To reach playoffs, Cubs must get it done on the road
If the Cubs are going to hang on and win the National League Central, they will need to be a good road team the rest of the way.
The Cubs play 16 of their final 23 games away from Wrigley Field starting today in Pittsburgh.
"We're going to have to get hot one time, I don't know when, but one more time," said manager Lou Piniella. "One more streak."
The Cubs' remaining homes games are a Monday makeup against St. Louis and a six-game homestand with Cincinnati and Pittsburgh Sept. 17-23.
"Our team is a fairly veteran team and we feel we can win on the road," Piniella said. "Anywhere you go here in the last three weeks, whether you're at home or on the road, they'll be tough games."
Piniella said he was hoping for 6 or 7 wins on the homestand that ended Thursday, but he got only five. The Cubs were in first place 1½ games ahead of Milwaukee when the homestand started on Aug. 28. They left town tied with the Brewers for the division lead.
"It's been a logjam for the last three weeks," said second baseman Mark DeRosa. "We'd like to think we're going to go on a roll and win 10 games in a row, but it's probably going to go down to the wire."
Piniella has 17 players on the roster with playoff experience, which he believes will help down the stretch.
"Experience, there's no substitute for it, I can tell you that," Piniella said. "It's important to be able to concentrate and to relax and just to play as opposed to press. I think these guys will be relaxed. One thing we'll find out is if we're good enough."
Monday's makeup with the Cardinals breaks up what would have been a 10-game road trip that includes four in St. Louis next weekend.
The good news: Alfonso Soriano homered twice in Thursday's tough 7-4 loss to the Dodgers while starter Jason Marquis worked 7 sharp innings and left leading 4-2.
Soriano looks to have regained his power stroke following that three-week stay on the disabled list.
"I feel very comfortable and I think I have my hands and my swing back," Soriano said. "I'm very excited because I think I can help the team."
Marquis pitched well enough to win, which would have been his fourth victory in the last 6 starts.
Resting regulars: Even in the heat of a pennant race and with Aramis Ramirez coming off a home run Wednesday night, Lou Piniella rested his third baseman Thursday afternoon except for a pinch-hit appearance.
Shortstop Ryan Theriot and center fielder Jacque Jones were rested Wednesday.
"It's been warm and we've been playing a lot of games without a day off," Piniella said. "Ramirez has been playing hard and we'll get him nice and strong here for the finishing kick."
Leading man: When Alfonso Soriano led off Thursday with a home run, it was the seventh time he had done so this season and the 39th time in his career. Soriano became the first player in major-league history to hit 7 or more leadoff home runs in four different seasons.
Scouting report
Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park
TV: Comcast SportsNet-plus today; Channel 9 Saturday; Comcast SportsNet Sunday.
Radio: WGN 720-AM.
Pitching matchups: The Cubs' Rich Hill (8-7) vs. Tom Gorzelanny (13-7) today, 6:05 p.m.; Carlos Zambrano (14-12) vs. Ian Snell (9-11) Saturday, 6:05 p.m.; Steve Trachsel (0-1) vs. Matt Morris (8-9) Sunday, 12:35 p.m.
At a glance: The Cubs have six games left against the Pirates, who have won five of the first nine in the season series. Carlos Zambrano, who starts Saturday looking to end a personal five-game losing streak, is 0-2 against Pittsburgh this season. Pirates outfielder Jason Bay is hitting .364 (12-for-33) lifetime against Zambrano with 5 homers and 4 doubles. The Cubs finish with 16 of their final 23 games on the road, where they are 33-32. The Pirates went into Thursday's loss at St. Louis with a 4.72 team ERA, fourth worst in the National League. Shortstop Jack Wilson was hitting a NL-best .405 since the start of August.
Next: St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field, Monday.
-- Tim Sassone