CHICAGO -- Darwin Barney and Cody Ransom combined to keep the Chicago Cubs on a roll. Barney and Ransom each drove in a pair of runs and made key defensive plays to help the Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 5-3 on Monday. Barney went 2 for 3 with two doubles and Ransom went 2 for 4 with a home run. The Cubs have won five of seven after a 5-13 start. "Barneys solidified our defence, believe me," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said of his second baseman. "Hes just that guy when hes out there, hes going to do a lot of things throughout the course of a game. But hes going to do at least one thing a day thats gonna change the aspect of the game. Its gonna save pitchers umpteen pitches; whether its turning a double play or a play like tonight. Thats why he won the gold glove, hes the best in the league. Thats how much he means to us defensively, he changes the game around defensively." Sveum was referring to a diving stop that Barney made in the seventh inning to rob Chase Headley of an RBI hit with no outs and men on first and second. The play came an inning after the Cubs had broken a tie game on run scoring hits by Barney and Ransom. "The bottom of our order was huge tonight," Sveum said. "Cody came up with a big home run and huge base hit to take the lead back after we just gave it up. So that was huge, he did a nice job again." Ransom, who was picked up on waivers from the Padres on April 16, ended a bases-loaded threat later in the seventh inning with a running, barehanded pick and throw to get Jedd Gyorko at first. "That barehanded play saved the game for us," Barney said. "Its nice to have a guy like him who knows how to play the game the right way. He knows the situation, he knows whos running on that barehanded play." Kevin Gregg got the final out of the eighth with men on second and third and worked a perfect ninth to get his fourth save. The bullpens turnaround has been one of the primary reasons for the Cubs improvement. The relievers have a 1.35 ERA in their past 12 games since April 18. Michael Bowden (1-1) got the win in relief of Jeff Samardzija, who allowed three runs and four hits in five innings. He struck out eight and walked four. San Diegos Clayton Richard (0-3) gave up five runs and seven hits, including two home runs, in 5 2/3 innings. It was an improvement on his previous start on April 23, when he allowed six earned runs in 1 2-3 innings in a loss to Milwaukee. "It is (better), but I mean, games like this those things dont matter," Richard said. "When you dont win you dont win. I wish I could have put us in a better position to win a baseball game and I wasnt able to do that, so thats all that really matters." The Padres loaded the bases with one in the seventh trailing by two and Yonder Alonso came to the plate. Alonso was then called out on a check swing strike three and Ransom made a great play to get Gyorko to end the inning. "We just couldnt get the big hit," Padres manager Bud Black said. "They made pitches. A tough call on Yonder with the bases loaded, but we just couldnt seem to cash in when we had a couple guys on. We got the runners in scoring position a couple times. Just couldnt get the big knock." NOTES: Padres manager Bud Black said relievers Huston Street and Luke Gregorson were not available for Mondays game. Street and Gregorson had both worked in San Diegos prior three games. ... Padres pitcher Tyson Ross will work in middle relief during his rehab appearance Tuesday with Triple-A Tuscon. Ross has been on the disabled list since April 20 with an impingement in his left shoulder. ... The Cubs acquired Ransom on April 16 off waivers from the Padres. Ransom was 0 for 11 with San Diego on the season. ... Samardzijas eight strikeouts on the night gave him 47 in the month of April, the second most by a Cubs pitcher for the month. Matt Garza is first with 51 in 2011. ... Cubs pitcher Scott Baker (60-day DL) threw from 45 feet as he begins a throwing program while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. ... Reliever Kyuji Fujikawa threw a side session prior to the game. Hes expected to throw another bullpen on Thursday before making a rehab appearance with Triple-A Iowa on Sunday. Fujikawa has been on the disabled list since April 13 with a forearm strain. Ch... Sacramento Kings Jerseys . This week they discuss Kyle Lowrys All-Star blessing, Coach Q, unheralded undraftees and leaving the NFL playoffs alone. . -- The Phoenix Coyotes have signed restricted free agent forward Kyle Chipchura to a one-year contract. [url=http://www.chinajerseyscheap.us.com/soccer-club_bolton-wanderers-jersey/]ht... . Overall, audiences for the CFL regular season were up more than four per cent on TSN this season. 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Weatherspoon is still not eligible to play in this weekends game against the Seattle Seahawks, though he said he feels good enough to take the field. If all goes well in practice, he could return for the Nov. 17 contest at Tampa Bay. The Falcons were 1-1 on the day Weatherspoon was hurt. They have since slumped to 2-6, going from Super Bowl contenders to a team that probably must win out to have any chance of making the playoffs. "Its been pretty tough," Weatherspoon said. "I love to play football. To take that away makes it a little bit rough. I think the guys have stepped in there and done some promising things. Weve got to build off that and try to get a win this week." Clearly, the Atlanta defence will be more imposing with Weatherspoon in the middle, calling signals and serving as the vocal leader. Actually, said safety William Moore, the entire team will be better. "Thats his role on this team -- to lead this whole football team, not just the defence," Moore said. "To have him back, I cant wait." If not for injury list rules requiring him to sit out at least eight weeks (including a bye), Weatherspoon figures he would be ready to play Sunday against the Seahawks (8-1). Still, he must show the teams training staff -- and thhe coaches -- that hes fully recovered.dddddddddddd Considering the way things have gone this season for the Falcons, theres no need to bring him back before hes 100 per cent. "Ive been able to go out there and do some reaction drills," said Weatherspoon, a first-round pick of the Falcons in 2010. "Basically, Ive been able to go play football without hitting people. I feel pretty confident where we are." The 25-year-old is one of the most outspoken players on the team and a huge influence in the locker room. Defensive co-ordinator Mike Nolan had to tone him down during team meetings while he was injured, because Weatherspoon kept barking out the calls during film sessions. "If Im not going to be out there on the field, it does us no good if Im doing it," he said. Now, he can start yapping again. The Falcons sure missed his voice. "No doubt about it," Moore said. "Thats going to be huge for us. Not only his play, but just his emotion, bringing all that back to the team. We missed that. We had guys who really dont talk a lot trying to step up and take his place." NOTES: DT Corey Peters did not participate in practice because of a knee injury. ... WR Roddy White (ankle, hamstring), DT Peria Jerry (toe), OT Sam Baker (knee) and LB Stephen Nicholas (thigh) were limited. The Falcons again expressed cautious optimism that White will be able to return, but they said the same thing last week before he sat out against Carolina. cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '