The [New York] Evening World, May 17, 1912:Ty Cobb…has been indefinitely suspended by President Ban Johnson for jumping into the stands and handing a beating to a spectator at the New York ball park on Wednesday. Hughey Jennings, manager of the club, refused to make any statement regarding the case, but Tyrus said he thought he has been done a great injustice. [Cobb] made a bitter attack on President Ban Johnson for suspending him, and declared that if similar circumstances occurred again he would act in the same way. “No man with a right to the title would stand for the things I was called. They are unprintable, and if President Johnson would allow them to be used to him without knocking the man down who said them, he is not a man.” I like the part where Hughie Jennings declines comment. Reading the sports pages of 1912, it certainly seems as if Cobb made Ee-Yah’s life miserable. It’s not hard to imagine that Jennings was secretly relieved he wouldn’t have to deal with Ty for a while.

With the return of some players from injuries, the system took a turn for the better, going 8-2 to start the week. Peoria welcomed back Anthony Giansanti, as he played a big part in their three wins. Daytona had an off-day and a rainout, but won on Monday thanks to Austin Kirk. Junior Lake has reached base in all nine of his games since returning from injury, as Tennessee won two of three. And out on the west coast, Iowa received great hitting from Anthony Rizzo, as well as an outstanding pitching performance by Chris Rusin.

As Jack Brickhouse used to say ... for the happy totals come look in today's Down on the Farm Report.

On Thursday, the Phillies seek to sweep the two-game set with the Cubs and win their fifth straight to move over the even mark for the first time since Opening Day. Chicago counters with Chris Volstad, who seeks his first win since July 10.

Jaime Garcia matched his career high with nine strikeouts, David Freese hit a go-ahead solo home run in the seventh inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals gave manager Mike Matheny a victory against his old Giants team with a 4-1 win Wednesday night.

Jaime Garcia matched his career high with nine strikeouts, David Freese hit a go-ahead solo home run in the seventh inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals gave manager Mike Matheny a victory against his old Giants team with a 4-1 win Wednesday night.

Adam Jones homered with one out in the 15th inning, lifting the Baltimore Orioles to a 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.

Game Thirty-Seven - Cubs 2, Phillies 9
WP - Jose Contreras (1-0) LP - Shawn Camp (2-2) Save - None

Wednesday night's game between the Cubs and Phillies was tied at two going into the eighth inning. Matt Garza labored through a 6 2/3 inning start but allowed only two runs and kept his team in the game. Alfonso Soriano (1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI) drove in the Cubs' two runs with his second home run in as many games, a two-run line drive homer to left center in the fourth and gave the Cubs a brief 2-1 lead.

Carlos Ruiz broke the 2-2 tie with his seventh longball of the year with one out in the eighth off Shawn Camp ... then the Cubs' pen imploded in the ninth. The Phillies scored six runs in the ninth and turned a close ballgame into a blowout.

After the Phillies loaded the bases with no outs against the recently recalled Scott Maine, Michael Bowden gave up a two-run single to Ty Wigginton then a pinch-hit grand slam to Hector Luna.

Matt Garza admitted after the game that he is not back to full strength from his bout with the flu. Garza allowed two runs on eight hits with a walk and two strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. If not for two inning ending double plays turned in by the Cubs' defense, Garza's final line might have looked a lot different. Garza could not put hitters away early, coupled with his yips, he ran up his pitch count and left in the seventh after throwing 107 pitches, 70 for strikes.

While the Cubs' pen was horrible again, the offense was a no show on Wednesday night. There were only two highlights in nine innings ... a two-run home run by Alfonso Soriano in the fourth and a 14-pitch at bat by Bryan LaHair that preceded Soriano's second longball in as many games.

The Cubs managed just three hits and no walks Wednesday night. Phillies' pitching retired the last 17 batters they faced. The Cubs did not manage a single baserunner after Soriano's homer in the fourth.

Bryan LaHair (0-for-4 with a run scored) reached on an error by Juan Pierre and scored on Alfonso Soriano's home run but his streak of reaching base safely ended at 32 games.

With Wednesday's loss, the Cubs dropped to 15-22 on the season ...

Carlos Ruiz hit a tiebreaking home run with one out in the eighth off Shawn Camp, and Hector Luna came out of nowhere to add a pinch-hit grand slam in a six-run ninth off Michael Bowden, powering the Phillies to a 9-2 victory Wednesday over the Cubs.

Matt Garza had no problems throwing the ball over the plate. Throwing it to first was a little tricky. The Phillies’ Juan Pierre bunted on Garza in the first and he bounced the throw to first baseman Bryan LaHair for an error. Pierre bunted again in the third, and Garza again bounced the ball to LaHair. “The [...]

Yu Darvish pitched 7 2/3 strong innings and Adrian Beltre had a two-run homer to help the Texas Rangers beat the Oakland Athletics 4-1 on Wednesday night.

Garza gives up only 2 runs but bullpen allows 7 in 8th and 9th of Phillies 9-2 victory

Matt Garza walked off the mound with his glove covering his face Wednesday night, leaving his legion of lip readers guessing once again.

CHICAGO -- Once again the bullpen let the Chicago Cubs and starter Matt Garza down in a 9-2 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday. Garza left the game with two outs in the seventh inning, and James Russell closed out the inning. But Shawn Camp, making his 18th appearance in the Cubs’ 37th game, gave up a solo home run to Carlos Ruiz in the eighth, and Scott Maine and Michael Bowden combined to give up six runs in the ninth inning. The big blow was a grand slam by pinch-hitter Hector Luna off Bowden.

Jeremy Hellickson pitched six solid innings, Luke Scott had a tiebreaking sacrifice fly, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat Boston 2-1 on Wednesday night, snapping the Red Sox's five-game winning streak.

Jeremy Hellickson pitched six solid innings, Luke Scott had a tiebreaking sacrifice fly, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat Boston 2-1 on Wednesday night, snapping the Red Sox's five-game winning streak.

Ubaldo Jimenez overcame a shaky start to get the win and the Cleveland Indians pounded out a season-best five doubles to beat the Seattle Mariners 9-3 Wednesday night.

Cubs manager doesn't wear postgame emotions on sleeve

Perhaps the biggest difference between manager Dale Sveum and his three immediate predecessors — Dusty Baker, Lou Piniella and Mike Quade — is Sveum's postgame demeanor.

Ubaldo Jimenez overcame a shaky start to get the win and the Cleveland Indians pounded out a season-best five doubles to beat the Seattle Mariners 9-3 Wednesday night.

Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer and possibly saved two runs with a diving catch and the Miami Marlins beat the Braves 8-4 on Wednesday night, adding another win to their impressive May record.

CHICAGO -- Another outing removed from a nasty flu bug, Matt Garza looked to be back at full strength. The right-hander still wasn’t at his best, needing 107 pitches to get through 6 2/3 innings, but he continues to move in the right direction. “I’m just getting my legs back to where I need to be,” Garza said. “When I finish out the sevens, eights and nines (innings) I’ll get used to it. I’m not too worried about it.