Cubs
Manager Rick Renteria is encouraged by left-handed reliever Kyuji Fujikawa’s rehab assignment in Triple-A Iowa. “I can say that he’s responding well after his outings,” Renteria said. “We’ll continue to monitor and see where he’s at. All indications, I can say that he’s doing fine.” Fujikawa, 34, underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2013. … As part of the 100th anniversary celebration of Wrigley Field, the Cardinals and Cubs wore replica uniforms from 1978. The Cardinals uniforms were only slightly different than ones from today (no belts and pullover jerseys being the main change), but the Cubs wore powder blue pinstripes, which were the road uniforms then.
Brewers
Minor league 3B Nick Delmonico was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for an amphetamine. Delmonico, 20, was playing for Class A Brevard County of the Florida State League. He was hitting .262 with four home runs and 15 RBIs. … Class-A pitcher Jorge Lopez’s son, Mikael, is waiting for an intestinal transplant. The 13-month-old boy, who has been sick since birth, was recently diagnosed with an unknown autoimmune disease.
Cardinals
Manager Mike Matheny, a former catcher, on former Cubs great Greg Maddux: “I would have enjoyed catching him, for sure. I would have enjoyed trying to understand how he thought about the game. The things I saw him do. I remember one time here, he put one right down the middle. ‘Hit it as hard as you want because the wind was screaming in.’ I smashed it as hard as I could smash it, and it went nowhere. He just gave a grin.”
Pirates
His left oblique no longer a painful obstacle, Francisco Liriano is starting to look like the dominant pitcher he was in 2013. With the Pirates in the thick of the race in the NL Central, the timing couldn’t be better. Liriano struck out a season-high 11 in seven innings to win consecutive starts for the first time this season as the Pirates beat the Giants on Tuesday. “I was just trying to hit my spots, make some good pitches,” said Liriano, who last won consecutive starts nearly a year ago. “Everything’s getting better pitching-wise and I’m getting ahead with the fastball.”
Reds
RHP Logan Ondrusek resumed throwing. He’s been on the 15-day DL since July 22 with a sore pitching shoulder. … Manager Bryan Price said LHP Manny Parra hasn’t pitched since July 20 because he’s had a stiff back. … Reliever Curtis Partch was called up from Triple-A Louisville to take RF Jay Bruce’s spot while he’s on bereavement leave.
Compiled by Rick Crotts from wire reports.
