Lou: Cubs' remaining 29 games present plenty of challenges

PITTSBURGH - Now things get interesting for the Cubs.

After they dispatched bottom-feeders Cincinnati, Washington and Pittsburgh by winning seven of nine, they come home to play the Philadelphia Phillies for four and the Houston Astros for three.

The Cubs have 29 games left in the regular season, and 26 are against teams that entered Wednesday at or above .500, beginning with the Phillies.

"Look, I said there's a challenge out there," said manager Lou Piniella, whose team is 83-50. "We're going to be playing the top contenders from the Eastern Division and then the Central. Plus, Houston's been playing well. We're playing all the teams that are vying for postseason except for teams out of the West. It starts in earnest tomorrow against the Phillies."

The schedule breaks down with 13 games at home and 16 on the road, concluding with four against the Mets at Shea Stadium and three at Milwaukee to end the season.

Veteran catcher Henry Blanco said he knows what the Cubs will have to do to keep winning and capture the National League Central for the second straight year.

"It's going to get interesting," Blanco said. "We've got to keep playing our game and don't worry about anything else. Win some more ballgames, and the rest takes care of itself."

Blanco, along with center fielder Reed Johnson, infielders Mike Fontenot and Ronny Cedeno and pinch hitter Daryle Ward give the Cubs some depth for the stretch.

"It's good for the guys that play every day because we can give those guys a rest, and we're not losing a whole lot," Johnson said. "We've obviously got our best nine guys, and we've got the guys like myself and Henry and that come off the bench and fill in and do a pretty good job, as well."