SAN DIEGO -- Other than one bad pitch, Chicago Cubs left-hander Travis Wood had a pretty good night. Ken Panfil Jersey Store . Wood came within five outs of pitching his first career shutout before allowing Carlos Quentins pinch-hit, two-run home run, and Chicago held on to beat the San Diego Padres 3-2 Saturday night. Wood (5-4) hit an RBI single and Luis Valbuena homered for the Cubs, who bounced back from an 11-1 loss Friday night. Wood allowed two runs and three hits in 7 1-3 innings, struck out three and walked two. "I felt good all game," Wood said. "I made a bad pitch there to Quentin. I wanted a cutter in, but didnt quite get it all the way in there and he got through it. But other than that everything was working pretty good all game." Quentin, who missed the previous four games with a groin injury, hit an 86 mph pitch an estimated 405 feet off the left-field facade with one out in the eighth to chase Wood. Quentin has five career pinch homers and two in one week. Yasmani Grandal was aboard on a one-out walk. Other than that, "my fastball was locating down and I got some quick outs there," Wood said. "All in all, no complaints other than one pitch, but thats going to happen." Quentin also hit a two-run, pinch homer last Saturday at Colorado. He hurt his groin on Sunday and hadnt played until Saturday nights appearance. "Thats a hard thing to do to pinch-hit -- one of the hardest roles in our game to come off the bench without playing and go step in the batters box against pitcher and hit a home run," manager Bud Black said. "That is hard to do and he has done it twice in a week. "When Carlos does that, that is what we expect," Black said. "He is a dynamic offensive player and our team changes." Problem is, the Padres havent seen much of Quentin this year. He missed the first 39 games after starting the season on the disabled list with a bone bruise in his left knee. "He makes us better," Black said. "Hes arguably our best offensive player each and every night he is in the game." Valbuena extended his hitting streak to eight games when he drove an 88 mph fastball from Billy Buckner into the right field seats with one out in the sixth. It was his third. Nate Schierholtz doubled to right with two outs. The Padres intentionally walked Darwin Barney to get to Wood, who singled up the middle to drive in Schierholtz. Valbuena also scored in the fourth, reaching on a walk, advancing on Welington Castillos single and coming in on Schierholtzs base hit. Hector Rondon pitched the ninth for his sixth save in seven chances. Buckner (0-1) started in place of Andrew Cashner, who is on the disabled list with a sore right elbow. Buckners contract was purchased earlier Saturday from Triple-A El Paso. He allowed three runs and six hits in 5 2-3 innings, struck out four and walked three. NOTES: In a pregame ceremony, the Padres honoured first responders involved in fighting last weeks wildfires. The players and coaches formed two lines in the outfield and greeted the first responders as they walked in from the warning track. ... Cashner played long toss for the first time since going on the disabled list, retroactive to May 15. Cashner will throw again Sunday. . RHP Tim Stauffer pitched well enough in Fridays win over the Cubs to earn another start. It will come on Wednesday at Arizona. . Newly acquired LHP Troy Patton, acquired from Baltimore in Saturdays trade for C Nick Hundley, will complement LHP Alex Torres in the bullpen. He should arrive in San Diego on Sunday. . Cubs OF Justin Ruggiano could rejoin the team on the road trip; hes been on the DL since April 24 with a strained hamstring. Ruggiano played consecutive games in Triple-A Iowa on Thursday and Friday. . Padres RHP Ian Kennedy (2-6, 3.79) faces Cubs RHP Jason Hammel (5-2, 2.91) in Sundays series finale. Will Herring Jersey Store . -- Damian Lillard couldnt believe when he got a clear look at the rim. Jack May Jersey Store . -- Without Carey Price, the run for a first Stanley Cup in 21 years got steeper and longer for the Montreal Canadiens.The Oscar Pistorius murder trial is underway. On the first day of trial, Michelle Burger, a neighbour of Pistorius, took the stand and set the stage for the prosecutions case. She testified that she heard Reeva Steenkamp cry for help. "I was sitting in bed and I heard her screams," Burger testified. "She screamed terribly and she yelled for help. I heard the screams again. It was worse. It was more intense. Just after her screams, I heard four shots. Four gun-shots... You could hear it was blood curdling screams. You cant translate it into words. The anxiousness in her voice, and fear. It leaves you cold. She screamed terribly and she yelled for help." We know that Pistorius has admitted to killing Steenkamp. The issue being determined at trial is whether he killed her intentionally, or as Pistorius alleges, he killed her by accident. This is his version: "During the early hours of the morning I brought two fans in from the balcony. I had shortly before spoken to Reeva who was in bed beside me. Unbeknown to me, Reeva must have gone to the toilet in the bathroom at the time I brought in the fans, closed the sliding doors and drew the blinds and the curtains. I heard the bathroom window sliding open, I believed that an intruder or intruders had entered the bathroom through the bathroom window which was not fitted with burglar bars. I approached the bathroom armed with my firearm, so as to defend Reeva and I. At that time I believed Reeva was still in the bed. The discharging of my firearm was precipitated by a noise in the toilet which I, in my fearful state, knowing I was on my stumps, unable to run away or properly defend myself physically believed to be the intruder or intruders coming out of the toilet to attack Reeva and