Piniella grateful for Marmol's contributions

TORONTO -- Carlos Marmol doesn't pitch every day. It only seems that way.

With the Cubs ahead 7-1 Sunday, manager Lou Piniella turned to Marmol to bail out Scott Eyre after the Blue Jays had scored once and had two runners on.

Marmol got Vernon Wells to fly out to end the inning, then pitched to two batters in the eighth, and the Cubs went on to win 7-4.

For the season, Marmol has made 37 appearances, and he trailed only three National League pitchers in that department entering Sunday. He also has appeared in three of the last four games.

"We're trying to get him sharp, too," Piniella said. "I'm using him real short, a couple hitters here, a couple hitters there. We're doing something with him in that regard."

How does a pitcher who has pitched so much need to get sharp?

"His counts are long," Piniella said. "But he's doing a heck of a job, don't get me wrong. I don't know where we'd be without the young man."

Marmol is 1-1 with a 2.09 ERA and 63 strikeouts in 43 innings.