Grabow Figures to Be a Good Fit for Cubs

The Cubs had been looking for a left-handed reliever to go along with Sean Marshall, and they got their man Thursday.

GM Jim Hendry obtained John Grabow from the Pirates in a five-player deal. The Cubs also get starter Tom Gorzelanny in exchange for Kevin Hart, minor league pitcher Jose Ascanio and minor league infielder Josh Harrison.

"We've been talking about John Grabow for a while," said Hendry, adding that the Cubs have gotten good scouting reports on Gorzelanny, who has spent much of this year at Class AAA Indianapolis. He'll join the Cubs' Class AAA Iowa club.

Grabow, 30, was 3-0 with a 3.42 ERA in 45 games for the Pirates this season. Left-handers have hit .275 against and right-handers have batted .234. Hendry said that was not a concern. Grabow will join the Cubs for Friday's game at Florida.

Hart had won three straight starts for the Cubs, including Thursday, when he beat the Astros 12-3. He had been filling the rotation spot of Ted Lilly, who is on the disabled list. The Cubs will need a starter Tuesday.

They indicated it would not be Marshall, who opened the season in the rotation but who been effective out of the bullpen most of the year. It's possible Gorzelanny could come up and make the start.

CUBS 12, ASTROS 3: The Cubs scored four runs in the second inning and five in the third. Kosuke Fukudome was 3-for-3 with four RBIs, and Ryan Theriot also drove in four. Jake Fox and Milton Bradley hit back-to-back homers in the third. Hart worked six innings, giving up three runs.

NOTES

--Fukudome drove in four runs for the third time in his career Thursday. He is batting .356 (21-for-59) as a leadoff hitter. "He's on his game," said manager Lou Piniella. Fukudome is batting .274 with a .386 on-base percentage.

--picked up his 19th double Thursday. That matched his season total from last year. He hit 30 doubles in 2007. With 41 RBIs, he is four shy of his single-season best, set in 2007.

--INF Andres Blanco hit his first major league home run Wednesday, a solo shot in the eighth inning. That was followed immediately by the first big-league triple by 1B Micah Hoffpauir, who entered the game in the top of the inning.

--OF Reed Johnson was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a fracture in his right foot. It appears Johnson will be out for one month, but he and the Cubs expressed optimism he could return in two to three weeks. Johnson fouled a ball off his foot Wednesday. He said that he has pain in the arch, although the break is at the top of the foot.

--RHP Jeff Stevens was recalled from Class AAA Iowa. The Cubs optioned him to Iowa on Wednesday, but because of an injury to OF Reed Johnson, they were able to bring him back. Stevens has worked in five games for the Cubs this year, giving up two hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings.

--RHP Mitch Atkins was optioned to Class AAA Iowa. The Cubs plan to recall OF Sam Fuld from Iowa before Friday's game in Florida. Fuld has been up with the Cubs this season, and he will take injured Johnson's spot in the outfield. Atkins worked one scoreless inning Wednesday and another Thursday.