me." So lets address some of the more important parts of the trial. Understanding the Charges The key charge against Pistorius is premeditated murder. Premeditated murder requires an intent to murder plus planning the murder. Based upon what we know, expect the prosecution to have a tough time establishing premeditated murder. As support for the charge, the prosecution will argue that the act was planned (or premeditated) since he took the time to put on his prosthetic legs before walking to the bathroom and firing four deadly shots. However, that by itself wont likely be enough to establish the requisite planning element. Premeditation is reserved for more robust planning and generally doesnt capture an intent that materialized right before a crime was committed. For those that like precedents, in the case of State v. Raath, a South African Court ruled that a father forcing his son to remove a firearm from the safe to kill the sons mother was not sufficient to constitute premeditated murder. However, that doesnt mean Pistorius walks. Not even close. Even if the prosecution cant make out premeditated murder, it can still get Pistorius on the lesser charge of murder. In order establish murder, they only need to show that he intended to kill Steenkamp (no planning element needed). Should the prosecution fail on murder, there is another lesser charge that could come into play: culpable homicide. This charge means that Pistorius negligently killed Steenkamp (or that the killing was an accident). And this is what Pistorius is alleging - he killed Steenkamp by accident. He thought she was an intruder. Prison Time Premeditated murder would get Pistorius a compulsory life sentence, while murder would result in a compulsory sentence of 15 years. For culpable homicide, the sentencing is discretionary (varies from fines to prison time), although its not unusual to see prison time in South Africa of 5-10 years for this type of crime. No Jury System & Judge Masipa South Africa does not have a jury sysstem. Dave Pacella Jersey Store. Juries at times render unexpected or unusual decisions. They can also be swayed by public sentiment and emotion, while also potentially distracted by celebrity and irrelevant facts. A judge, however, is more likely to focus on the facts and make a ruling based upon those facts. The judge is charged with ensuring a just result and on that basis, will carefully review and consider all the facts of a case. Judge Thokozile Masipa is presiding over the trial. Masipa has a reputation for being tough on cases that involve crimes against women. In May 2013, Masipa ordered serial rapist Shepherd Moyo to serve a jail sentence of 252 year sentence. She hoped the sentence would serve as a "deterrent." Given her intolerance for violence against women, Judge Masipa is perhaps not the ideal judge for Pistorius. South Africa, by the way, has the highest reported rate globally of females murdered by shooting in a country not engaged in war. Thats another reason this case matters. The Case The trial has only just begun. More witnesses will testify and further evidence will be presented. So its tough to know how this will end for Pistorius. Still, there are a number of improbabilities with Pistorius version of the events. How did he not know Steenkamp was not in bed when he walked right by her? Wouldnt Steenkamp have yelled in the bathroom after the first shot was discharged? As well, witnesses have reported seeing the lights on, contradicting Pistorius account that it was pitch dark in his room. As well, Steenkamps wounds suggest she was not sitting on toilet on left hand side of bathroom but rather on right side of bathroom. This suggests she was hiding from Pistorius. Also key is whether Pistorius and Steenkamp argued that night. The prosecution has already produced witnesses who testified that they heard shouting and screaming. This helps the prosecutions argument that this was a quarrel that tragically escalated to murder. As well, the couples mobile phone records could provide helpful insight as to what happened that night. Steenkamp is said to have had her phone with her in the bathroom when she was shot. Was she contacting the authorities or friends for help as an enraged Pistorius charged toward her? It is unusual for someone to take their phone to the bathroom in the middle of the night (unless they feel threatened) and the prosecution will undoubtedly raise that. There is more. Pistorius told authorities he could not remember the password to his own cell phone. As a result, authorities took the phone to Apple headquarters to have it unlocked. This raises the possibility that Pistorius may have been hiding incriminating messages. Forensic evidence will also be presented, which can be quite effective in piecing together what really happened that night. For example, each drop of blood in the bathroom can help determine if Steenkamp was sitting, standing or moving at the time she was shot. Pistorius rage issues will also come into play. As for the defence, they will argue that the shooting was a tragic mistake - but a mistake nonetheless. They will also focus on contradictions and inconsistencies in statements made by witnesses to police and their answers in court. In fact they have started challenging witnesses, attacking not only their recollection of events, but also the plausibility of their claims that they could hear the couple argue from their homes. Pistorius claims lack believability and veracity. Ultimately, it would not be a surprise to see Pistorius convicted of murder and sentenced to 15 years in jail, particularly with a Judge like Masipa presiding over the trial. That being said, there is still a lot of track to cover and much evidence to consider. Still, Pistorius is facing an uphill battle. ' ' '