Starters will go on short rest after Cards
Cubs manager Lou Piniella settled on his pitching rotation for the next three series and it includes aces Carlos Zambrano and Ted Lilly starting on three days rest after working in this weekend's key four-game set in St. Louis.
Zambrano has been pushed back to start Friday's series opener against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. He'll then start again on Tuesday, Sept. 18, against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field.
Lilly, who started -- and won -- Monday's makeup game against St. Louis, will pitch one of Saturday's double-header games at Busch Stadium and then go against the Reds on Wednesday, Sept. 19.
That would take the Cubs to their next scheduled off day -- Thursday, Sept. 20.
"We got caught in all these games, and at the end of the year we've got days off," Piniella said. "So to get everything back on track we're going to have to bring (Zambrano and Lilly) back both on three days rest.
"There's no problems. Both have done it before and we're only asking them to do it once."
With Zambrano being held until Friday, Steve Trachsel will start Thursday's game in Houston on just three days rest. Trachsel threw only 47 pitches and didn't make it out of the second inning in Sunday's 10-5 loss at Pittsburgh.
"We really don't have a choice," Piniella said. "He didn't throw many pitches in Pittsburgh so it's not like he pitched six or seven innings."
After pitching in Houston, Trachsel will have his next scheduled start skipped in favor of Zambrano.
Taking the fifth:ŒIn a lineup switch that couldn't have worked out any better, Lou Piniella split up right-handed hitters Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez by batting lefty Cliff Floyd in the cleanup spot and spotting Ramirez fifth against the Cardinals.
Ramirez responded with 2 home runs and 2 doubles.
"I don't care," Ramirez said. "He didn't talk to me about it, but obviously it worked today."
Ramirez can expect to hit fifth again tonight in Houston.
"He hit 2 home runs in the fifth spot," Piniella said. "You'll probably see him in the fifth hole again (today)."
Shave it off: Lou Piniella continued to deny there was any significance to him going another day without shaving.
But after the Cubs' 12-3 win over the Cardinals on Monday, he said the beard would come off today, if only to stop all the questions from the media.
"You guys ask so much about it, I'm going to get the (darn) thing off tomorrow," Piniella said. "I'm going to find a barber that wants to shave it off and I'm done with it.
"I might get a mohawk too and give you a different look."
This and that: Mark DeRosa was hit on the left elbow by a pitch in the fifth inning and it puffed up so much after the game that he might not play tonight in Houston. … Monday's crowd of 40,358 pushed the Cubs past the 3 million mark in attendance (3,007,555) for the fourth straight season. It's the fastest the club has reached the 3-million in franchise history, getting there in the 75th home game.
Scouting report
Cubs vs. Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park
TV: Comcast SportsNet today and Thursday; Channel 9 Wednesday
Radio: WGN 720-AM
Pitching matchups: The Cubs' Jason Marquis (11-8) vs. Brandon Backe (0-1) today at 7:05 p.m.; Rich Hill (8-8) vs. Troy Patton (0-2) Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.; Steve Trachsel (0-2) vs. Woody Williams (8-14) Thursday at 7:05 p.m.
At a glance: The Cubs are 6-6 against the Astros but dropped all three games at Minute Maid Park last month. The Cubs will miss Astros ace Roy Oswalt this trip. Derrek Lee is just 2-for-11 and Alfonso Soriano 2-for-14 against Backe, tonight's Houston starter. Mark DeRosa is questionable for the Cubs tonight after getting hit by a pitch on the left elbow in Monday's 12-3 win over St. Louis.
Next: St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium, Friday-Sunday
-- Tim Sassone