CHICAGO—The new owner of the Chicago Cubs didn’t wait long to make a promise: Tom Ricketts says the Cubs are going to win the World Series. Of course, the Cubs haven’t won it all since 1908 and haven’t even been to the series since 1945. But Ricketts and other family members were upbeat as they were introduced at a news conference yesterday at Wrigley Field.

CHICAGO—The Chicago Cubs filed for bankruptcy yesterday, a move designed to help Tribune Co. transfer the team to its new owners, the Ricketts family. While bankruptcy typically implies debt issues, the Cubs are not in financial trouble. Rather its filing is connected to Tribune Co.‘s own Chapter 11 bankruptcy case that began in December.

CHICAGO Lou Piniella’s first meeting with Tom Ricketts was brief. Just a handshake after a victory at Wrigley Field. “I said, ‘Hopefully, that’s the first of many, many more for you,‘“ Piniella told the prospective new owner of the Chicago Cubs. Not so. There haven’t been nearly as many victory handshakes and pats on the back as Piniella and the Cubs expected this season. After consecutive division championships, the veteran manager has endured a season in which just about everything bad that can happen has happened, testing his grit and patience after 45 years in the game.

CHICAGO—Ten months ago, Geovany Soto was the near-unanimous choice as NL Rookie of the Year. These days, the Chicago Cubs catcher is just trying to find his swing so his manager will put him on the lineup card more often. “This game will humble you in a min ute,“ Soto said yesterday after driving in two runs with his first homer since Aug. 10 and a sacrifice fly in a 6-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

CHICAGO—Alfonso Soriano ended his home-run drought with a three-run shot in the eighth inning, making up for several miscues in the outfield during the Chicago Cubs’ 5-2 victory over the New York Mets yesterday. Milton Bradley, who like Soriano has been booed by frustrated Cubs fans, led off the inning with a double to right, his third hit. He scored on Aramis Ramirez’s single, tying the game 2.

CHICAGO - For the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, it was flying practice. For the Chicago Cubs, batting practice. Pilots prepared for the weekend’s Chicago Air & Water Show by zipping their loud jets tantalizingly close to Wrigley Field’s upper deck during yesterday’s second inning. The Cubs, meanwhile, were making noise with their bats.

The great midseason bazaar known as baseball’s trade deadline is near. Between now and July 31, rumors will fly concerning teams on the prowl for the missing ingredient - Philadelphia, San Francisco, St. Louis, Boston, the New York Yankees - to make the playoffs and teams seeking an infusion of promising young players - Toronto, Pittsburgh, Washington - to build for the future.

PHILADELPHIA—Raul Ibanez hit a three-run homer, Carlos Ruiz and Ryan Howard each went deep, and the Philadelphia Phillies won their ninth straight, 10-1 over the Chicago Cubs last night. Ruiz also had an RBI double during a four-run fourth inning that helped the NL East leaders turn this one into a rout. Rodrigo Lopez (2-0) allowed one run over six innings to give the Phillies their 13th win in their last 14 games.

Former VCU standout Sean Marshall has allowed but three runs in 161/3 innings out of the bullpen in 2009. WASHINGTON Given a few days off for the all-star break, Chicago Cubs pitcher Sean Marshall returned home to Chesterfield to pursue his other passion—fishing. In fact, it’s what first got the left-hander mentioned in The Times-Dispatch, 18 years ago.

CHICAGO - Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano says he dislocated a finger and isn’t sure when he’ll return to the lineup. Soriano was scratched for last night’s game at Washington because of a swollen right pinkie. Soriano said he was hurt Thursday night.

• Left-hander Ted Lilly is scheduled to pitch today at Washington, but his left knee has bothered him after his past two starts. If Lilly can’t go, right-hander Randy Wells, who is scheduled to start tomorrow, will be pushed up a day.

The corporate owner of the Chicago Cubs is considering having the team file for bankruptcy protection. People knowledgeable about the process say the move would hasten the club’s long-awaited sale by cleaning up its books.

The Chicago Tribune this afternoon is quoting sources saying the Tribune Co. intends to sell the Chicago Cubs to a family that made its fortune in the online brokerage TD Ameritrade Holding Corp.

Roberto Clemente’s first hit and Babe Ruth’s parting shot occurred within the confines of the most spacious ballpark any major league baseball team called home. So did Bill Mazeroski’s 1960 World Series Game 7 homer, one so improbable, so magical that it seems certain to live in baseball’s memory bank as long as the sport exists. The first fireworks night and last tripleheader? Chuck Noll’s first home game as the Steelers’ coach? The first live broadcasts of major league baseball and college football? Forbes Field was home to all of that and much more during 61 eventful years that helped launch not one but, eventually, two ballpark-building construction binges.

CHICAGO—Geovany Soto hit a three-run homer, Jake Fox went deep again to back another solid start by Randy Wells and the Chicago Cubs broke a four-game losing streak by beating the White Sox 5-4 yesterday. On a day when things finally went right on the field, there was more controversy for the Cubs. This time, the mercurial Milton Bradley went after the Gatorade cooler in the dugout and had an angry exchange with manager Lou Piniella in the tunnel after flying out in the top of the sixth and was told to go home. Ryan Freel replaced him in right field in the bottom half.

Danica Patrick got herself into a bit of hot water when asked by Sports Illustrated if she would use performance-enhancing drugs if she could get away with it and if it would help her win the Indianapolis 500. “Well, then it’s not cheating, is it? If nobody finds out?“ she said. Patrick then elaborated. “Yeah, it would be like finding a gray area,“ she said. “In motor sports, we work in the gray areas a lot. You’re trying to find where the holes are in the rule book.“