The Cubs finished a stretch of 20 games in 20 days Wednesday.
They posted a 12-8 record during that time, and manager Lou Piniella gave his regulars days off and cut back the workload on his starting pitchers, holding three starters under six innings this week. "We've shortened people up," Piniella said. "Everything has an effect. When you shorten up your starters, your bullpen gets used more. Truthfully, our bullpen can use a day off (Thursday)."
The most beleaguered reliever is right-hander Bob Howry, who has given up 13 hits and nine runs, including four homers, since the All-Star break.
Piniella may move Howry from late-inning to middle-inning work once righty Kerry Wood resumes his closer role. Carlos Marmol, the interim closer in Wood's absence, would return to being the main right-handed setup man.
CUBS 11, ASTROS 4: The Cubs erased a 4-1 deficit with an eight-run third inning. 2B Mark DeRosa hit a grand slam, and LF Alfonso Soriano added a three-run homer in the fourth. RHP Jason Marquis gave up a three-run homer to Carlos Lee to put the Cubs behind 4-1 in the top of the third, but Marquis hung in and wound up working 6 1/3 innings to even his record at 7-7.
