Mark Grace homered his first time up Tuesday night, giving him six hits in his last nine at-bats. But Grace, who came into the game with a .272 batting average, said he isn`t swinging any differently than he was when manager Don Zimmer benched him Saturday night.
”It feels the same as it`s always felt,” he said. ”The balls are finding holes is all that`s happening.”
Grace was back in the No. 3 spot in the batting order against Pittsburgh right-hander Walt Terrell.
Hector Villanueva was back on the bench with Grace in the lineup. But Zimmer is looking for ways to get Villanueva`s bat into the order, so he might catch him soon.
”Dick (Pole, the pitching coach) asked a couple of our young pitchers who pitched to him (in the minors) and they said he did OK,” Zimmer said.
Villanueva came into Tuesday with two homers and a single in 11 at-bats.
Starting over: Look for Steve Wilson to start Sunday against Philadelphia in Wrigley Field. He pretty much assured his re-entry into the starting rotation by allowing just one run on two hits in six innings of relief in Tuesday night`s loss to Pittsburgh.
Wilson knows better than to expect to be named the starter. ”Zim`s going to probably just play it by ear,” he said. Zimmer didn`t name Tuesday`s starter, Paul Assenmacher, until after Monday`s game.
Flying feet: Andre Dawson has started 14 of 15 games on artificial turf this season. Dawson is 6 for 7 in stolen base attempts.
Harkey on schedule: Mike Harkey`s on schedule to come off the disabled June 12 when the Cubs face the New York Mets in Wrigley Field.
Coffman derailed: Kevin Coffman, one of the Cubs` top pitching prospects, lost his second game Monday night in Double-A Charlotte. Coffman (5-2) gave up seven hits and three earned runs in a complete-game loss to Knoxville. Cub farm teams are a combined 112-114 (.496).
