Struck by comebacker, Miley still shuts down Cubs
PHOENIX -- Wade Miley did not let a one-hopper off his right knee keep him from enjoying another strong outing Thursday.
Miley, momentarily hobbled after being struck by a Welington Castillo shot in the second inning, gave up one run in 7 2/3 innings, and Aaron Hill homered, doubled and drove in two runs in Arizona's 3-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.
"It was hurting, but I wasn't going to come out," said Miley, who paced in the dugout between innings to prevent stiffness. "If you sit down, it might tighten up, and I was trying to avoid that. It felt good, and I just kept going.
"You got adrenaline. You don't really feel it too much out there."
Miley (7-8) gave up five hits, walked three and struck out four while winning for the third time in his last four starts. He has a 1.89 ERA in his past five starts.
"I think after he threw more, he started to get more comfortable with (the ailing knee)," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "It subsided a little bit. It is going to be pretty sore. Big effort tonight."
Hill doubled home a run in the first inning and homered in the fifth to give Arizona a 3-0 lead in his return to the lineup after being given two starts off.
"You still do your work, and hopefully it works out the next day you are in there," said Hill, who missed eight weeks with a broken hand earlier in the season.
J.J. Putz took over for Miley with a runner on third and two outs in the eighth and struck out his only batter. Brad Ziegler pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save, his second since taking over the closer's role after the All-Star break.
"That's the way you draw them up sometimes, and it worked out for us tonight," Gibson said.
Chicago's Nate Schierholtz had two hits, including a double to open the ninth inning when umpires ruled fan interference on a play on which a spectator reached over the center field fence to catch the ball in his hat. Schierholtz did not advance.
Wil Nieves had two hits and scored a run for Arizona (53-49), which had lost five of its previous seven games.
Carlos Villanueva (2-7) allowed three runs in five innings for the Cubs. Chicago (45-55) has lost four of its past six.
Castillo had two hits of the Cubs' six hits and drove in their only run with a two-out double in the seventh inning.
Cubs outfielder Junior Lake had a bunt single, giving him 15 hits in his first seven games since being recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Friday.
"We just couldn't get anything going or get that big hit," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said.
NOTES: Alfonso Soriano was scratched from the starting lineup after Sveum called a deal that would send the Cubs left fielder to the New York Yankees "99 percent done," and Soriano said goodbye to his teammates in the clubhouse before the game. "It is emotional for all of us," Sveum said. "You don't usually gather teams together that often when you get traded to say your goodbyes. That just shows you what kind of person he is. The only person I could compare him to is Robin Yount. His work ethic, he cares to win, prepares every day, prepares to make him a better player." Soriano said paperwork is all that needs to be finalized. "I am happy and I think they are happy, too, because they are getting something back and I am happy going back to New York where I started my career," he said. Soriano is hitting .254 with 17 homers and 51 RBIs in 93 games this season, and at age 36 last year he hit .262 with 38 homers and 108 RBIs. Soriano said earlier in the week that he would not be averse to being used as a DH as well as playing left field, a concession to his legs. ... Arizona C Miguel Montero missed his third straight start with back soreness, although an MRI taken Wednesday showed inflammation but no structural damage. "Everybody here has inflammation. I guess it's nothing serious. We'll go day to day," Montero said. ... Arizona RHP Trevor Cahill gave up one hit, an unearned run and struck out nine in five innings in a rehab start in the rookie-level Arizona League on Thursday. He has been on the disabled list since July 1 with a right hip contusion.
