Soto, Monroe provide a spark

With his offense in a funk, Cubs manager Lou Piniella went looking for some sort of spark Wednesday night.

He got it from a couple of places in the Cubs' 8-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field.

Rookie catcher Geovany Soto, promoted from Class AAA Iowa on Saturday, had 2 hits, walked and drove in the first run of the game in the second inning, and Craig Monroe, starting in center field for a resting Jacque Jones, doubled in the second and scored.

Soto's run-scoring single was the kind of hit the Cubs haven't been getting in the last little while.

"We haven't really hit that well, especially with men on base, and I think that has been the key," Piniella said. "We haven't hit the ball like I know we can for a while now. Hopefully over these next two dozen games we will."

Soto was named the Pacific Coast League's player of the year after batting .353 for Iowa with 26 homers, 31 doubles and 109 RBI in 110 games, and he is considered the Cubs' catcher of the future. He also brings a solid defensive presence.

In the top of the second, Soto gunned down Shea Hillenbrand trying to steal. While Hillenbrand has no steals for the year, Soto's throw still was a welcome sight since the man he was filling in for, Jason Kendall, has thrown out only four of 45 runners with the Cubs.

"Soto did a real nice job behind the plate, he really did," Piniella said. "He looked good up there. He had good swings, he called a good game, and he threw out a baserunner."

Monroe went 1-for-4 and was hit by a pitch after entering the game hitting just .200 since being acquired Aug. 23 from Detroit. He was excited by the deal and has been impressed with his new teammates.

"We're battling here," Monroe said. "I've been watching the guys, and guys are into it, working, talking about it, trying to figure out how they're getting pitched."

Monroe normally doesn't play center field but was considered a better option than Matt Murton by Piniella, who wanted to get both right-handed bats in the lineup against Dodgers lefty starter Eric Stults.

Bench coach Alan Trammell managed Monroe in Detroit and told Piniella he would be fine in center.

"He's caught balls out there," Piniella said. "Trammell knows him better than anybody else, he managed him and he feels comfortable with him out there."

It was only Monroe's 71st game as a center fielder, compared to the 639 he has played in either left or right.

"I can't say it's easy, but you can see the ball off the bat at good angles and take really good routes to the ball," he said. "I don't know if it's about speed, but it's taking the right routes. You put yourself in position, you can make the plays."

After Monroe was hit by a pitch in the eighth, he was caught trying to steal second. Back in the dugout, it appeared Piniella had words for Monroe but said after the game it was nothing.

"We missed a sign, but it wasn't the player's fault," Piniella said.