Cubs need trophy repaired

Epstein’s benefit concert damages World Series award.

After 108 years, the Cubs broke through and won a World Series last season.

Now their World Series trophy is broken. Or was broken. The team’s commissioner’s trophy was damaged during Cubs’ President Theo Epstein’s “Hot Stove Cool Music” benefit concert in Boston recently, the Cubs confirmed.

The Cubs played the Red Sox in a three-game series at Fenway Park. The Cubs’ trophy, along with the one Epstein helped the Red Sox win as their general manager in 2004 to break an 86-year drought, both were being passed around the crowd.

In a video, Epstein is shown on stage playing guitar while Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder sings and the trophies are being passed around the room.

“A handful of (the 30) flags came off the trophy during the event Saturday night,” Cubs vice president of communications and community affairs Julian Green told the Tribune. “(It) was repaired and was on display Sunday (at Fenway along with the Red Sox trophy).”

Cubs fans are hoping this is not the start of a new jinx.

40-somethings

Tuesday’s homer was the first for Carlos Beltran since he turned 40 on April 24. It came off one of the few active players older than in him in Bartolo Colon, who at 43 is the oldest player in the majors. Colon turns 44 on May 24.

“Yeah it was an old battle,” Beltran said with a laugh. “Bartolo is a competitor man. I have to give him a lot of credit. He’s been in the league for a long time and he has been able to reinvent himself.”

Colon (1-4) gave up eight runs and three homers, both season highs, in 5⅔ innings. His ERA ballooned to 7.22.

The Astros went on to beat the visiting Braves 8-3.

Quite a coincidence

Lifelong Mets fan Roy Riegel - whose cremated remains have been flushed down 16 ballpark toilets around the country as a tribute by a childhood friend grew up near the Mets’ present home, Flushing Meadows.

Training room

■ Phillies: RHP Jeanmar Gomez, who lost his closer’s role recently, was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right elbow impingement.

■ Red Sox: Injured LHP David Price threw about 60-plus pitches in a simulated session. The 2012 AL Cy Young Award winner is recovering from a strained left elbow. Manager John Farrell said Price’s next full work session could be a minor league rehab start.

■ Orioles: Closer Zach Britton (left forearm strain) won’t return from his second trip to the DL until the team is certain he’s healthy. Though there is no time frame, Britton told The Associated Press, “A 60-day DL stint was never something brought to my attention.”

He said it

Blue Jays pitcher Marco Estrada, to ESPN.com, on teammate Chris Coghlan’s incredible leap over Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina to score a run: “It was like I saw a unicorn or something.”