in winner is determined Saturday, the 64-player bracket will begin early next week.

Jesse Rogers covers the Cubs for ESPN 1000 and ESPNChicago.com

MESA, Ariz. -- What about the catching?

Ok, it's not exactly what Harry Caray used to say but it applies to the Chicago Cubs in 2013. An under-discussed topic of the offseason will take center stage in spring training as the Cubs try to find a legitimate starting catcher.

Geovany Soto, traded to the Texas Rangers in July, is long gone which leaves the job to holdovers Welington Castillo and Steve Clevenger along with newcomer Dioner Navarro. Three catchers for two spots.

"Everybody wants to be here but not everyone is going to make the team," Castillo said on Wednesday.

Castillo is the odds-on favorite to start with Navarro backing him up, but nothing is certain.

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Jesse Rogers previews the Cubs by position in the days leading up to pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training on Sunday.

There was a hole behind the plate for the Chicago Cubs last season after Geovany Soto was traded to the Texas Rangers. Steve Clevenger and Welington Castillo saw time with Castillo emerging as a player deserving of further consideration. Here's a breakdown of what 2013 holds for the Cubs behind the plate:

Welington Castillo: The 25-year-old Castillo, who batted .265 with five home runs and 22 RBIs in 170 at-bats, will get a chance to prove he belongs in the majors as an everyday starter. He showed improvement late last season, batting .294 in August and September, and he had a .390 on-base percentage over the final full month of the season. That matched his percentage in the minors last year as Castillo's plate discipline showed the kind of improvement the Cubs must like. Castillo's issues will be calling a game, and he improved late in the year in that area as well. He has an above-average arm to go along with some pop in his bat. He gets first dibs on the starting position as long as he handles the pitching staff effectively.

Dioner Navarro: At 28, Navarro becomes the elder statesman for the Cubs behind the plate. He might mentor and help Castillo, but he'll also look to take his job. He appeared in just 24 games for the Cincinnati Reds last season, and he starts 2013 with his fourth team in four years. An All-Star with the Rays in 2008, Navarro's experience might come in handy as Castillo is still learning the ropes. Many within the Cubs have raved about Navarro's professionalism, including Matt Garza, who played with him in Tampa Bay. His switch-hitting ability can only be a plus coming off the bench.

Steve Clevenger: He is the odd man out right now but played in 69 games and had 199 at-bats for the Cubs last season. He'll get a recall if one of the top two catchers gets injured. But in the meantime Clevenger needs to improve at the plate. His .201 batting average, .260 on-base percentage and .276 slugging percentage isn't going to cut it at the big-league level.

OUTLOOK: It's hard to judge Castillo's upside. He showed flashes at the plate but to consider him a core player right now is a reach. Without a top prospect coming up at catcher, Castillo has a chance to keep the job for as long as he can. Catching may not start the season as a major strength for the Cubs, but Castillo could make it one before season's end. That would be quite the story with this being Castillo's eighth pro season with the organization after signing as a non-drafted free-agent. If Castillo doesn't pan out, the Cubs will turn to Navarro to keep the pitching staff together, and they'll take what they can at the plate.

ESPNChicago.com's Bruce Levine contributed to this report.