Last night was yet another game I had to shut off in the fourth inning -- not because I didn't want to watch, but because if I stay up that late, I won't be able to function at work -- and I had a feeling that the Cubs wouldn't be able to come back, even from only being down 1-0, just as the night before I was confident they'd keep their lead.

Right again, unfortunately, and you can't really complain too much about the Cubs' 2-1 loss to the Giants. Oh, sure, you could say that Geovany Soto shouldn't have thrown through in the first inning when the Giants perfectly executed a double steal, leading to their first (and ultimately, decisive) run scored by Fred Lewis, but the bottom line is that the Cubs got beat by a pretty good pitcher who had a dominant game last night.

Seeing Matt Cain mow Cubs down makes me wonder why he's only 5-6; poor run support must be most of the reason, but last night Cain was almost unhittable. With the score 2-0 in the 7th, Jim Edmonds tried to give the Cubs the lead with what looked like it might be a HR, but Aaron Rowand snuffed that with a good catch, and then in the 8th, Jose Castillo -- who the Giants "settled" for to play 3B after they couldn't make a deal for the White Sox' Joe Crede -- made a nifty diving stop of a Mark DeRosa grounder that seemed headed to left field, ending that inning.

So by the time Giants closer Brian Wilson -- figures, a California team would have a closer with the same name as a member of the Beach Boys -- came in and gave the Cubs a consolation run when Derrek Lee led off with a triple and was singled in by Soto, it was too late. Wilson struck out Ryan Theriot to end the game, thus wasting one of Jason Marquis' better efforts of the year -- seven innings, four hits and two runs allowed. Fortunately, the Mets decided to actually win last night against the Cardinals, so for the second day in a row, there was no change in the Cubs' 2.5 game lead in the NL Central, and they maintain the best record in the National League. Yeah, I know: apart from the Cardinals and Brewers, that isn't saying much; the Giants "improved" to ten games under .500 at 37-47, and at five games out of first place they may still be in playoff contention in the NL West, a joke of a division with Arizona leading with a .500 record.

What I was most interested in reading this morning was Gordon Wittenmyer's notes column in the Sun-Times, detailing this upcoming lineup change for when Alfonso Soriano returns:

When Soriano returns to the Cubs' leadoff spot, manager Lou Piniella said he plans to use Kosuke Fukudome in the 2-hole against right-handed pitchers, with Jim Edmonds batting in Fukudome's old No. 5 spot.

That would put Ryan Theriot at No. 8 in those lineups and possibly batting in his accustomed No. 2 spot against some lefties, with Geovany Soto or Mark DeRosa considerations for the 5 spot.

All subject to change.

Let's hear it for Lou, who appears to have finally figured out the best slot for Fukudome -- second. The same column says that Soriano may be cleared to start taking BP this weekend. If that holds and goes well, my guess is that he'll be sent on a short (maybe 3 days) rehab assignment and possibly be ready to play against the Giants at Wrigley Field starting on July 11.

Finally, Tim, who is one of the LF bleacher season ticket holders, sent me this YouTube link, a home video shot of the fight in section 536 at the Cell on Saturday:

Doesn't sound like the brawling in the stands at Saturday's Cubs-White Sox game had much to do with Cubs against the Sox.

According to Tom Lamb, head of security at U.S. Cellular Field, the Sox don't know what precipitated the brawl, but apparently some money fell out of the purse of a woman, and another fan picked it up and refused to give it back. That led to several fans punching the alleged offender. Video of the action showed a Cubs fan joining in on the same side as some White Sox fans.

The man, Brian Nolan of Woodridge, was charged with theft and taken to district headquarters at 35th and Lowe Avenue and then to the First District lockup, according to a police source. He was released Saturday night on an I-bond.

"He got thumped pretty good," Lamb said. "He did admit that he picked up the money that fell out of the purse, and said he didn't have to give it back."

Rivalries... ain't they great? Let's get those Giants tonight.

That was what BCB reader San Diego Smooth Jazz Man text-messaged me right after the Cubs' 7-6 win over the Padres, their eighth in a row, ended last night just after midnight Central time.

This was far too late for me; I made it through four innings and then went to sleep. (In fact, I can't believe the phone beep from the text message didn't wake me up, as the phone was right next to me -- I really must have been out cold.)

In any case, yes, Carlos Marmol, showing signs of overwork, gave up a three-run homer to Adrian Gonzalez (raising the question: why wasn't Scott Eyre or Neal Cotts in the game in the 9th, instead of your premier setup man), making what appeared to be an easy win into a close game and forcing Lou to summon Kerry Wood to save the game for the fifth time during this winning streak. Wood's 15 saves now rank second in the National League, tied with Jose Valverde of Houston, one behind Brian Wilson of the Giants. This has prompted Lou to again bring up the idea of a 13th pitcher on the staff.

To which I say: don't do it, Lou. Yes, starters need to go consistently deeper into games, and we all knew Z wasn't going to do that last night after his 130-pitch outing last Wednesday, and especially, Paul Sullivan writes, after his histrionics early in last night's game:

After the Cubs scored on a wild pitch in the second, Zambrano got two quick outs before walking Jody Gerut. He leaped off the mound like Pete Townshend at a Who concert, prompting Piniella to make his first visit of the night.

Zambrano calmed down, relatively speaking. When he tripled to the gap in right-center in the fourth, tying the game at 3-3 with his first triple since 2005, Zambrano chugged into third, pumped his first and let out a primal scream.

Bringing another pitching body on board would likely mean either Mike Fontenot or Micah Hoffpauir would be sent to Iowa (Gordon Wittenmyer says it'd be Hoffpauir), leaving the bench as: Henry Blanco, whoever isn't playing CF (Jim Edmonds or Reed Johnson), Ronny Cedeno and the one of Hoffpauir or Fontenot who isn't sent down. That just isn't a deep enough bench, especially with the number of comeback wins and extra-inning games this team has played.

The rant and complaint department is now closed. How can you complain about yet another comeback win? Z got hit hard in the first inning but shut the Padres down after that, and so did the bullpen until Marmol in the 9th. Z also had his second game of the year in which he's had three or more hits; he is now hitting .366 with a .537 SLG and an OPS+ of 130. Just for comparison's sake, since Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941, the most at-bats by anyone who hit .400 or more in a season is 134, by Bob "Hurricane" Hazle for the 1957 Milwaukee Braves. Z has an outside shot at being a .400 hitter with maybe 100 at-bats (he now has 41). And this in a year when the same Braves' Chipper Jones enters today hitting .407.

And... those of us who said Jim Edmonds was D-O-N-E... well, we just might be wrong. Edmonds had two more doubles yesterday and is now hitting .286/.324/.543 in 12 games with 7 RBI. This would make him a more-than-acceptable platoon partner with Reed Johnson. With a lefthander (Wil Ledezma) going tonight, it's likely Edmonds will sit, and Lou also says he's giving Kosuke Fukudome the day off to spend with his wife and baby son, just arrived in the USA from Japan. So expect Johnson in CF, Mark DeRosa in RF, and Ronny Cedeno at 2B, an all-right-handed lineup tonight.

About streaks... the only winning streaks the Cubs have had since 1945 (when they won 11 in a row from July 1-12) that are longer than eight games were a 10-gamer from April 14-27, 1970, and a 12-gamer from May 19-June 2, 2001.

Let's add to that list tonight. Onward in this exceptional baseball season.