Soto Carries Cubs Over White Sox

Soto tested positive for marijuana during the WBC

By David Ferraro
June 26, 2009

Geovany Soto was able to put controversy and distractions aside on Friday as he led the Cubs to a 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox. The same could not be said for Milton Bradley and manager Lou Piniella.

That wasn't the only drama hanging over the clubhouse on Friday. After Bradley flew out to left field in the sixth inning Bradley was replaced by Ryan Freel in the next half inning, the result of a confrontation with Piniella in the dugout. After flying out Bradley took his frustration out on a dugout gatorade cooler, which prompted Piniella to follow him into the clubhouse where the two got into an argument.

"I told him to take his uniform off," Piniella told reporters after the game. "He threw his helmet and smashed the water cooler and there was water flying all over. I told him to take his uniform off and go home."

Piniella seemed to downplay the incident but Alfonso Soriano claimed it was a very ugly incident. "It's the first time I've seen a manager fight with a player, get mad with the player," Soriano said. "Sometimes you can get mad, but not like that."

According to Piniella, Bradley would be in the lineup on Saturday.

Cubs pitcher Randy Wells improved to 2-3 on the season, going seven quality innings while allowing only two runs. Contreras was charged with the loss after allowing five runs, four earned, in 7.1 innings.

Soto's home run in the seventh put the Cubs up 5-2, but the White Sox came and threatened in the eighth against Carlos Marmol. Jim Thome knocked a double to right field that cut the lead down to one, and the bases were loaded after Paul Konerko was intentionally walked. However, Sean Marshall relieved Marmol and was able to get A.J. Pierzynski to ground into a double play.