"Cubs first baseman Carlos Pena was out of the lineup Tuesday a day after suffering a sprained right thumb.

Tyler Colvin couldn't have performed much better as Pena's backup.

In his first major-league start at first, Colvin was flawless defensively, even turning a difficult 3-6-1 double play to cut short an eighth-inning threat. He drove in three of the Cubs' six runs with a two-run homer and a bases-loaded walk.

''I had a fun time,'' he said. ''I just trusted all my work from spring training and here. I'm ready for wherever [manager Mike Quade] wants to put me.''

Colvin may get more playing time at first while Pena recovers.

Pena came out of Monday's game for a pinch hitter in the eighth after hurting his thumb on a play in the seventh inning.

''There was a ball in the hole,'' Pena said. ''As I threw, I fell to the side and jarred my glove hand on the ground. I told Q if you need me, I'm ready to go. But we're trying to be cautious.''

His right thumb and hand were taped Tuesday, but Pena said it felt fine.

''It is uncomfortable, but I've been in worse pain before, so I'm available,'' he said. ''That was my message to Q.

''This is actually the first time it happened to my right hand. A freak thing. Just by instinct I put my hand down, and after the play was over, I was like, 'Wait, that kind of hurt.'??''

Pena's condition will dictate if he plays today before a scheduled day off Thursday. "