Three More to Chicago

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today recalled left-handed pitcher Carmen Pignatiello from Triple-A Iowa and selected right-handed pitcher Kevin Hart and outfielder Sam Fuld from Double-A Tennessee. In addition, infielder/outfielder Eric Patterson was optioned to Double-A Tennessee following yesterday’s game.

Pignatiello, Hart (Watch Video) – who will wear uniform No. 57 – and Fuld (Watch Video) – No. 55 – will be available for tonight’s 7:05 p.m. CT contest vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hart and Fuld are looking to make their major league debuts.

Pignatiello, who turns 25 on September 12, begins his second stint with the big league club, having appeared in three games with Chicago from August 14-28 including his major league debut August 16 vs. Cincinnati. A 2000 graduate of Providence Catholic High School in New Lenox, Ill., Pignatiello has gone 2-0 with four saves, a 2.43 ERA (15 ER/55.2 IP), 18 walks and 50 strikeouts in 50 relief appearances between Double-A Tennessee and Iowa this season. With the I-Cubs, he has limited left-handed hitters to a .173 batting average (14-for-81).

Hart, 24, is 10-1 with a 2.80 ERA (33 ER/106.0 IP) with 34 walks and 86 strikeouts over his last 17 games (16 starts) between Tennessee and Iowa dating to June 3. Obtained by Chicago in exchange for outfielder Freddie Bynum December 6, 2006, Hart has gone 12-6 with a 3.99 ERA (70 ER/158.0 IP) in 27 games (25 starts) this season, striking out 131 compared to 50 walks. In 2006, Hart led the Carolina League with 148.1 innings pitched with Single-A Frederick.

Fuld, 25, has batted .287 (111-for-387) with a .376 on-base percentage and 50 walks compared to just 43 strikeouts in 104 games between Tennessee and Iowa this season. Selected by the Cubs in the 10th round of the 2004 Draft, the left-handed hitter batted .365 (31-for-85) with a .432 on-base percentage and 13 RBI in 23 games for Tennessee in June. In 2006 with Single-A Daytona, Fuld was named to the Florida State League midseason All-Star squad.

Patterson (Watch Video), 24, was recently named the second baseman on the All-PCL Team, having batted .297 (153-for-516) with 28 doubles, 14 homers and 65 RBI for Iowa this season. In two stints with Chicago, he has batted .250 (2-for-8) with a double in eight contests. The left-handed batter picked up his first career hit August 7 at Houston off Woody Williams. Patterson was originally selected by the Cubs in the eighth round of the 2004 Draft.