Big day for Chicago Cubs pitcher Edwards and his family

ST. LOUIS — Carl Edwards Jr., his parents and other members of his family met up Monday at Busch Stadium for Edwards' major-league debut.

The 24-year-old pitcher flew up from Texas, where he had been pitching for Class AAA Iowa.

Flying is old hat for him, but not for his parents, who made their maiden air trip from South Carolina to watch their son.

Edwards worked the bottom of the eighth inning of the Cubs' 9-0 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

He walked the first batter he faced but got a double play on a groundout and another groundball out. After the game, he put some of the game baseballs into his backpack.

“It was very satisfying,” he said. “I don't know what to say about today. It was very exciting.”

The Cubs picked up two reinforcements for their bullpen when they recalled Edwards and left-hander Zac Rosscup from Iowa. Rosscup finished Monday's game.

Edwards was 5-3 with 6 saves and a 2.77 ERA in 36 relief appearances between Iowa and Class AA Tennessee. He had 75 strikeouts and 41 walks in 55⅓ innings pitched combined.

Manager Joe Maddon got to see some of Edwards in spring training.

“I didn't see a lot, but I liked what I did happen to see,” the manager said. “I've been asking about him all year because he's the kind of a kid that he could really be a very good major-league pitcher. Good stuff. He's got the fastball, got the breaking ball.

“The biggest thing is how quickly he adapts to the whole thing. But I liked him in spring training.”

Edwards' good stuff could aid the Cubs down the stretch.

“I've had them before, and it plays,” Maddon said. “It's all there. We'll give him a chance to get out there, probably less than a high-leverage moment, hopefully, I think.

“If it happens, it happens that way.”

The Cubs obtained Edwards from the Rangers in the July 2013 trade that sent pitcher Matt Garza to Texas.

“I was excited to see my parents in the stands,” he said. “I tipped my cap to my dad and my mom. It was really exciting, especially for them.”

Asked about his parents' first flight, Edwards said: “They do a lot of driving.”

Schwarber gets closer:

Rookie Kyle Schwarber went through a normal pregame hitting routine Monday and played catch at Busch Stadium as he recovers from soreness in his right rib cage.

Schwarber has not played since Sept. 1. On Sept. 2, he felt pain in his ribs while hitting in the batting cage at Wrigley Field.

Last Friday, the Cubs said they were going to evaluate Schwarber for 3-5 days.

Manager Joe Maddon would not absolutely rule Schwarber out from playing in this three-game series against the Cardinals.

“This is part of the game plan to have him do that,” Maddon said of Schwarber working out. “Right now, it sounds good.”