CHICAGO -- Jeff Samardzija will find himself on a familiar mound but in an unaccustomed role on Thursday.A onetime baseball and football standout from northwest Indiana and a Chicago Cubs pitching mainstay from 2008 to 2014, Samardzija will try to shut down his former team as the San Francisco Giants arrive for the opener of a four-game weekend series.The 31-year-old Samardzija, in his first season with the Giants, faces his former team for only the second time in his career and first at Wrigley Field at 8:05 p.m. ET Thursday.Im sure hes excited about it, San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday. Hes spent some time there. He knows Wrigley Field. Hes been throwing the ball well. I hope he continues that into tomorrows game.The Giants, currently leading the National League wild-card standings, are making their only Wrigley Field appearance of the season.They took two of three from the Cubs on May 20-22 at AT&T Park.Samardzija declined a long-term Cubs offer in 2014 and began an odyssey that took him to Oakland (via trade), to the Chicago White Sox last year and finally this season to the Giants.Set to make his 26th start of 2016, Samardzija is coming off a seven-inning shutout performance on Aug. 26 against the Atlanta Braves that included seven hits, six strikeouts and three walks.Hes 0-1 all-time against the Cubs, suffering the loss on Aug. 14, 2015, when the White Sox beat their cross-town rivals 6-5 at U.S. Cellular Field.The Cubs counter with Mike Montgomery (1-1, 3.50 ERA), who was originally slated to pitch Wednesday but swapped spots with Jason Hammel.Montgomery, 27, makes his third start with the Cubs, all against NL West opponents, including two against the Giants. He threw 91 pitches, allowed three runs despite walking four and gave up six hits in a no-decision on Aug. 26 at the Los Angeles Dodgers, a 6-4 extra-innings victory.I decided to give him an extra day, Cubs manager Joe Maddon told reporters. It just made all the sense in the world to do it that way. I talked to Hammer (Jason Hammel) about it yesterday, and he was fine. Montgomery was good with it, so thats what were going to do.Montgomery has made 20 career starts, going 5-7 with a 4.39 ERA and two complete game shutouts in 2015.Chicagos spacious new clubhouse will easily handle additions arriving this week as rosters expand to 40 on Thursday.The Cubs got the jump on added personnel by recalling versatile infielder Tommy La Stella and his .295 bat from Triple-A Iowa and inserting him in Wednesday lineup.LaStella had played in 51 games before a declining to report as assigned to Triple-A Iowa in late July, then later agreeing to a minor league stint.Hes expected to be a frequent September contributor and through the subsequent NL playoffs.After the series against the Giants, the Cubs embark on a 10-day, nine-game road trip that takes them to Milwaukee, Houston and St. Louis. Steelers Jerseys Outlet . Parker had 26 points and eight assists and San Antonio beat Toronto 112-99 Monday night. 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That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. New Zealand scored three goals in the final quarter to come from behind and beat India 3-2 for a spot in the final of the Four Nations Tournament in Melbourne on Saturday.India only needed a draw to make the final against Australia, who had already booked a spot after winning all three of their group matches. New Zealand needed a win, having drawn against Malaysia in their opening game before losing 3-1 against Australia in their previous game.Rupinder Pal Singh, who scored a brace in the opening-day loss to Australia and a crucial second against Malaysia on Thursday, gave India the lead in the 18th minute from a penalty stroke.New Zealand kept the pressure up after going down, but India defended resolutely to maintain the lead until the end of the third quarter.New Zealand turned it around at the start of the final quarter, scoring two goals in two minutes to take the lead. Nick Ross scored the first one in the 47th minute, deflecting Hugo Inglis cross-field pass in to level the scores. A minute later, Stephen Jenness was the first to react in front of goal to tap a loose ball in and make it 2-1.India found it difficult to recover from the double blow, struggling to get out of their own half for much of the quarter. Akash Chiikte pulled off a brilliant double save from a penalty corner in the 56th minute to keep India alive.dddddddddddd But New Zealand doubled their lead from another PC a minute later, Hugo Inglis finding the net to make it 3-1.Just when it looked like the game had been put beyond Indias reach, Rupinder scored his second, this time from a PC to reduce the deficit. India coach Roelant Oltmans took the keeper off for an extra outfield player in a desperate move in the last few minutes.Indias sustained pressure almost paid off in the final minute, but Nikkins tap in was ruled out. With seconds to go, India won yet another penalty corner. But Rupinders powerful shot was saved brilliantly by Joyce as New Zealand held on for a thrilling win.The third place playoff between India and Malaysia will be played at 10:30 AM IST on Sunday, November 27?and will be followed by the final at 1 PM IST.The decider of the three-match Test series between India and Australias womens teams will also take place in Melbourne on Sunday at 8:30 AM IST. India beat the hosts 1-0 in the opening game, before losing 4-1 in the second. Wholesale Jerseys 2019 Cheap Jerseys 2020 Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap Jerseys China Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '