Dempster ready -- for anything

With one of the most important weeks of the season here, Cubs manager Lou Piniella wanted his bullpen set up just right.

So rookie left-hander Carmen Pignatiello was recalled from Class AAA Iowa to replace righty Sean Gallagher with the Reds and Cardinals and their left-handed hitting strength coming to town.

And Ryan Dempster was reminded by Piniella to be ready to pitch in any situation -- although he still remains the Cubs' closer.

"I talked to Ryan and we have our understanding," Piniella said before Tuesday's 6-5 loss to Cincinnati that kicked off a critical seven-game homestand.

And the understanding?

"I told him we'd use him in different roles depending on to get work or not," Piniella said.

Dempster has only 1 save since coming off the disabled list on July 20 after recovering from a left oblique strain. The Cubs are 9-14 since Dempster's return with his save July 24 at St. Louis the team's only save in those 9 wins.

Piniella reiterated that using Dempster outside the ninth inning is only a way to get him added work.

"I'm trying to get him back to where he was, and the only way I can do that is by giving him a little more work," Piniella said. "That's what we've been trying to do. We haven't had that many save situations in the past few weeks and if you just wait for save situations, you're not going to get any work.

"Hopefully we'll get into a stretch now where we can get back to where we're saving games on a regular basis, and then you get the work."

There will be no closer by committee, according to Piniella, and Dempster planned to keep his closer mentality even should some save situations go to either Bob Howry or Carlos Marmol.

Dempster warmed up in the eighth inning Tuesday when the Cubs, trailing by 1, put two runners on and had an opportunity to go ahead.

Dempster said he would be ready to pitch in any situation asked with the Cubs in the heat of a pennant race.

"He (Piniella) never told me I wasn't going to close games," Dempster said. "I don't care if I have zero save opportunities if we win games. I just want to win ballgames.

"A lot of people are trying to create tension. I don't care if I have to come in and get three guys out in the fifth inning. I want to win. If it means coming in in the eighth inning to get the 3-4-5 guys out, I'll do that job."

Yet Dempster left no doubt that he considers himself a closer.

"I know the toughest three outs in the game to get are in the ninth inning," he said. "I'm used to doing it (and) I know how to do it. Mentally, I know I can go out and do the job against anyone in baseball."

Pignatiello, the 24-year-old Frankfort native and Providence Catholic High School grad, is going to fill the role once held by Will Ohman.

"I think my role is going to be a left-handed specialist kind of guy," Pignatiello said, who did not get into Tuesday's loss.

"He's here and we're going to use him," Piniella said. "The Cardinals and Cincinnati both have strong left-handed hitters. He's not here to sit."