Chicago Tribune: Cubs bats still snoozing in Arizona

The Cubs were on their way to a 9-2 loss to the Diamondbacks, their fifth in six games. Their National League Central lead, which was 5 1/2 games on July 12, is down to one over the Milwaukee Brewers, whom they will play four times next week in Milwaukee.
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Alfonso Soriano, who has missed six weeks with a broken bone in his left hand, is expected to be activated after a two-game rehabilitation assignment. Soriano played five innings in left field for Triple-A Iowa Tuesday night in Tucson, going 1-for-3 with an infield single.

“He probably needs more at-bats than what we’re giving him,’’ Piniella said. “It’s been a long time. But what do we do? Leave him here?’‘
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Asked if his hitters are pressing, Piniella said, “I don’t know why they should be; it’s only July. I don’t see why you should be pressing. We’re just not hitting with men on base. When the middle of your lineup is not driving in runs it becomes a little bit of a scuffle.”

Piniella, who said Jim Edmonds left the game with a sore knee, went out of his way to praise the recent hitting of Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot (who drove in a run with a fourth-inning triple off Petit) but left no doubt that Soriano has been badly missed.

Chicago Sun-Times: On road to oblivion?