Barney, Cubs beat Weaver, Angels 8-1

[April 02, 2012]  TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -- Angels ace Jered Weaver is ready for the regular season to begin.

Jeff Baker homered and the Cubs scored three runs off Weaver in the sixth inning in an 8-1 win over the Angels on Sunday.

Weaver, who is expected to be the opening-day starter on Friday against Kansas City, threw five scoreless innings before the Cubs got to him in the sixth.

Darwin Barney tripled in a run and scored on Starlin Castro's sacrifice fly for a 2-0 Cubs lead. Marlin Byrd then doubled in the other run.

Weaver went six innings and gave up three runs and eight hits with two walks and five strikeouts.

"I feel that I'm ready to be going into the season," said Weaver, who finished second in the American League Cy Young voting last year after going 18-8 with a 2.41 ERA.

"I'm excited to get this thing going."

Weaver heads one of the majors' top starting rotations that was bolstered by the offseason acquisition of C. J. Wilson from Texas.

Wilson, a free agent, was added to a rotation that features Weaver, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana with Jerome Wilson and Garrett Richards competing for the fifth spot that will likely come into play in the middle of April.

"We thought we were pretty good last year and then we added a guy like C.J.," Weaver said. "It's going to be fun."

Barney added a three-run homer off Jason Isringhausen in the eighth.

Isringhausen gave up five hits and five runs (all earned), in two-thirds of an inning.

"The stuff was there," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "(Isringhausen) just had the ball up."

Cubs left-hander Chris Rusin worked 5 1/3 scoreless innings. He allowed two hits and struck out three against an Angels lineup that featured regulars Kendrys Morales, Mark Trumbo, Maicer Izturis, Alberto Callaspo and Bobby Abreu.

Izturis hit his first homer of the spring in the eighth.

Castro and David DeJesus each had two of the Cubs' 13 hits. Callaspo had two of the Angels' five hits.

Cubs right-hander Matt Garza worked four scoreless innings in a minor league game Sunday. Garza allowed two hits and struck out six and threw 51 pitches before finishing his work in the bullpen.

Garza is 2-2 with a 5.51 ERA over 16 1/3 innings and five starts this spring.

[Associated Press]

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