The Red Sox took the final 2 games against the Cubs during the weekend set at Wrigley Field.  Jeff Samardzija’s struggles continued in the heat on Saturday night at the Friendly Confines.  He gave up 3 ER on 4 hits and 3 walks in just 5 1/3 innings.  He racked up 6 K’s but his high 108-pitch count forced Manager Dale Sveum to pull the big righty early in the game.  The Cubs tallied their 3 runs on Luis Valbuena’s 1st career major league home run – a 3-run blast off of Jon Lester that cut the Red Sox lead to 4-3.  But the game would end like that.

Franklin Morales started for the injured Josh Beckett on Sunday night and he out-dueled Cubs starter Paul Maholm.  Maholm pitched OK – 3 ER on 6 hits and 1 walk, with 6 K’s – but it wasn’t good enough.  The Red Sox scored 3 runs in the 7th and 1 in the 8th to break open a 3-3 tie.  Starlin Castro finally broke out of his slump with 3 hits, including a double and a triple.  He drove in 2 of the Cubs 3 runs.

The Cubs fell to 22-44 with the series loss to the Red Sox – they once again have the worst record in baseball.  The Cubs “travel” south to take on the White Sox for 3 games at U.S. Cellular Field starting tonight.  Matt Garza will square off against Zach Stewart in the series opener.