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  Friday, Jul. 21 3:20pm ET
Cubs take advantage of Brewers' wildness
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

CHICAGO (AP) -- Kerry Wood is making progress, even without a 100-mph fastball. It's just taking longer than he'd like.

Wood put together consecutive victories for the first time this season, pitching the Chicago Cubs to a 4-2 victory Friday over the Milwaukee Brewers.

Kerry Wood
Wood

"He's going to get better," Cubs manager Don Baylor said of Wood, who is coming back from elbow surgery. "But we have to wait until next year. We're all anxious that he's going to go out and strike out 15. It might happen."

Mark Grace had a go-ahead RBI single in the third inning to spark the Cubs, who won for the eighth time in 11 games.

Wood (5-6), who beat Kansas City July 16 in his last start, gave up two runs on four hits and five walks over six innings, striking out four. The right-hander has worked at least six innings in 10 of his 14 starts.

"I really didn't feel like I was in sync," said Wood, who relied on his fastball and changeup but struggled with his breaking pitches.

"I've got to get into a rhythm. The last two starts, I haven't felt real comfortable as far as location and everything like that," Wood said.

Rick Aguilera pitched the ninth for his 20th save in 27 chances.

John Snyder (3-5) took the loss and dropped to 0-3 in four July starts. He gave up two runs on five hits and six walks over 4 2/3 innings, striking out three.

"Terrible. That's the operative word," Milwaukee manager Davey Lopes said of Snyder. "You can't throw strikes and you can't hold runners on. It's not a very good situation to be putting yourself into.

"It's become frustrating for everybody, especially the individuals," Lopes said. "But they have one job and it's to throw strikes or get the balls in the hitting areas where the batters think it's a strike. If you can't do that, you're going to run out of options in this league."

Snyder's six walks raised the team's major league-leading total to 484.

"I battled today," Snyder said. "The All-Star break killed me. My release point is off. I've got to stop walking guys. Even when I get two outs, I walked guys."

Ron Belliard and Marquis Grissom singled with two out in the Milwaukee third, giving the Brewers runners at first and third. Then Wood dropped the ball on the mound and was called for a balk, allowing Belliard to score for a 1-0 Brewers lead.

The Cubs answered in the third. With two out, Jeff Huson walked, stole second and scored on Ricky Gutierrez's single. Grace then doubled to score Gutierrez and make it 2-1.

Jeff Reed and Huson each had RBI singles in the fourth, putting Chicago up 4-1.

Snyder and Belliard opened the Milwaukee fifth with walks and one out later, Snyder scored on Geoff Jenkins' single.

Game notes
After the game, the Cubs traded OF Glenallen Hill to the New York Yankees for two minor league pitchers. INF Chad Meyers was recalled from Triple-A Iowa to take Hill's roster spot. ... Cubs 2B Eric Young was a late scratch from the starting lineup. He was examined by an eye doctor and was unable to see at game time because of eye drops. He did pinch-hit in the sixth. Huson started at second for the fourth time this season and led off. ... Sammy Sosa singled in the seventh to extend his hitting streak to 14 games, a Cubs season high. ... Snyder was making his second start in Chicago this week. He also started Sunday at Comiskey Park in an interleague game against the White Sox.

 


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