Major League Baseball

Diamondbacks 15, Cubs 8

Published Mar. 30, 2011 2:14 a.m. ET

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Matt Garza was glad to put his first spring training in Arizona behind him.

Garza gave up 11 hits and seven hits with seven strikeouts in three-plus innings in the Chicago Cubs' 15-8 loss to Arizona on Tuesday. The Diamondbacks' Xavier Nady had a grand slam to highlight an eight-run fourth inning to lead Arizona's split squad.

''My first year in Arizona, and it (stinks),'' Garza said. ''I don't care about the (easy) travel. It (stinks) here. It's so dry, but whatever. Now it's time to go to Chicago where there's a little more moisture in the air.

Garza, who previously spent his springs in Florida while playing for Minnesota and Tampa Bay, dropped to 1-4 with 10.38 ERA.

''You grab a ball and ... it's so slippery, and you can't get anything on your fingers, not enough spit, not enough rosin, nothing,'' he said. ''It just dries out right away. So for me, it's probably an issue, but it's not the reason why I threw the way I did. It's something I had to adjust to on the fly, and didn't really do well.''

David Winfree hit two home runs for the Diamondbacks, and Kelly Johnson added his fourth of the spring.

Joe Saunders (1-3), Arizona's No. 3 starter, gave up eight runs and six hits in 3 2-3 innings. He walked four and struck out two.

''I'm not worried about the walks,'' Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. ''He was just rushing out a little bit.''

The Diamondbacks scored a run in the first and three in the third to take a 4-0 lead. The Cubs scored five in the bottom of the third, with Carlos Pena hitting a bases-loaded double.

Arizona scored its eight runs in the fourth against Garza and minor-league reliever Scott Maine.

NOTES: Cubs CF Marlon Byrd did not play Tuesday because of what manager Mike Quade described as ''a little bit of a stiff back.'' Byrd, who hit .431 in the Cactus League, is expected to be ready when the Cubs open the regular season Friday at home against Pittsburgh.

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