Cubs' bullpen a work in progress

Leave it to Cubs manager Lou Piniella to put his bullpen situation this way: "Look, we've got to solve our eighth-inning solution. That's it."

The bullpen remains a major work in progress for the Cubs, and starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano's 5-inning performance tested that progress in Thursday's 8-6 loss to the Brewers.

Carlos Marmol has been fine in the closer's role, going 3-for-3. But the bridge from the starter to Marmol has been a rickety one.

Veteran lefties Sean Marshall and John Grabow worked extensively in the first week of the season. Piniella also has turned to his young relievers, with mixed results.

One thing Piniella won't do is allow Marmol to try for 2-inning saves on a regular basis. He offered high praise for the way Marmol threw the ball Wednesday, as he struck out the side in the ninth inning.

"I think it's just too much," Piniella said of Marmol going 2. "You can see how well he threw the ball yesterday. In fact, to be truthful, that's the best I've ever seen him throw. And why? He's nice and rested. He doesn't have to overthrow. I think that very few guys in baseball, very, very few, can do that eighth and ninth inning and pitch with any regularity at all."

Jeff Samardzija suffered the loss Thursday. He's 0-1 with a 16.20 ERA, having given up 4 hits and 8 runs (6 earned) in 31/3 innings. He gave up a homer to Ryan Braun in the eighth and walked two, bringing his season walks total to 5.

"Trust me, we put as much on our own shoulders as anyone else does," Samardzija said. "We want to go out there and succeed and pitch good games."

One more to go: Lefty Ted Lilly threw 51 pitches Wednesday night for Class AAA Iowa in a rehab start. Lilly is coming back from last November's shoulder surgery. He also was sidelined by mid-back tightness recently.

Against Memphis, Lilly worked 4 inning, giving up 1 hit and 1 run. He told the Des Moines Register he'd like to make his next start for the big club, but Lou Piniella said Lilly likely will get 1 more minor-league start.

Lilly arrived at Wrigley Field Thursday and acknowledged he needs another start, which he says he'll probably get next Monday for Class A Peoria.

"Before I come up here and make a start, I've got to be able to pitch deep into a game," he said. "I'd like to come up here and extend it a little bit, but at the end of the day that (another rehab start) is what they want to do. So that's what I'm going to do."

This and that: Derrek Lee's first-inning homer was his 100th at Wrigley Field. All but 1 have come as a Cub. He also extended his team-high hitting streak to six games. - Marlon Byrd hit his third homer, a 2-run blast in the fourth. He didn't hit his third homer last year until May 29 while with Texas.