Morning Box Score: Padres Down Cubs

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Aug 17, 2010 1:00PM

The Cubs youth movement experienced some growing pains on Monday night. Despite a rally by the offense, a pair of young Cub relievers got knocked around a bit as the Padres downed the Cubs 9-5 at Wrigley Field. Tom Gorzelanny struggled, allowing five runs over 6.1 innings of work. The Cubs tried to mount a rally as Kosuke Fukudome had a two-run double in the bottom of the seventh and Blake DeWitt had a two-run homer in the eighth, but the rally fell short. It fell short because Andrew Cashner and James Russell each gave up two runs in relief for the Cubs. The spotlight bores brightest on Cashner who has struggled in his relief role this season, giving up 37 hits and 24 runs in only 32.2 innings pitched. Said Lou, "These young kids we have here pitching-wise, we give them the opportunity of a lifetime and none of them want to step up.You can't have better opportunities than what we've given these guys." Catcher Koyie Hill added, "It's just a learning experience. They're learning on the job a little bit and that's tough. [The Padres] are good, real good." The Cubs will try again to be better in game two of the four game set tonight (7:05 p.m., CSN).

Meanwhile, the White Sox get started tonight on a crucial three-game series against the Twins in Minnesota, sending John Danks to the mound in hopes of closing a three-game gap atop the AL Central (7:10 p.m., WCIU).