Cubs 12, Padres 3

It was a chilly Monday night at Wrigley Field. And, as pitcher Randy Wolf pointed out, things snowballed in the cold air.

Wolf gave runs right back after getting a fifth-inning lead. Padres pitchers issued nine walks. The defense made a mental error in the sixth inning as Adrian Gonzalez vacated first base, thinking the third out had been recorded on a force out at third base. It hadn't, and Kevin Kouzmanoff's subsequent throw to first found no glove waiting.

Never good to take another L, but it was a real shame to let the game get out of hand when there were two truly good things going on.

First, Jody Gerut had a breakout game, signaling that his comeback from multiple knee surgeries just might take. He hit his first Major League home run, a no doubter onto Sheffield Avenue, and reached base in four of his five plate appearances.

Second, Edgar Gonzalez got his first Major League hit -- and RBI -- with his brother Adrian there to see it. After nine minor league seasons, Gonzalez joined the Padres on Monday for his first Big League appearance and entered the game in a sixth-inning double switch. His seventh-inning single up the middle off Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano drove in Scott Hairston.

The Gonzalezes are the fourth pair of brothers to play with the Padres at the same time. Here's the list:

Sandy and Roberto Alomar, 1988-89
Tony and Chris Gwynn, 1999
Brian and Marcus Giles, 2007
Edgar and Adrian Gonzalez, 2008

FJ