Hill wants to ignore pressure situation

Asked to select the biggest game he'd ever pitched in his career, Rich Hill hemmed and hawed, thought for a moment, then reached into his memory bank and pulled out a nightmare.Hill selected his start against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field last year on May 20. That game will forever be remembered as the day Cubs catcher Michael Barrett punched A.J. Pierzynski in the jaw following a collision at home plate.But it may have also been the low point in Hill's big-league career. The left-hander departed with no outs in the fifth inning having given up 5 hits, 5 walks and 7 earned runs. The Cubs lost 7-0."That was my biggest game, biggest failure, best time to learn," Hill said during an off-day news conference at Wrigley Field. "To go into an environment where it's a playoff-type atmosphere and fail like that, I learned a lot."The stakes are much higher today. Hill will take the mound in Game 3 against the Arizona Diamondbacks needing a victory to extend the Cubs' season. One of the lessons Hill took from that debacle against the White Sox, though, is not to put so much pressure on himself."I made that game out to be like it was Game 7 of the World Series because of the position I was in as a young rookie coming up and putting a lot of pressure on myself to perform," Hill said. "I failed, but learned how to handle myself on and off the field."Cubs manager Lou Pinella suggested a similar strategy for Hill, but chose a different type of game as an illustration -- the 1-hit shutout over 6 innings that Hill tossed against Cincinnati in his final regular-season start."I told him that's as good as he can throw the ball," Pinella said. "There was no pressure. We had clinched (the division title). He went out there relaxed and just threw the ball. And I told him, 'You should learn from that experience.' "In his first postseason appearance, Hill will be facing Arizona's Livan Hernandez, who has a 6-2 record in the playoffs with Florida and San Francisco. Hill faced Arizona once this season, giving up 1 earned run in 6 innings on July 21 at Wrigley Field and getting a no-decision in a 3-2 Cubs loss.One statistic that bodes well for the Cubs is Hill's record with a well-rested arm. When pitching on at least six days rest this season, which he'll have today, Hill is 4-0 with a 0.96 ERA."When this guy's got his curve ball going and can elevate with his fastball, he's pitched very well," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said.While some analysts might suggest the Cubs need to relax and stop pressing as the series moves to Chicago, Hill wants to hold nothing back when he takes the mound."My mentality is to go out there and stay aggressive and attack," he said. "Being aggressive leaves less room for error. It shows you're confident. It shows that you're poised in those situations."