CENTRAL
Chicago Cubs
After losing to the Cards 4-3 in the 12th Tuesday, Chicago fell to 3-15 in games decided by two runs or less. Manager Rick Renteria preferred to focus on the positive. “I’m more concerned if we didn’t fight back,” Renteria said. “The reality is we took the lead and they ended up going ahead on us, but we came back. I think the fact that we keep bouncing back is something.” … The Cubs’ 17 runs Monday were their most against the Cardinals since Sept. 21, 1974 in a 19-4 win.
Milwaukee Brewers
OF Carlos Gomez and Pirates OF Travis Snider, who exchanged shoves during last month’s brawl, ran into each other at a Milwaukee steakhouse during each team’s off day Monday. “We shook hands, he gave me a hug and everything is cool. There (are) no hard feelings,” Gomez said. … Aramis Ramirez (strained left hamstring) was placed on the DL. Neither manager Ron Roenicke nor Ramirez know how long it might take for the veteran third baseman to get over his pulled hamstring, the first such injury of Ramirez’s 16-year career.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Gerrit Cole, the young right-hander with the 100 mph fastball, continues to impress manager Clint Hurdle. “He stays in control of what he can stay in control of,” Hurdle said. “Even when he might miss his location or do what he planned to get done, he’s just got to move on and he’s shown a lot of progress in that area.” Cole is in his second season in the majors.
St. Louis Cardinals
Outfielder Joey Butler called up from Triple-A to beef up bench, ending the brief Randal Grichuk experiment. … The team attempted to bolster their pitching staff by recalling left-hander Sam Freeman and right-hander Jorge Rondon from Triple-A Memphis. Freeman, 26, has spent parts of the last two seasons with the Cardinals, appearing in 37 games (1-2, 4.18 ERA). He was 0-1 with a 3.78 ERA (16 2-3 innings) in 13 games for Memphis, though he had allowed just two earned runs over his last 10 appearances. Rondon, also 26, will be looking to make his Major League debut after spending the past eight seasons in the minors. He was 1-0 with a 2.51 ERA (14 1-3 innings) in 11 games at Memphis.
Cincinnati Reds
RHP Mat Latos recently threw a bullpen session, the next step in his comeback from a flexor mass strain in his right elbow that has kept him out all season. Latos had surgery to remove bone chips from the elbow shortly after the 2013 season and needed surgery on February 14 to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. He has won 14 games in each of his first two seasons with Cincinnati.
Compiled by Rick Crotts from wire reports.
