As much as the Cubs' bullpen is a work in progress, manager Lou Piniella wants his starting pitchers to ease the burden a bit.
Piniella was critical of his bullpen after a 7-4 loss to the Cardinals Thursday, when the bullpen gave up two runs in the seventh and one in the eighth. "What we need, really, is a little more from our starters," Piniella said Friday. "If we get more from our starters, we don't have to get as deep in our bullpen."
What hurt the Cubs was a three-inning start by Rich Harden Wednesday. Sean Marshall pitched creditably Thursday, but lasted only five innings.
Piniella had to use four relievers Wednesday and five on Thursday. Aaron Heilman bounced back after giving up a homer Thursday to gain the victory Friday as the Cubs beat the Cardinals 8-7.
"I have confidence that these guys can get the job done, so let's just give them the ball and go," Piniella said.
Piniella said the seventh inning is a key, and Heilman is his main there. Piniella has Carlos Marmol and Kevin Gregg for the eighth and ninth. But getting starters to go deeper into games is going to take getting their pitch counts down. Harden threw 92 in three innings this week, and Marshall tossed 93 in five innings.
CUBS 8, CARDINALS 7: LF Alfonso Soriano hit a two-run homer with one out in the bottom of the eighth to rally the Cubs from a 7-6 deficit. Soriano struck out three times in the game before homering. RHP Carlos Zambrano gave up nine hits and seven runs, but he lasted seven innings. RHP Carlos Marmol got into trouble in the ninth, but earned his second save.
