SAN DIEGO -- Cubs infielders Blake DeWitt and Xavier Nady contributed to Carlos Zambrano's victory over the Padres with several solid defensive plays on Monday.

DeWitt seemed to be in the right spot at the right time at second. Maybe it's because he's played in the National League West and knows the Padres a little?

"I may know these hitters a little better from playing against them," the second baseman said. "Last night was one of those nights where we had great pitching and great defense. It was a battle the whole way and made for a great game."

Zambrano, Sean Marshall and Carlos Marmol held the Padres to four hits in the 1-0 win.

"You try to be on your toes all the time," DeWitt said. "A game like that, especially late in the game, you're aware of everything and everything that could come up."

Nady turned a nice double play in the second, when he snared Chase Headley's liner and stepped on second to force Yorvit Torrealba.

"I'm just trying to catch them all," Nady said.

Coleman to kick off Cubs' final series

SAN DIEGO -- Rookie Casey Coleman will make one more start on Friday, opening the Cubs' final series of the season against the Astros.

Cubs manager Mike Quade tabbed Coleman (3-2, 4.68 ERA) over Jeff Samardzija (2-2, 8.38 ERA). Both were considered.

Samardzija threw a soft side session on Tuesday and will be available in the bullpen as early as Thursday. The right-hander, who was 11-3 at Triple-A Iowa this season, did lobby to make one more start, Quade said.

"I'm never happy when a guy says, 'OK, great,'" Quade said. "He'll do whatever we ask. I also think this will give Larry [Rothschild, pitching coach] some time to work on his delivery and try to get as much work here the last week, whether it's pitching in games or pitching on the side to further his development and help with his command."

In Samardzija's last outing, Sunday against the Cardinals, he gave up seven hits and walked seven over 4 1/3 innings and took the loss.

Nady reacts to Cal shutting down baseball

SAN DIEGO -- Xavier Nady was upset to hear that the California Golden Bears were dropping the baseball program after 2011.

Nady, now with the Cubs, was a three-time All-Pac 10 selection and a two-time All-American. He left Cal holding school records in home runs (57), RBIs (191) and total bases (479).

"It was a shock more than anything," Nady said Tuesday. "It's tough. The amount of money that goes into the program -- it's expensive."

He said the stadium there was old and needed updating, plus they didn't draw very well, especially compared to other Pac 10 schools, like Standford.

"It's sad," Nady said. "I know the coaches and they took a lot of pride in what they did. It's too bad it's not generating any revenue.

"It's just sad more than anything."

Outfielder Brett Jackson, the Cubs' first-round pick in 2009, also played at Cal.

Extra bases

Several Cubs players and some of the coaches visited the U.S. Navy Seals training center on Tuesday and had a chance to fire off a few rounds on the range with their automatic rifles. "These guys are impressive," said Micah Hoffpauir, who went on the trip with Andrew Cashner, James Russell and Jeff Samardzija, among others. "They don't miss." ... Asked if he believes in having an "ace" on the pitching staff, Cubs manager Mike Quade said he isn't into labels. "Those kind of descriptions, I have no time for whatsoever," he said. "Does ace mean this moment? Does it mean entire year? Does it mean body of work? Names like that mean nothing to me." Quade asked who the ace was in St. Louis, Adam Wainwright or Chris Carpenter. "It makes for interesting discussion, but not for me," he said. "I just want people to perform well. Just show me. I'm a Missouri guy. Just show me." ... On Nov. 21, one day after Northwestern plays Illinois in a college football game at Wrigley Field, fans will be able to play football there. Tickets for the event are $50 per session, and sessions begin at 10 a.m. CT. Proceeds will go to Chicago Cubs Charities.