(Courtesy of The Sports Xchange) Mark Prior was hoping to come back this season -- even as a reliever if possible -- but indications are that it's a long shot.

The Cubs are going to have a little less time to see their apparent 2007 starting shortstop. They placed Cesar Izturis on the disabled list today with a strained right hamstring. Ronny Cedeno will take back over at shortstop and the Cubs have recalled OF/IF Buck Coats from triple-A Iowa to take Izturis's place on the roster. Coats has hit .277/.336/.366 for Iowa this year.

Meanwhile, Ryan O'Malley, the starting pitcher in tonight's game, left in the 5th inning after recording the first two outs. His injury is currently unknown. Glendon Rusch replaced him and allowed 3 runs in 0.2 innings.

Izturis has hit just .233/.292/.267 since coming over from the Dodgers on July 31.

I'm not sure this is what Jim Hendry envisioned when he was calling triple-A manager Mike Quade at midnight last night asking him who he could send to Houston real quick to start today's game. The answer was Ryan O'Malley. The Cubs' exciting 18-inning win last night (I stayed up, did you?) included the use of today's scheduled starter, Rich Hill, for the final two innings. Angel Guzman also threw three innings. In an attempt to avoid using Hill, Dusty Baker also used Ryan Dempster -- pitching for the third straight day -- for three innings. (Astros manager Phil Garner used poor Dave Borkowski (longest outing of the year: four innings) for six innnigs.)

Scott Eyre, who strained his right hamstring in last night's game, was placed on the 15-day DL to make room for O'Malley.

"The Chicago Cubs placed Mark Prior on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with shoulder tendinitis, a move that could mean an end to the right-hander's season," reports the AP. His Friday MRI revealed rotator cuff tendinitis, which appears to be the same problem Prior had at the beginning of the season. "The Cubs want Prior to rest for three weeks before throwing again, which could mean the end of his season if he doesn't have time to make enough rehab starts before rejoining the Cubs."

The Cubs could soon be down to Carlos Zambrano and four rookies in the starting rotation. "Instead of flying with the Cubs from Milwaukee to Denver, the club sent [Mark Prior] to Chicago to have team physician Stephen Gryzlo examine his shoulder," reports the Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan. One of those rookies will be Juan Guzman, who will be recalled to start Saturday's game, reports MLB.com's Tony DeMarco.