Colvin gets job done at first

Carlos Pena joked before Tuesday's game that he hoped Tyler Colvin would get a few hits and maybe hit a homer but that he hoped Colvin wouldn't “Wally Pipp” him.

Pena might want to get better fast.

Colvin started at first base in the 6-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field. He handled first base like an old pro, scooping a few balls out of the dirt and starting a nifty 3-6-1 double play.

At the plate, he hit a 2-run homer in the third inning and drew a bases-loaded walk in the seventh.

Pena sat out because of a sprained right thumb, suffered in Monday's game. Pipp, of course, is the New York Yankees player who couldn't go one day almost a century ago because of an alleged headache. Lou Gehrig replaced Pipp and set a consecutive-games streak that stood until Cal Ripken broke it in 1995.

It was all in good fun with the Cubs, and Colvin was happy to contribute. About the only thing he didn't do was come up with a low throw by Aramis Ramirez in the ninth, but the Cubs survived.

“I had a fun time,” Colvin said. “I wished I could have picked Rami's ball, but that's the only thing I didn't do, I guess.”

Pena said he hopes to play in Wednesday's series finale. He had the thumb X-rayed Monday after bending it back while trying to brace himself on a fielding play.

“We have to keep it compressed,” he said. “We're doing whatever it takes to get it as good as possible. I'm on it.”

Doing what's needed:

Tuesday's victory went to reliever James Russell in relief. Russell suffered a tough-luck blown save, yielding a 2-run single in the seventh inning after relievers Jeff Samardzija and Marcos Mateo created trouble with 3 walks and a hit.

With bullpen pitchers Kerry Wood and Carlos Marmol unavailable, the Cubs needed everybody, so it was important for Russell to regroup after the hit. He did that, finishing the seventh and working the eighth.

“In a perfect world, I would have gotten out of it without giving up any runs,” said Russell, who even had to bat in the seventh. He flied out with the bases loaded.

“It would have been great to get a basehit. I don't get too up and too down out there. I keep my cool and composure, and I was able to do that.”

Byrd bounces back:

After getting off to a rough start to the regular season, Marlon Byrd was 3-for-4 Tuesday. He singled home Starlin Castro (2-for-5, .476) in the seventh inning for the go-ahead run.

“I had some chances against the Pirates to come through for the team,” Byrd said. “It didn't happen. You keep battling. You hope for good things. Keep working. Keep working. I've worked too hard in my career to keep my head down.”