ruck out in the eighth. The Mariners recalled him from Triple-A Tacoma before the game and optioned LHP David Rollins.TRAIN

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Jorge Soler hit a three-run home run in his first at-bat following a two-month absence, Jon Lester pitched seven strong innings, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Oakland Athletics 7-2 on Friday night.Dexter Fowler also homered while Javier Baez added a two-run double to help Chicago win its fifth straight. The Cubs also improved to a major league-best 67-41.Lester pitched for the As over the final two months of the 2014 season after getting traded from Boston. He returned to the Coliseum for the first time since then and faced a distinctly different Oakland team than the one he left.Lester (12-4) had eight strikeouts, allowed two runs and nine hits while winning for the third time in his last four starts.Soler, activated off the disabled list before the game after being out since June 6 with a hamstring injury, celebrating his return to the majors with his home run in the first inning off As starter Dillon Overton (1-3).That capped a four-run burst by the Cubs that included Fowlers fifth game-opening home run this season.Soler also reached on a fielders choice and scored on Baezs double in the third. Jason Heyward added an RBI single in the inning to help extend Chicagos lead to 7-0.Brett Eibner, called up from the minors earlier in the day, homered against Lester leading off the sixth for Oakland. Marcus Semien added an RBI single.Overton allowed seven runs in three innings. The rookie left-hander is winless since beating the Los Angeles Angels in his major league debut June 25.TRAINERS ROOMCubs: Manager Joe Maddon said the plan is to ease Soler back in and get him some defensive work in the outfield before the team faces another NL team on Aug. 11. ... RHP Joe Nathan was designated for assignment. The 41-year-old was 1-0 in three appearances with the Chicago.Athletics: Jed Lowrie was placed on the 15-day disabled list because of a bunion on his left foot. ... RHP Jesse Hahn also went on the DL with a strained right shoulder. ... RHP Andrew Triggs was called back up from Triple-A Nashville along with Eibner.UP NEXTCubs: RHP Jake Arrieta (12-5) pitches the middle game of the series at the Coliseum. The Chicago ace has lost three straight decisions.Athetics: RHP Sonny Gray (5-10) has won only twice in 11 starts since coming off the disabled list. Gray has a 5.57 ERA over that span. Custom College Jerseys Free Shipping . -- About a third of the way through the regular season, the Washington Wizards are at . Custom College Jerseys Store . The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem. http://www.customjerseyscollege.com/ . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. Wholesale Custom College Jerseys . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker. Clearance Custom College Jerseys . -- In one brief spurt, Brazil turned a close game into a rout and proved again it will be a strong World Cup favourite. CHICAGO -- Hisashi Iwakuma was in tough shape, even before his first pitch.The Seattle right-hander said his arm felt tight during his pre-game bullpen and even though he was able to get loose, he struggled with command as the Chicago Cubs routed the Mariners 12-1 Friday.Im OK, though. I just couldnt keep the ball down, Iwakuma said through a translator.Iwakuma (11-7) had won his last five starts, but gave up five runs and eight hits in three innings.I dont think its anything to be alarmed about, just took him awhile to get loose today, wasnt on top of his game, Mariners manager Scott Servais said. Weve seen him come out slow in the past and be able to make an adjustment, but not today.Jon Lester recovered from a rut of bad starts, pitching six shutout innings for the Cubs third straight win.Jason Heyward and David Ross homered as the NL Central leaders won for the 10th time in 15 games.Thats a bad day. Its unfortunate. We got to get better playing in these day games, Servais said.Seattle lost in its first trip to Wrigley Field since 2007. The Mariners let infielder Luis Sardinas pitch the eighth, and he threw a perfect inning.When youre down like that, its about the next days game, Servais said of conserving his bullpen. Dont want to do it, dont like doing it, but sometimes the game calls for it.Lester (11-4) had lasted just 16 innings over his previous four starts, going 1-1 with a 10.13 ERA. That skid came after he had gone 9-3 with a 2.03 ERA in his first 16 starts.Lester gave up four hits, struck out seven and walked two. He was already done when there was a 74-minute rain delay in the seventh.The guys swung the bats really well, Lester said. I try to always tell them, 12 runs and an airtight defense makes a pitchers job a lot easier, so that was good today.Mike Montgomery, traded last week from Seattle to the Cubs, pitched the final two innings.dddddddddddd. He gave up a single to Shawn OMalley in the ninth for the Mariners run.The Cubs already led 5-0 when they scored six times in the sixth inning, with Anthony Rizzo hitting a three-run double.Heyward hit his first homer since June 11 and drove in three runs. He had been just 5 for 45 in his last 13 games.Kris Bryant reached base all five times he came up for the Cubs. He singled twice, doubled and walked twice.Sardinas, who played for Texas and Milwaukee the past two seasons, moved from first base to the mound and retired the Cubs on eight pitches.Tremendous job, threw the ball downhill, little breaking ball, Servais said.HOMECOMINGServais, who played for the Cubs during four seasons, checked out the Wrigley renovations.Its about as nice as you can get, he said. The visitors side, its probably about as tight as you can get. Thats just the way it is. They use it as a home-field advantage. But were excited to be here. A lot of our guys havent been here before.NEWCOMERSeattles Guillermo Heredia made his major league debut when he went to right field in the seventh. He struck out in the eighth. The Mariners recalled him from Triple-A Tacoma before the game and optioned LHP David Rollins.TRAINERS ROOMMariners: RF Nelson Cruz returned to the lineup after fouling a ball off his shin Tuesday. He went 0 for 2 with a walk.UP NEXTMariners: Its been a streaky season for LHP Wade Miley (6-8, 5.23). He lost his first two decisions, won his next six and has lost his last six starts.Cubs: Jake Arrieta (12-4, 2.76) is 0-2 with a 5.55 ERA in four July starts. He has allowed 20 earned runs over his last five starts after giving up 19 over his first 15 starts. ' ' '