(Courtesy of The Sports Xchange) Despite not making any bullpen sessions since his first start of the season last week, Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood is expected to make his start Tuesday against Florida at Dolphin Stadium.

Wood, who made his first major league appearance of the season on Thursday after recovering from shoulder surgery, threw off flat ground Monday but didn't throw in the bullpen. He is said to have suffered more soreness than usual, but it's more of a general soreness.

"For now he's a go," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said Monday afternoon. "He's ready. The only thing that would prevent it is if he wakes up and doesn't feel right."

Wood gave up four runs -- including three home runs -- on five hits with no walks and six strikeouts in five innings in a loss to Washington.

REPLAY: The good feelings after beating the world champion White Sox on Sunday didn't last very long. The Cubs were whipped soundly by the struggling Marlins 9-1 on Monday night at Dolphin Stadium.

Left-hander Sean Marshall, who had allowed just one hit in six innings against Washington last week, was rocked for seven runs on seven hits and walked four in 3 1/3 innings. He fell to 3-2.

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NOTES

 --CF Juan Pierre made his return to Dolphin Stadium since getting traded to the Cubs during the offseason and had two hits in Monday night's loss to the Marlins.

--3B Aramis Ramirez is heating up. He collected his third homer in two games when he hit a solo shot against Florida on Monday night. He has a team-high nine home runs, but the rest of the offense is slumbering.

--LHP Sean Marshall continues to confound the Cubs. One game, he has near no-hit stuff. Another game he gets rocked. On Monday night, it was the latter, as he gave up seven runs in 3 1/3 innings against Florida. It's the third time this season he failed to go five innings and the second time in three starts. Yet he sandwiched those bad starts around a gem when he allowed no runs on one hit against Washington on May 17.

--RHP Wade Miller (shoulder surgery) threw 43 pitches in his first game against Rookie League players in Arizona on Monday. The club was told Miller felt good after the session, and he likely will pitch in another Rookie League game on Saturday.

--RHP Mark Prior (shoulder soreness) threw 45 pitches during a side session during extended spring training on Monday and is scheduled to pitch four innings against Rookie League players on Wednesday. The Cubs hope he can be built up to five innings before heading out for a rehab assignment.

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