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D-backs get gift for Wrigley's 100th

The Cubs blow a ninth-inning lead on the day they celebrate their stadium’s centennial.

FITTINGLY, the Chicago Cubs marked Wrigley Field's 100th birthday with a loss - a dramatic, error-filled one, at that.

One out from victory, the Cubs allowed the Arizona Diamondbacks to rally for five runs in the ninth inning in a 7-5 loss yesterday.

After an error by shortstop Starlin Castro, Martin Prado hit a two-run single off Pedro Strop (0-2), Miguel Montero had a tying single against James Russell and Aaron Hill followed with a two-run triple off Justin Grimm.

Still, the Cubs are 4,076-3,621 (.530) in the regular season at Wrigley, according to STATS (7-20 in the postseason). Chicago failed in its bid to win three straight games for the first time since last July 26-28.

The beloved ballpark, the second-oldest in the major leagues behind 102-year-old Fenway Park in Boston, opened on April 23, 1914, when the Federal League's Chicago Federals beat the Kansas City Packers, 9-1.

The Cubs moved into the Friendly Confines in 1916, after the Federal League folded, and have established a tradition of beloved losers. The Cubs' only World Series titles came in 1907 and '08, when they played at the West Side Grounds, and they haven't even reached the World Series since 1945.

The crowd of 32,323 - about 9,000 under capacity - sang "Happy Birthday" in the middle of the fifth inning. The Cubs wore Federals uniforms and the Diamondbacks wore Kansas City Packers threads. Cubs Hall of Famers Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Ferguson Jenkins and Andre Dawson were on hand, as well as Bears greats Gale Sayers and Dick Butkus.

In other NL games

* At Atlanta, pinch-hitter Evan Gattis' tiebreaking two-run double in the eighth inning lifted the Braves to a 3-1 victory over Miami, their ninth win in 12 games.

* At Denver, backup catcher Hector Sanchez hit two of San Francisco's six homers, including a grand slam in the 11th inning that gave the Giants a wild, 12-10 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

* At New York, Lucas Duda homered and the Mets threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the ninth inning to hold off the St. Louis Cardinals, 3-2.

* At Pittsburgh, Alfredo Simon (3-1) pitched into the seventh, Jay Bruce drove in a run for a fifth consecutive game and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pirates, 5-2.

* At Milwaukee, Jean Segura hit a three-run homer to support Kyle Lohse (4-1) in a 5-2 win over the San Diego Padres.

In an interleague game

* At Washington, Adam LaRoche's tiebreaking RBI single on the first pitch from Fernando Salas capped a four-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Nationals came back to beat the Los Angeles Angels, 5-4, to avoid a sweep.

In AL games

* At Oakland, Martin Perez (3-1) pitched his second consecutive three-hit shutout to extend his scoreless-innings streak to 26 and the Texas Rangers wrapped up a three-game sweep of the Athletics with a 3-0 victory. Donnie Murphy homered and Michael Choice scored one run and drove in another.

* At Seattle, Kyle Seager's three-run homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Mariners to a 5-3 win over Houston and snapped their eight-game losing streak. Seager also accounted for Seattle's other runs with a two-run homer in the seventh inning.

* At Cleveland, Jason Kipnis drove in Nick Swisher with a two-out double in the seventh inning, sending the Indians to a 5-3 win over Kansas City. Michael Bourn had three hits and two RBI for the Indians.

* At Toronto, Nelson Cruz hit two of Baltimore's season-high four home runs, Chris Davis and Matt Wieters also connected and the Orioles beat the Blue Jays, 10-8.

* At Boston, Yankees righthander Michael Pineda was ejected for using a foreign substance less than 2 weeks after appearing to get away with it in another game against Boston, and the Red Sox beat New York, 5-1.

* At Detroit, Marcus Semien's grand slam in the seventh inning lifted the Chicago White Sox to a 6-4 win over the Tigers.

Noteworthy

* Arizona outfielder Mark Trumbo will be sidelined indefinitely with a stress fracture in his left foot. Trumbo is hitting .210, though he was tied for the National League lead with seven home runs and was second with 19 RBI.

* San Diego righthander Josh Johnson is scheduled to undergo elbow ligament-replacement surgery for the second time and will miss the entire season. The former Marlins All-Star first had Tommy John surgery in 2007.

* Travis Ishikawa, Pittsburgh's Opening Day first baseman, refused an outright assignment to Triple A Indianapolis and elected to become a free agent. Ishikawa was batting .206 with one home run in 15 games. He was designated for assignment Friday, when the Pirates acquired first baseman Ike Davis from the New York Mets.

* Former NBA star and 6-8 righthander Tracy McGrady signed to pitch for the Sugar Land (Texas) Skeeters in the independent Atlantic League. McGrady, 34, is a 16-year NBA veteran who won two scoring titles.

* Baseball commissioner Bud Selig says the sport's playing rules committee is working to clarify the rule on ball transfers by fielders on forceouts, which has caused some controversy in the first season of expanded instant replay for umpires.

* Kansas City first-base coach Rusty Kuntz had surgery on his broken left arm, an injury he sustained when he was hit by a line drive during pregame batting practice Monday. Kuntz, 59, was standing behind a protective net in shallow centerfield when he was hit.

* Boston demoted outfielder Daniel Nava and recalled righthander Alex Wilson. Nava, who hit .303 last year, was batting just .149 with two homers and three RBI when he was optioned to Triple A Pawtucket.

* Conrado "Connie" Marrero, who had been the oldest living former major leaguer, died 2 days short of his 103rd birthday. Marrero, a 5-5 righthander, broke into the majors at age 38 and went 39-40 for the Washington Senators from 1950-54. He lived out his final years in Cuba.

* Texas purchased outfielder Dan Robertson from San Diego and placed lefthander Pedro Figueroa on the 15-day disabled list with elbow inflammation. Also, righthander Neftali Feliz has left Triple A Round Rock because of soreness and fatigue, but the Rangers said he is not injured.

* The Oakland Athletics say they are stopping negotiations to extend their lease at the Coliseum, which expires after the 2015 season.