Major League Baseball

Cubs 5, Royals 5

Published Mar. 24, 2010 1:55 a.m. ET

foxsports

Kansas City Royals right-hander Luke Hochevar threw one pitch he is going to have to answer for in a 5-5 tie with the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.

The game was called after nine innings. It was the Royals' third tie this spring.

The pitch in question was a foul ball off the bat of Alfonso Soriano that landed near his pregnant wife Ashley.

``Soon as I got in I texted her to make sure she didn't get hit,'' Hochevar said. ``I was looking up there to make sure she didn't get smoked. Everything is good.''

Soriano fouled off a fastball away.

``I'll probably get cussed out for it. She is behind the screen, so she's got to fend for herself,'' Hochevar joked.

Hochevar, who has a 1.64 ERA after three starts, allowed one run and five hits, walked none and struck out three in five innings.

``I feel like my stuff is sharp right now and I feel like I'm commanding the baseball a lot better especially with the mechanical adjustment I made,'' Hochevar said. ``Everything feels good coming out of my hand. I have a lot of confidence in my changeup. That's come a long way. That's a pitch I want to go to and can go to now.''

Ryan Dempster gave up two runs and four hits in 5 1-3 innings, the longest outing by a Cubs starter, while striking out six and walking three. He threw 93 pitches.

``My stuff was real good,'' Dempster said. ``I had all my pitches working, tried to go right after them. It was good to extend it like that, into the sixth inning. I haven't done that in a long, long time. So it was a real good day.''

``It didn't feel like a lot (of pitches), but I think it's important to do that, build that arm. We're not that far away. There are only two more starts before the season starts. I enjoyed that. It's good to kind of pitch in every situation and work through some stuff.''

He left with a 3-1 lead, but reliever Carlos Marmol gave up a two-run homer to Brayan Pena in the sixth.

Aramis Ramirez, who had not played since March 13 because of a right triceps injury, returned as the Cubs designated hitter and went 2 for 3 with a RBI. Ramirez is hoping to play third base by Friday.

``Soon as I can,'' he said. ``I don't want to waste anymore time. We're only a couple weeks away. As soon as I'm ready to try it the first time, I'm going to be playing third base.''

Cubs manager Lou Piniella said if this was a regular-season game Ramirez could have played third.

``Probably,'' Ramirez said. ``Right now, I don't want to take a chance, but I'll be ready. I don't need 30 more at-bats. I need five more and I'll be ready to go.''

Andres Blanco's RBI single in the ninth gave the Cubs a 5-4 lead.

The Royals tied it in the bottom of the inning when Alberto Callaspo's single scored Chris Getz, who led off the ninth with a single. Callaspo, who is hitting .475, also tripled and scored on Billy Butler's sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Soriano went 0 for 3 to snap his seven-game hitting streak.