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Barney admits mistakes during Cubs' loss

MILWAUKEE — Rodrigo Lopez watched the replay over and over on the clubhouse computer.

He saw one thing, but the umpire saw another.

The play went for an error, helping to open the way to a 3-run fifth inning for the Milwaukee Brewers, who came back to beat the Cubs 5-2 Friday night at Miller Park.

The fateful fifth opened with Milwaukee's Corey Hart hitting a single against Cubs starting pitcher Lopez. Speedy Nyjer Morgan bunted. Lopez picked it up and threw to first base, with second baseman Darwin Barney covering. The throw was a bit wide toward the middle, and Barney had to lunge.

Although it looked like he had his foot on the bag, he reached back to touch it again. Umpires rarely give the fielder that call, and Tom Hallion ruled Morgan safe. The next batter, Ryan Braun, lined a double off the top of the right-field wall. The relay came into Barney, who tried to throw to third base, but instead airmailed it over everybody, allowing 2 extra runs to score.

“I was trying to show off my arm strength,” Barney said. “The first one was tough. I looked at the replay, and I thought I was on there. I made a mistake of going back for it. Whether on there or not, when the play's moving quick, sometimes the umpire takes information from all different places. He's not in the wrong at all. That's baseball. That's how the plays have been called for a long time. That's my mistake for going at it.”

The Brewers went ahead 4-2 that inning, and they went on to send the Cubs to their fifth loss in six games. Lopez gave up 4 runs (2 earned) in 6 innings in falling to 4-5 with a 4.80 ERA.

The Cubs broke on top 1-0 when Starlin Castro led off the game with his eighth homer of the year and his first career leadoff homer.

“It looks like that is going to be part of his game as he gets older and stronger and more experienced,” said manager Mike Quade, whose team fell to 57-75.

Cashner rehabs:Andrew Cashner pitched 1 perfect inning Friday in a rehab start for Class AA Tennessee. Cashner struck out one. He threw 15 pitches, 10 strikes. Cashner is on the mend from a strained right rotator cuff, suffered in his first start of the season for the Cubs, April 5. If all goes well, he will make 1 more start at Tennessee before moving up to Class AAA Iowa. Cashner hopes to be back with the Cubs in early September, and he will work out of the bullpen when he does come back. Call-ups coming:Mike Quade said he had heard #8220;nothing definitive#8221; on September call-ups from the minor leagues. One intriguing name not likely to be called up is center fielder Brett Jackson. He hit his fourth homer leading off a game Friday for Class AAA Iowa to set a club record. It was his ninth homer at Iowa for whom he entered Friday batting .314. He hit 10 HRs at Tennessee.