Cubs Notes: Soriano moves to 6th
CHICAGO – A new spot in the batting order did little to help Alfonso Soriano on Saturday.
Soriano went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts from the No. 6 spot in the lineup, where he moved after a prolonged slump as the Cubs leadoff hitter. He also grounded out with the bases loaded to end the first inning, which prompted loud boos his direction for a second consecutive game.
Cubs manager Lou Piniella said he would continue to start Soriano low in the lineup.
“Let’s not look at this thing every at-bat or every one game,” Piniella said. “Let’s just sit back and watch it a little bit and see what happens. I think that’s only fair to everybody.”
Piniella suggested to hitting coach Von Joshua that Soriano change his batting stance by moving his feet closer together and placing more weight on his back leg. Piniella planned to study Soriano’s stance more today by watching film of recent at-bats.
“Anything can help,” Soriano said. “I’m really struggling at home plate, so I don’t know what I have to do but keep fighting.”
Kosuke Fukudome led off Saturday and went 1-for-4.
Deep trouble: Rich Harden has allowed 15 home runs this season after allowing 11 in all of 2008.
Harden, 27, allowed two long balls Saturday in a career-low, two-inning performance. He has allowed two home runs in a start 10 times in his career, including four times this season.
Piniella downplayed questions about whether Harden’s poor outing was part of a bigger problem. Harden has allowed 19 earned runs in his last 19 innings at Wrigley Field, inflating his ERA to 5.35.
“He pitched a heck of a ballgame the last time out,” Piniella said. “I thought he had as good of stuff [Monday] in Pittsburgh as I’ve seen all year. Today, they jumped him early.”
Familiar face: Former Cubs farmhand Casey McGehee enjoyed the best game of his major league career with four hits and five RBIs Saturday.
McGehee, who played in nine games with the Cubs last September, fell a double short of hitting for the cycle. He said he did not think of his success as any sort of payback for the team that let him go.
“It would have been just as enjoyable no matter who it was against,” McGehee said.
Extra innings: Micah Hoffpauir is hitting .176 in his past 30 games after hitting .314 in his first 28 games. … Brewers slugger Ryan Braun extended his hitting streak to 11 games, which tied his career high. … The Cubs have hit 131 home runs and surrendered 132 home runs on July 4, both franchise records for a calendar date.