Wanted: HRs and consistent starting pitchers
The Cubs remained in first place Thursday, but if they want to stay there for good, they'll have to remedy a couple of chronic ailments.
Both of those ailments were exposed during a 10-6 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field.
With Milwaukee falling 12-4 to the New York Mets, the Cubs remained a percentage point ahead of the Brewers for the top spot in the NL Central.
The last thing the Cubs needed Thursday was for starting pitcher Sean Marshall to get knocked out early, especially with Rich Hill getting KO'd after 4ˆ¿ innings Wednesday night.
But that's exactly what happened as Marshall -- who scratched his right cornea overnight into Thursday -- exited after only 2ˆ¿ innings, having given up 9 hits and 7 runs.
"We didn't need a short outing, that's for sure," said manager Lou Piniella, who harped on that theme both Wednesday night and Thursday morning. "Our bullpen has done a yeoman's job. We've got to start getting some more innings from our starting staff. Hopefully it starts tomorrow with (Carlos) Zambrano."
The other problem is the Cubs aren't hitting home runs. On a day with a game-time temperature of 87 degrees and the wind blowing out to right field at 12 mph, conditions seemed ripe for the longball.
Only the Phillies' Pat Burrell went deep. Burrell's second-inning leadoff homer helped his club build a 7-1 lead by the third.
The Cubs could have used a 2-run or a 3-run homer to close the gap more quickly. But they managed only to chip away with singles and doubles. They pulled within 7-6 in the eighth before Will Ohman gave up 3 in the top of the ninth as the Phillies managed a 2-2 series split.
When the Cubs hit no homers and win, they claim the lack of power is no problem. When they lose and don't hit homers, they bristle when the subject is brought up.
"Home runs just happen," said first baseman Derrek Lee, who doubled twice and drove in a run. "Obviously, we're not hitting home runs. I don't think the day particularly matters. If you're going to hit a home run, you're going to hit a home run. I felt we swung the bats decently today. We left some runs out there. I'll take our chances if we swing the bats like we did today."
The Cubs hit just 13 homers in July and are on pace for 132. They hit 166 last year.
The North Siders also knocked Phillies pitcher Kyle Lohse out of the game after 1 inning as Lohse suffered a bruised right forearm fielding Jacque Jones' comebacker to end the inning.
Piniella seemed less concerned about the power drought than with his starters failing to go deep. Marshall went to visit a doctor after he came out. But Marshall wasn't the only pitcher Piniella took to task.
"What we really need (is for) Hill to kick it in a little bit," the manager said. "Earlier in the year, he was giving us some innings. We probably need Hill more than those other guys to kick it in and start pitching deeper into these games, because he's certainly very capable of it."
Phillies 10, Cubs 6
At the plate: The Phillies outhit the Cubs 16-13. Six of the Cubs' hits were doubles; the rest singles. Derrek Lee hit a pair of doubles. Alfonso Soriano was 3-for-5 with 2 runs scored. Jacque Jones was 2-for-5. Ryan Theriot has reached base in 27 straight games.
On the mound: The Cubs got just 2ˆ¿ innings from lefty Sean Marshall (5-5); he gave up 9 hits and 7 runs. Rocky Cherry, Scott Eyre and Michael Wuertz pitched scoreless ball in relief, but Will Ohman allowed the game to get away by giving up 3 in the ninth inning.
-- Bruce Miles