Piniella doesn't hesitate to use Dempster again
ST. LOUIS -- There appeared to be little fear around the Cubs on Saturday.
Manager Lou Piniella wasn't afraid to trot Ryan Dempster back out as his closer during the afternoon's 3-2 victory over the Cardinals.
Dempster talked confidently of pitching again after being yanked from Friday night's victory.
Slumping Alfonso Soriano issued a "bring it on" to clutch situations as his 2-run homer in the eighth inning brought the Cubs back from a 2-1 deficit.
The question of the day was whether Piniella would bring Dempster back after the closer gave up 2 home runs and a single Friday night to turn a seemingly comfortable 5-1 lead into a tight 5-3 game. Piniella removed Dempster for Bob Howry.
On Saturday, Dempster rewarded Piniella's confidence in him by working a 1-2-3 ninth, getting 2 strikeouts.
"I had a little talk with him last night before he left the park," Piniella said. "I said, 'Look, I got all the confidence in the world in you. Today wasn't a good day, but tomorrow in a similar situation, you're right back in there.' "
Dempster seemed appreciative and unfazed.
"He knows me," Dempster said of Piniella. "It's reassurance. This game can change in 24 hours, sometimes less. If you have a bad game, it's in the past. You can't control the past. You can only control the present. Just go out there and make pitches. I was able to get out of there unscathed and get three outs.
"He just told me, 'You're in there tomorrow.' I expected that, but it's nice to hear."
Soriano entered the first game in a 5-for-38 skid over his previous eight games. But 3 of the hits were homers. Soriano has led off eight games with homers this year, but Saturday's blast came in a big situation.
"If you put pressure on yourself, it's not going to happen," he said. "Just try to have fun, and whatever's in the game is in the game. Just play 100 percent and try to have fun.
"Today was very important for me hitting that homer because I like the big moments. I like the game. Thank God I'm not scared to play this game. I'm happy that I hit a homer, and I'm happy we won today."
Soriano hit a 2-run homer in the second inning of the second game.
Sharing the joy: Kerry Wood's victory in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader was his first ever as a relief pitcher and his first overall since May 29, 2006, against the Cincinnati Reds, when he started and worked 6 innings. It was the 72nd victory of Wood's career.
Wood didn't wish to talk about it, but Ryan Dempster seemed thrilled for Wood.
"I couldn't be happier," Dempster said. "He's one of my best friends. To see everything he's battled back from and to get a win, it's really nice."
Wood has come back this year from shoulder rehabilitation.
Crunch time: Daryle Ward started the first game of Saturday's doubleheader after hitting a 3-run, pinch-hit double Friday. The veteran Ward says he relishes key situations.
"Yeah, you've got to be ready for a situation like that," he said. "I'm one of those guys. I like coming up pinch hitting with runners on base with a chance to do some damage. I was always told a swinging bat is a deadly one, and I'm a swinger."