Cubs 6, Rangers 5
Andrew Cashner has a starting role with the Chicago Cubs, leaving Carlos Silva in limbo.
Hours after landing a spot in the rotation, Cashner had a rough first inning before settling down to help Chicago beat the Texas Rangers 6-5 on Saturday.
Before the game, the Cubs announced that Cashner will be the team's fifth starter, leaving Silva without a spot on the 25-man roster when the season begins.
Chicago general manager Jim Hendry said Silva would be offered a minor league assignment, but the veteran right-hander said there was ''no chance'' he would report to Triple-A Iowa.
''That's not on my mind right now,'' Silva told reporters at the team's Mesa training complex. ''Not at all. That's like I'm an insurance player. I guess that's what they want.''
If the Cubs can't trade Silva and he elects to be released rather than report to the minors, Chicago would be on the hook for his $11.5 million salary this season.
Silva was 1-2 with a 10.90 ERA in five appearances this spring after going 10-6 with a 4.22 ERA in 21 starts last year in his first season with the Cubs. He also accepted blame for a brief scuffle in the dugout with teammate Aramis Ramirez early in spring training.
Texas starter C.J. Wilson left after two innings with a tight left hamstring, but threw another two dozen pitches in the bullpen and said he wouldn't miss any time.
''I was just a little tight after sprinting yesterday and it never really loosened up,'' Wilson said. ''After we had that really, really long inning I was unable to keep it going.''
Wilson allowed three runs, two earned, and four hits in his final spring outing. He's scheduled to start for the Rangers in their opener against Boston on April 1.
''We didn't want to take a chance on him,'' Texas manager Ron Washington said.
Washington and Rangers officials will meet Saturday to sort out the bullpen and a rotation in flux following right-hander Tommy Hunter's hamstring injury.
Mitch Moreland homered and Neftali Feliz threw a scoreless ninth inning for the Rangers.
Kerry Wood pitched a perfect seventh and Jeff Samardzija tossed two innings of one-hit ball for Chicago.
Cashner allowed five runs and five hits in the first inning, also committing an error, but threw the ball well the rest of the way. The 24-year-old right-hander gave up two hits and faced one batter more than the minimum in his last four innings, retiring his final seven batters.
Cashner got Endy Chavez to ground out to start the game but allowed the next four batters to reach including Moreland, who hit his fourth home run of the spring.
From that point on, though, Cashner was in charge.
''I just got the ball up that inning,'' said Cashner, who has a 4.41 ERA in five appearances. ''I came out a little amped up, hung a curveball and my fastball wouldn't stay down.''
NOTES: Rangers LHP Arthur Rhodes was given a cortisone shot in his left wrist Friday to try and alleviate tendinitis in the joint. ... Rangers CF Julio Borbon was a late scratch with tightness in his left elbow, one day after he was benched in the second inning of a game against Colorado for what Washington said was a ''teachable moment.'' Borbon said Washington didn't see him coming up the stairs to enter the on-deck circle, leading to his removal from the game. ... The Cubs optioned RHP Casey Coleman and RHP Jeff Stevens to Triple-A, reducing the team's roster to 28.