Illinois

Carlos Zambrano carried a no-hitter and four-run lead into the fifth Tuesday night against the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates, but the Cubs still found a way to turn it into a disgusting 7-6 extra-inning loss.

Yadier Molina beat the Chicago Cubs this weekend without even swinging a bat. The regular Cardinals catcher, out with an injury, watched as Gary Bennett, his .243 career hitting backup, single-handedly swept the Cubs.

The Minnesota Twins continued their dominance of the White Sox over the weekend, taking two of three from the South Siders in a series at the Cell. Minnesota has won seven of the last nine games against the Sox, due primarily to their simple yet effective combination of well-executed small-ball offense and effective start-to-finish pitching.

The Bears host the Arizona Cardinals in week three of the preseason tonight at Soldier Field. The return of the Cards brings back memories, good and bad for lifelong Chicagoans. The franchise called the Windy City home from 1922 - 1959.

Tony La Russa prepared his team for the MLB postseason with a preseason win over the Bears on Friday night. La Russa, considered one of the best managers in the game using unconventional managing tactics, lead his team to a 23-16 victory.

Thanks to Cedric Benson's injured shoulder, lousy attitude and Sammy Sosa-esque getaway from Soldier Field during last week's preseason game, Thomas Jones is once again the starting running back for the Chicago Bears.

Four Cubs homered Thursday against the Philadelphia Phillies, leading to an 11-2 victory and some crazy predictions.