Leo Gomez made his first start of the season, replacing a slumping Jose Hernandez at third base.
Hernandez is hitless in his last 11 at-bats and has struck out six times during that period. He also has stranded nine runners in the last three games. Until Saturday, he had started each of the Cubs’ nine previous games.
Hernandez “is struggling a little bit,” manager Jim Riggleman said. “Plus, I like to get a guy in there before he gets too rusty.”
Gomez isn’t the only newcomer to the lineup. Riggleman said left-fielder Ozzie Timmons will start in place of Luis Gonzalez in Sunday’s game against Giants left-hander Allen Watson.
“It’s been a long time since I got a start,” said Timmons, a victim of an early-season schedule in which the Cubs faced 10 consecutive right-handers.
One person who won’t be sitting anytime soon is second baseman Ryne Sandberg. Sandberg is hitting .150, the lowest among average among the regulars, but Riggleman said there are no plans to make a change.