Piniella promises changes after Cubs lose to Astros
HOUSTON - One may be the loneliest number, but the Cubs are keeping it company.
The Cubs suffered their fourth straight loss Friday night, 3-1 to the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park. If the run total looks familiar, it should. The Cubs have scored only 1 run in five of their last seven games.
The loss prompted notice of forthcoming changes from manager Lou Piniella.
"I don't think I want to talk about our offense anymore," said Piniella, whose team is 24-30. "I think I'm talked out. I am talked out. I think we'll just let them go out there and see what they can do."
On the changes, Piniella said he would start playing rookie Tyler Colvin. If so, he figures to start in place of right fielder Kosuke Fukudome.
Piniella also said it was time to get backup catcher Koyie Hill into the lineup. The Astros stole two bases against catcher Geovany Soto.
"We'll make a couple changes tomorrow," Piniella said. "I'm going to get Colvin into the lineup and let the kid play. I've been patient enough watching. I'm going to let the kid play and see what he can do, give us some energy. So we'll have him in the lineup.
"I'm probably going to put Hill behind the plate, too. We're not scoring any runs. We need somebody that keeps the other team from running. We'll do that tomorrow and see what happens. I know these guys are trying. I know they're trying. But, boy, I tell you what, we see the same thing every day, day in and day out."
Friday's game marked the return to the starting rotation of former ace Carlos Zambrano. Making his first start since April 20 and after a stint as a setup man, Zambrano (1-4) worked 41/3 innings, giving up 6 hits and 3 runs. But Zambrano was bested by Astros starter Felipe Paulino, who worked 8 strong innings.
Houston scored once in the first, as Zambrano threw 34 pitches. They added 2 more in the fifth, and Zambrano exited after an RBI single by Jeff Keppinger.
"I felt good today," Zambrano said. "The most important thing was my fastball was good today. My sinker was good today. We're just not hitting good. We need to score more runs. Sometimes we don't pitch good and we hit. Sometimes we don't hit and we pitch good.
"Just execute better on my pitches next time, and with the knowledge that I have and the experience that I have in the big leagues, it will turn around."
The Cubs got a big scare in the fifth after rookie Starlin Castro led off with a single. Zambrano sacrificed, and Castro went all the way to third. Waiting for him, though, was Astros catcher Humberto Quintero, and Castro slid headfirst into Quintero's shin guards.
Castro lay on the ground in pain, as his left shoulder took the brunt of the shin guard. Castro's right biceps were bearing a couple of nasty gashes from Quintero's spikes.
Castro stayed in the game, and he said afterward he would be able to play Saturday.
<p class="factboxheadblack">Bruce Miles' game tracker</P> <p class="News">Astros 3, Cubs 1</p> <p class="News">B<b>ig Z for starters:</b> Carlos Zambrano lasted 41/3 innings, giving up 6 hits and 3 runs while walking three and striking out three. He threw 84 pitches, 47 strikes. Of the 84 pitches, 34 came in the first inning. </p> <p class="News"><b>Cashner watch:</b> Rookie right-hander Andrew Cashner worked the seventh inning and gave up 1 hit. He struck out one, and his fastball was clocked as high as 97 mph on the scoreboard. It was Cashner's second big-league apearance. </p> <p class="News"><b>Getting it done:</b> Reliever Jeff Stevens worked 11/3 hitless innings. Opposing batters are 1-for-21 (.048) against him, and righties are 0-for-16.</p> <div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=385912">Byrd takes a turn in Cubs' leadoff spot<span class="date"> [6/4/10]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>