Cubs melt down in ninth

The Chicago Cubs celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first game at Wrigley Field in the most appropriate way: with a gut-wrenching loss.

After an error by shortstop Starlin Castro, the Arizona Diamondbacks rallied for five runs in the ninth to beat the Cubs 7-5 on Wednesday.

The beloved ballpark, the second-oldest in the major leagues behind 102-year-old Fenway Park in Boston, opened on April 23, 1914, when the Federal League’s Chicago Federals beat the Kansas City Packers 9-1.

The Cubs wore Federals uniforms, and the Diamondbacks wore Kansas City Packers threads.

The Cubs moved into the Friendly Confines in 1916, after the Federal League folded, and have established a tradition of beloved losers.

Castro tried to keep his left leg on second as he retrieved the ball, and second base umpire Brian O’Nora called the sliding Owings safe — a decision confirmed by the replay umpire in New York.

Prado’s bouncer up the middle bounded off second base, eluding second baseman Darwin Barney and kicking into short right-center field as the Diamondbacks closed to 5-4.

Trevor Cahill (1-4) pitched two scoreless innings for Arizona, which ended a four-game losing streak, and Addison Reed got his fourth save as the Cubs went quietly in a 1-2-3 ninth.

Even dressed as another team, the Cubs were still the Cubs.

Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta is to make his fifth — and what the team hopes is final — minor league injury rehabilitation start Saturday for Double-A Tennessee.