Shuffled lineup can't get job done

TORONTO -- The most fun thing nowadays about following the Cubs is watching for what manager Lou Piniella comes up with next.

Look for him to conjure up a different batting order today after his team fell 3-2 Friday night to the Toronto Blue Jays in their interleague opener.

Piniella went with a new-look lineup, featuring Ryan Theriot in the leadoff spot, Derrek Lee at DH and Micah Hoffpauir at first base. Eric Patterson, who batted first Thursday, hit ninth Friday.

"A little different," Piniella said before the game. "I said we were going to play around with it and see what works. And find something that we like and stay with it."

That probably won't happen, considering Piniella used 125 different lineups last year and that he has to scramble with regular leadoff man Alfonso Soriano out at least six weeks with a broken hand.

As it turned out, the Cubs wasted several scoring chances against A.J. Burnett and the Toronto bullpen, stranding 11 runners, including the bases loaded in the first inning.

"Yeah, we had chances, we really did," said Piniella, whose first-place team fell to 43-25 and saw its winning streak stop at four. "The big one was the double play by Theriot with the bases loaded. Outside of that, we had other chances. We didn't score runs."

Theriot's 6-4-3 double-play grounder came in the sixth, when the Cubs put 1 across to come within 3-2.

The Jays hit rookie Sean Gallagher with a quick-strike 3 in the third. Ex-Cub Matt Stairs crushed a 2-run homer to right. Immediately after that, Scott Rolen homered.

"Yep, just that one inning," said Gallagher, who fell to 3-3. "I let a few pitches get away from me, and they put some good swings on them. I think I fell behind too many guys. I had trouble throwing my breaking ball for strikes ahead in the count when I needed to."

Piniella found little fault with his pitcher.

"He was OK," the manager said. "He gave up 2 home runs in the third inning, and that was that. We just didn't score."

Jim Edmonds hit an RBI double in the fourth, but the inning ended when Mark DeRosa struck out for the first of three times. After leaving two stranded in the fifth, the Cubs were able to chase Burnett in the sixth.

Kosuke Fukudome led off with a single, and Geovany Soto walked. The Jays caught a big break when Edmonds' single up the middle against reliever Brian Wolfe hit second-base umpire Jeff Nelson on the arm, forcing Fukudome to stop at third.

"It hit the umpire's arm inside the bases, and that's a dead-ball single," Piniella said. "That's the rule."

DeRosa struck out again, but Patterson singled to right to finally score Fukudome before Theriot's double play.

The Jays used five relievers, with B.J. Ryan earning his 14th save.

With all of the power potential in their lineup, the Cubs shouldn't have to scratch for runs, even with Soriano out.

"We had some opportunities; we had some guys on base," said Patterson, in his second game up since Soriano went down with a broken left hand. "We just couldn't get the big hit when we needed to."

Blue Jays 3, Cubs 2

At the plate: The Cubs stranded 11 and were 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Jim Edmonds had 2 hits, including an RBI double. Eric Patterson singled home the other run.

On the mound: Sean Gallagher gave up a 2-run homer to Matt Stairs in the third and a homer to the next batter, Scott Rolen. Neal Cotts, Michael Wuertz and Scott Eyre kept the Cubs in it.

-- Bruce Miles