D-Backs swept out of Windy City by Cubs

CHICAGO - The Diamondbacks’ bullpen faltered for the second straight game as Chicago completed a weekend sweep Sunday.

The Cubs scored twice off Juan Cruz in the seventh inning and twice off Tony Peña in the eighth for a 6-4 victory at Wrigley Field, a game that was delayed 58 minutes by rain, causing scheduled starters Randy Johnson and Carlos Zambrano to be held out.

D-Backs notebook: Johnson held out due to rain delay

Reed Johnson’s two-run homer in the seventh tied the score at 4 and Daryle Ward’s two-run pinch double provided the difference, after the D-Backs intentionally walked pinch-hitter Alfonso Soriano to load the bases.

“I’m not going to let Soriano beat us,” manager Bob Melvin said.

The D-Backs (23-15) lost only their third series in 13, the first time they have been swept.

They have lost seven of their past 10 games but still lead the NL West by 3½ games after Los Angeles was swept by Houston over the weekend.

The D-Backs led 4-2 after Augie Ojeda’s singled in a run and Conor Jackson and Justin Upton walked with the bases loaded to force in two more runs in the fifth inning.

Ojeda’s single was the D-Backs’ only hit with a runner in scoring position in the series, as they were 1-for-12.

“We can’t expect them (the bullpen) to go out and put up zeros every time. It’s not plausible,” said Jackson, who drove in a run with a triple in the first.

“If we don’t capitalize on opportunities, it puts more stress on them. That was the case pretty much the whole series.”

The D-Backs entered the series with the best bullpen ERA in the NL, but relievers gave up 11 runs in five innings to the Cubs.

Snake Bites

Turning point: Pinch-hitter Daryle Ward hit a two-run double with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 6-4 Cubs lead.

Stat of the game: Edgar Gonzalez threw first-pitch strikes to the first 14 batters he faced, and 17 of his 21.

Unsung hero: Gonzalez, starting on three hours’ notice, gave up two runs in five innings.

Wrong time, wrong place: It may have been football weather, but Cubs fans were in no mood to see Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, who was booed when he threw out a ceremonial first pitch and later when he sang during the seventh-inning stretch. No word on whether Jessica Simpson was in the house.