NATIONAL LEAGUE Hernandez is reunited with pal Sosa and Cubs

Jose Hernandez previously was with the Cubs from 1994-99.
CHICAGO (AP) -- Jose Hernandez returned to the Chicago Cubs on Friday, reuniting with his friend Sammy Sosa and hoping to provide some punch to the lineup.
Hernandez was with the Cubs from 1994 until he was traded to Atlanta late in the 1999 season. His play at shortstop in 1998, when he hit 23 homers and drove in 75 runs, helped Chicago win the NL wild card that season.
He spent three seasons with Milwaukee, making the All-Star team last year, and had appeared in 69 games with the Rockies before he was traded Thursday for Mark Bellhorn and Double-A pitcher Travis Anderson.
Hernandez can play all the infield positions but will probably get most of his playing time at third, where the Cubs have been shuffling this season. They've used Bellhorn, Ramon Martinez and Lenny Harris at the position.
"We're in first place. I just want to be in the lineup and have fun," Hernandez said before Friday's game with the White Sox. He arrived Friday morning and was not in the starting lineup.
Strong start
Hernandez started strongly for the Rockies and batted .320 with three homers and 14 RBIs in 27 games during April, when he had a 10-game hitting streak. But he's tailed off and is batting just .237 with eight homers and 27 RBIs in 69 games overall, most of them at shortstop.
With the Brewers last season, he struck out 188 times when he batted .288 with 24 homers and 73 RBIs.
"He's a quality guy and a great defensive player at all three infield spots and he was in the All-Star game a year ago," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said.
"He's been struggling with the bat lately, but he's always been a streaky guy. ... Now he's in a a comfort zone where he's been before. Hopefully he'll get hot and help us out again."