Piniella tossed, exits quietly
LOS ANGELES - It may have been the quietest ejection of Lou Piniella's career.
The Cubs manager got the heave-ho from first-base umpire Jerry Layne after a double dose of relatively mild arguing after the fifth inning.
Xavier Paul led off the bottom of the fifth with an infield single as Layne ruled he beat the throw of Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee to pitcher Tom Gorzelanny.
Replays showed Layne clearly missed the call.
Piniella argued once and then again at the end of the inning after being informed of what the replay showed. It was his 65th career ejection as a manager and sixth with the Cubs. This one came with no histrionics.
"It was a continuation on the play," Piniella said after the Cubs' 7-3 victory. "I had a pretty good view of it from the dugout. The baserunner was out, and Jerry convinced me he wasn't until one of my coaches saw the replay. He sort of baited me out there, but it's all right.
"I told him, 'You missed the call.' He said, 'I can't hear you. I can't hear you.' Some guys have better hearing than others, I guess."
Silva a go: Carlos Silva indeed will pitch Sunday night's finale at Dodger Stadium after all. Lou Piniella had termed him questionable Friday because of lingering pain behind his right knee.
Silva met with Piniella and pitching coach Larry Rothschild before Saturday's game, and they determined he could go.
"I'm good," Silva said to writers before heading into the office.
Piniella isn't concerned about how long Silva might be able to go.
"It's a game where we can pitch with our entire bullpen," Piniella said. "Let's see if he gives us 4-5-6 innings, and we'll be very happy."
Rotation plans: After the all-star break, the Cubs will come back with a pitching rotation of Ryan Dempster, Ted Lilly, Randy Wells, Tom Gorzelanny and Carlos Silva. The feeling is that the Cubs will give Silva as much time between starts as they can. The Cubs also break up lefties Lilly and Gorzelanny.
The Cubs resume play with a four-game series with the Phillies at Wrigley Field before the Astros and Cardinals come to town.