Randy Wells is wondering what he needs to do to win a ball game.
Chase Headley’s first-inning groundout-RBI produced the only run in the game as the Chicago Cubs lost 1-0 to the San Diego Padres Tuesday night.
Wells (5-11), who was only tagged with one run in seven innings, had his best performance in recent outings.
In the month of August, he has conceded three runs in seven innings to the Cincinnati Reds. He gave up six earned runs each in two different outings. The right-hander has not won a game since July 23 against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Padres starter Jon Garland (12-8) outpitched Wells by tossing seven shutout innings for the win. He was responsible for four hits and three walks. But after giving up Xavier Nady’s lead-off double in the fourth inning, he retired 12 batters in a row before leaving the game.
Wells only scattered three hits—two singles and one double, but that was enough for the Padres to score their winning run in the first.
The inning started with a single by Jerry Hairston, Jr. to left field, and Miguel Tejada followed with a walk. Wells retired Adrian Gonzalez on a fly that advanced Hairston to third base. He hit Ryan Ludwick to load the bases. Headley hit a ground ball toward first base to score Hairston.
It’s awfully difficult to win if a team can’t score.
The Cubs sent 34 batters to the plate in nine innings but failed to erase a 1-0 deficit. 
The Chances were there, but they stranded runners at third base three times.
With two outs and Nady at third, Koyie Hill struck out swinging to end the second inning.
Nady led off the fourth inning with a double and moved to third on Alfonso Soriano’s groundout. Blake DeWitt hit a shallow fly ball to left field, but Will Venable made a spectacular diving catch to erase his potential RBI-single. Hill struck out for the second time for the third out.
In the eighth, with Kosuke Fukudome and Starlin Castro at the corners, Marlon Byrd grounded into a routine double-play to end the threat.
The Cubs’ last chance was in the bottom of the ninth. With two out and Darwin Barney at third, DeWitt lifted a fly ball to right field that missed the basket by a foot. Ludwick hopped and caught it against the ivied wall
Game over and Heath Bell got his 36th save of the year.
Note: Derrek Lee missed the last two Cubs’ games after removing himself from Sunday’s contest in St. Louis. His stiff back still troubles him…Starlin Castro initiated another hitting streak Tuesday night. He went 2-for-3 with a pair of singles. His six-game hitting streak ended on Sunday going 0-for-5.
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