"Kid K" went out in fitting fashion: with a strikeout.

After sources said Friday that Chicago Cubs pitcher Kerry Wood would retire after making one last appearance, Wood whiffed the Chicago White Sox's

Dayan Viciedo in the eighth inning and promptly left the game.

"It's just time," Wood said after the game. "It was time. We saw how things were going this year and just not being able to recover and bounce back and do my job, essentially. You know, do what I'm supposed to do, day in and day out. Just the grind of getting ready every day. To go through it, hours to get ready for 15 pitches and go out there and not be successful.

"You know it was just time, time to give someone else a chance."

Knowing what was happening, the Wrigley faithful erupted and gave him a standing ovation. Wood shook hands with his teammates before leaving the mound and tipping his hat to the crowd. He looked surprised when his son, Justin, ran out to hug him before he reached the dugout.

"I felt like I was getting ready to pitch my first inning. The adrenaline was the same, the nerves were the same. I can't give enough credit to the fans, just a tremendous feeling," Wood said.

Comcast SportsNet Chicago reported a news conference will be held on the field at Wrigley at 3 p.m. Saturday.

"It will be tough not seeing him out there pitching," pitcher Ryan Dempster said before the game, as Wood was shagging fly balls with his son. "I hope he goes out there and finishes on a great note. He's been a great friend and a great teammate and a great Chicago Cub."

Initially, it was reported Wood would retire Friday, but the plan to let him pitch once more prior to the announcement was revealed by sources. That opportunity happened Friday.

Wood appeared to start his going-away party by taking out the lineup card Friday.

"One of those things you know it's the most difficult thing you ever have to deal with," manager Dale Sveum said of retirement. "Everybody has to do it."

Wood, 34, is 0-2 with a 8.64 ERA and has been battling health issues all season.

Wood is best known for his 20-strikeout game during his rookie of the year campaign in 1998, earning him the nickname "Kid K."

On May 6, 1998, he allowed only one hit, a third-inning single by Ricky Gutierrez, in a 2-0 victory over the Houston Astros. It was his fifth major league start.

As the game progressed and with rain falling, Wood's stuff was never better. Throwing fastballs at 100 mph and with his slider dipping around the Houston bats, Wood didn't walk a batter, hit one with a pitch and gave up that lone infield single in the third on a ball Cubs third baseman Kevin Orie couldn't come up with.

When Wood fanned Bill Spiers in the ninth for his 19th strikeout, Wood tied the National League record. He struck out Derek Bell to end the game and tie Roger Clemens' major league mark (the two still remain the only MLB pitchers to do it in nine innings).