Cubs Lose 3-1, Swept By Astros
CHICAGO (AP) Brett Myers allowed one run over six innings, Michael Bourn hit a go-ahead two-run single in the seventh and the Houston Astros beat the Chicago Cubs 3-1 on Wednesday to finish off a three-game sweep.
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Myers (2-4) won his sixth straight decision against the Cubs, improving to 12-3 with a 2.12 ERA in his career against the Astros' NL Central rivals.
Doug Davis (0-4) matched Myers for six innings, but was responsible for the decisive runs when reliever Sean Marshall gave up Bourn's single with two outs in the seventh. Davis allowed nine hits and struck out five in 6 1-3 innings, his longest outing since April 24 last season.
Davis fell to 3-12 in his career against the Astros.
Jason Michaels hit a solo homer and Bourn, Clint Barmes, Carlos Lee and Jeff Keppinger had two hits apiece for the Astros. Bourn stole two bases, increasing his NL-leading total to 22.
Pitching for the third straight day, Astros closer Mark Melancon worked around a leadoff walk in the ninth for his fourth save in six chances.
Kosuke Fukudome homered to lead off the game for Chicago, but that was all the offense the Cubs could muster. The Cubs had just three hits on the day.
Keppinger started Houston's seventh-inning rally with a single, and Chris Johnson hit a hard grounder down the third-base line. Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez dove for the ball, which appeared to take a bad hop and strike him in the mouth area. He remained on the ground while shortstop Starlin Castro retrieved the ball.
Ramirez was replaced by rookie D.J. LeMahieu and, as part of a double switch by Cubs manager Mike Quade, Davis was removed for reliever Kerry Wood. The Cubs announced that Ramirez suffered lip lacerations that required stitches.
Wood walked J.R. Towles, loading the bases, but struck out pinch hitter Angel Sanchez. Quade summoned the lefty Marshall to face Bourn, who singled to right and gave Houston a 3-1 lead.
The Astros weren't getting much against Davis, who entered the game with a 6.75 ERA and hadn't gone longer than five innings in any of his three starts this season. Barmes singled in the first, but was erased on a double play.
In the fourth, Lee reached on a bloop single when Cubs left-fielder Blake DeWitt, a career infielder, broke back on the ball. Davis picked Lee off of first base to eliminate the threat.
After Fukudome's leadoff homer, Myers settled down to retire 10 of the next 11 Cubs batters, allowing only Ramirez's single in the second.
The Cubs threatened in the fifth, with DeWitt singling to lead off and Tyler Colvin drawing a one-out walk. After Davis bunted both runners over, Fukudome flew out to end the inning.
Houston's Hunter Pence extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a two-out single in the sixth. That pushed Barmes to third, but Davis struck out Lee to escape any damage.
NOTES: Cubs OF Marlon Byrd appeared at Wrigley Field before the game. He sustained multiple facial fractures when he was beaned against the Red Sox on May 21. Quade says there is still no timetable on a possible return. ... The Cubs' Carlos Zambrano made highlight shows by breaking his bat over his knee after striking out in Chicago's 7-3 loss to Houston on Tuesday. Before Wednesday's game, Quade said, "I told him that the next time you're frustrated, just come up an whack me on the side the head. We can survive if I'm injured, but we don't need him to be hurting himself." ... The Cubs' Matt Garza (right elbow) threw a side session Wednesday, will throw another in St. Louis this weekend and could rejoin the rotation next week in Cincinnati. ... Astros rookie Jordan Lyles's first big league start on Tuesday night got a little worse on Wednesday. The unearned run he was charged with was changed to earned by the official scorer. Lyles allowed two runs in 7-plus innings. ... Astros manager Brad Mills said OF Jason Bourgeois (strained left oblique) will join Triple-A Oklahoma City to continue his rehab this weekend. ... The Astros' Brandon Lyon (right rotator cuff) will throw a simulated game Thursday in San Diego.
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