Fuld goes to the wall again to make a highlight catch

Sam Fuld has gotten a taste of the Wrigley Field vines in both left and right fields.

Two years ago, he went into the ivy in right field to rob the Pirates' Nyjer Morgan of extra bases. In the ninth inning of Saturday's 3-1 victory over the Pirates, he chased down Ramon Vazquez's fly to deep left before planting a kiss on the ivy.

So how did it taste?

"Pretty tasteless, but it felt pretty good to get that ball in the glove," he said. "I think maybe I had a step more than I did that other time two years ago. I had maybe like one step and just enough time to put my hands up and brace myself a little bit."

Manager Lou Piniella had just moved Fuld from center to left, replacing Alfonso Soriano for defensive purposes.

"What a nice play he made," Piniella said of Fuld. "The wind was taking the ball toward the ivy, and he stayed with it. Good defensive play."

Sori numbers: Alfonso Soriano's hot month of July appears to be an aberration. He has cooled off considerably in August.

Soriano went 0-for-4 with a strikeout Saturday. For the season, he's batting .243 with an on-base percentage of .304 and a slugging percentage of .427. He has not homered since July 29.

The numbers for August are anemic. He's 9-for-56 (.161) with an OBP of .186 and a slugging percentage of .214.

Feeling better: Aramis Ramirez, who went home Friday with a bad sore throat and is on medication, pinch hit in the eighth inning and singled.

Ramirez had not played since Aug. 8 because of a sore left shoulder. He dislocated the shoulder May 8 and missed two months.

"I'm OK," was all Ramirez would say about his throat condition. "I couldn't play yesterday. I was real sick. Today, I was better."

Both Ramirez and Lou Piniella said they are hopeful Ramirez can play in today's series finale against the Pirates.

This and that: Carlos Marmol picked up the 72nd "hold" of his career. That put him within 1 of Kyle Farnsworth's club record - Shortstop Ryan Theriot is 15-for-32 (. 469) with 3 doubles, a homer and 2 RBI against the Pirates this season.