Strong outing for Cubs’ Looper

Braden Looper’s only brush with baseball last year came when he coached his son’s Little League team.

On Sunday, he took his first step toward making the Cubs’ rotation this season, pitching into the fourth inning as a split squad beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-5 in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Out of baseball last year after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus after the 2009 season, Looper struck out two in 3 innings, allowing a run on 5 hits. He made relief appearances against the Rangers and Rockies before this start.

“This was a good outing because I concentrated on certain things,” Looper said. “I worked out of the stretch more than in previous times, and I got that done. I’m progressing and ready to go.”

Right now, Looper is locked in a seven-way competition for the final two starting spots in the Cubs’ rotation with James Russell, Andrew Cashner, Carlos Silva, Todd Wellenmeyer, Casey Coleman, and Randy Wells.

“Overall, he did a nice job,” said Pat Listach, who guided the Cubs because manager Mike Quade took a spilt-squad to Las Vegas for a game with the Dodgers. “We wanted to get his pitch count up and that was successful. With an outing like this, he continues to be a strong candidate for an open spot.”

Looper also helped his cause by going 2-for-2, including a RBI double in the fourth inning.

Cubs 4, Dodgers 3:

Jeff Baker had an RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning, giving the Cubs a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in a game between split squads at Las Vegas.

Baker, who went 3-for-3, drove in Steve Clevenger from third base for the winning run. Hector Giminez opened the eighth for the Dodgers with a solo homer that tied it at 3-3.

Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano helped the Cubs tie it at 1-1 in the fifth when he doubled down the left-field line and scored on Starlin Castro’s single.

Although Zambrano batted in the fifth, he did not return to the mound for the sixth. Zambrano finished with 3 strikeouts and 1 walk while allowing 6 hits and 1 run.