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MIL@CHC: Garza blanks the Brewers over 8 2/3 innings

One more out.

That's what Matt Garza needed to complete a three-hit shutout against the Brewers on Thursday. Having hurled 119 pitches, however, Garza's day was over as Cubs manager Dale Sveum went to the bullpen to preserve the right-hander's victory.

"What I start, I intend to finish, and I was one out away," said Garza, who last threw a shutout when he tossed a no-hitter in July 2010. "Yeah, we won, that's the plus side. But, [darn] ... oh, well."

Garza moved to 1-1 with a 1.23 ERA with the win.

"I can't be [ticked] off at [Sveum]," Garza said. "One-hundred twenty pitches in, there's no reason to be throwing 130, 140. I'm [ticked] at myself, but, man, we played one [heck] of a game."

Garza might need a repeat performance Wednesday vs. the Marlins, against whom he has posted a 3-1 record and 3.90 ERA in five career starts.

Despite an 0-2 record to show for it, Mark Buehrle has stumped opposing hitters in his two outings this season, his first in the National League after 12 years with the White Sox. Buehrle has allowed just five runs in 12 1/3 innings, good for a 3.65 ERA.

Unfortunately for the southpaw, the Marlins have mustered just one total run in his two starts.

"Both times he has pitched well," bench coach Joey Cora said.

Through 11 games, the Marlins are averaging just 3.7 runs per contest.

"It's still early, but we ain't clicking," Buehrle said. "When we get some good pitching, we're not hitting. When we hit, we're not getting the pitching."

Cubs: Wood back in Chicago
• Reliever Kerry Wood returned to Chicago on Tuesday to receive a cortisone shot in his right shoulder after feeling discomfort following an outing Friday in St. Louis. The club hopes to have Wood back and ready to pitch by Friday, when the Cubs open a homestand against the Reds.

"We're 10 games into a 162-game season," general manager Jed Hoyer said. "We're trying to be smart about it and trying to let him get right here, and hopefully he'll be back real soon."

In four appearances spanning 2 1/3 innings, Wood is 0-1 with an 11.57 ERA and four strikeouts.

• Carlos Zambrano was happy that he wasn't scheduled to face his former club this week.

"I don't want to pitch against the Cubs -- not yet," he said.

Zambrano won 125 games for Chicago, where he pitched for 11 seasons. The Cubs traded him to the Marlins on Jan. 5 for Chris Volstad, ending an era in which "Big Z" often anchored the club's rotation, but also had a few temper tantrums.

"I know I made a mistake in Chicago," the right-hander said. "I made a lot of mistakes, but I have a lot of good memories about the Cubs. I accept my mistakes. I'm responsible. I don't make excuses. I'm responsible for things that happened in Chicago, nobody else."

Marlins: Guillen returns to the bench
• Ozzie Guillen returned to the dugout on Tuesday for the first time since serving his five-game suspension for controversial comments he made about Cuban dictator Fidel Castro.

The Marlins went 2-3 in Guillen's absence.

"It was a tough couple of days," Guillen said. "I feel proud of the coaching staff and the players because they played well. I wish we could have won a couple of more games. I'm excited to be back with them."

The Marlins won in Guillen's return on Tuesday, 5-2, against the Cubs.

• Guillen dropped Giancarlo Stanton from fourth to sixth in Tuesday's batting order and inserted Logan Morrison into the cleanup spot.

"I moved Stanton a little bit to make him relax a little bit, and to take advantage of the way LoMo is swinging the bat right now," Guillen said.

Stanton raised his average to .237 with a double on Tuesday. Morrison is batting .276.

Worth noting
• The Marlins will have the ninth overall pick in the 2012 First-Year Player Draft. The Cubs will have the sixth overall selection.

• The Cubs have played in 119 different ballparks since their inception in 1876.

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