MILWAUKEE (AP) - Carlos Zambrano is expected to start Sunday's season finale for the Chicago Cubs on three days' rest, but he won't pitch more than an inning or two against the Milwaukee Brewers.
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It will be a playoff tuneup for Zambrano, scheduled to pitch Game 2 of Chicago's first-round series Thursday.
"I think he'd rather go through the routine of starting as opposed to just pitching an inning or two out of the bullpen," Piniella said before Saturday's game at Milwaukee.
Piniella plans to use the rest of Sunday's game to get his relievers some work before the postseason.
Zambrano threw a no-hitter in his last outing at Miller Park on Sept. 15, in a game against the Houston Astros that was moved to Milwaukee because of Hurricane Ike.
Piniella already had announced that Ryan Dempster will pitch the first game of the division series next week, with Zambrano scheduled to start Game 2. Rich Harden and Ted Lilly round out the playoff rotation.
Meanwhile, Cubs catcher Geovany Soto (hand) and infielder Mark DeRosa (strained calf) were not in the lineup for Saturday's game at Milwaukee. Piniella said Soto would have played Saturday if the Cubs were in the playoffs, but DeRosa needs a few more days to heal.
