Cubs' Millar swinging hot bat

Kevin Millar hit a home run, a double and drove in 3 runs, making his case for a spot on the Cubs roster in their 8-7 win over the Angels on Sunday in Tempe, Ariz.

The 38-year-old Millar signed a minor-league contract with the Cubs during the off-season.

"I can play the outfield," Millar said. "I've got 500 games in the outfield (actually 355). I can play third; I can play first. I don't think it would be a problem to go into the outfield if (manager Lou Piniella would) need me."

Millar played first base Sunday while starter Derrek Lee mends a bruise to his left foot.

Millar hasn't played in the outfield since 2007, when he got in six games with Baltimore. He batted only 251 times for Toronto in 2009, his lowest total since he entered the majors with Florida in 1999.

"It's not my job to make that call," Millar said. "The one thing you can do is try to bring some flexibility for (Piniella). I've just got to keep having good at-bats and today was a big step.

"It's my job to make it tough."

Millar had a better day than Cubs starter Randy Wells.

Wells, who was 12-10 with a 3.05 ERA last season, had his scoreless string of 5 innings over 2 spring starts snapped. The Angels got to him for 6 runs and 6 hits in the second.

"It got out of whack," Wells said. "I tried to force pitches. I didn't have the slider at all today. My slider has been flat here. I made some terrible pitches.

"You try to take the positive. I pitched through a little adversity today."

Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez said he would begin throwing in a couple of days after he was lifted from Saturday's game with a sore right triceps.

Cubs closer Carlos Marmol allowed only a walk in one inning with a strikeout in his third spring appearance.

White Sox 5, Reds 5: Brandon Phillips got his first 2 hits of spring training, including a 2-run homer, and the host Cincinnati Reds blew a 4-run lead in the ninth before settling for a tie with the White Sox in Goodyear, Ariz.

The second baseman was 0-for-14 before he singled home Drew Stubbs. Phillips added a 2-run homer off J.J. Putz in the seventh inning, putting the Reds ahead 5-1.

White Sox starter John Danks struggled, giving up 6 hits, 4 walks and 3 runs - 2 earned - in 32/3 innings. Danks has been refining his pitches and wasn't too concerned about the outing.

"I've been concentrating on getting my curveball over and getting left-handed hitters out," Danks said.

"This is the part of spring training that it gets a little monotonous. You have to catch yourself and make sure you don't go through the motions. My line doesn't look real well, but we got done what we wanted to."

Putz, who signed a one-year, $3 million contract in December to fill a setup role, allowed his first runs of the spring.

He threw a scoreless inning in each of his first 3 appearances.