Giants outmaneuver makeshift Cubs lineup

They darn near pulled it off.

The Cubs looked like they were readying to lose the battle to win the war Tuesday, and they fell one bad pitch and one bad inning short of winning the battle in a 6-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field.

Manager Lou Piniella trotted out a makeshift lineup, resting five of his regulars, against reigning Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum. Cubs starting pitcher Sean Marshall gave up a 3-run homer to Bengie Molina in the first inning, but he settled in and matched Lincecum pitch for pitch most of the game.

Marshall allowed the first two men to reach in the eighth, and Jeff Samardzija let both score, plus another.

"Look, we rested our team a little bit and had a chance to play the bench," said Cubs manager Lou Piniella, whose team saw its winning streak end at four. "Go out and have a good road trip. What can I say?"

Tuesday marked day 15 of a stretch in which the Cubs play 20 games in 20 days. With a night game Monday and a plane ride to Houston late Tuesday afternoon, Piniella saw fit to rest Alfonso Soriano, Geovany Soto, Milton Bradley, Aramis Ramirez and Ryan Theriot.

"It's not easy," Piniella said. "The day-night, the cold, the travel. I said I was going to have to rest this team, and that's exactly what we're doing. Today, the bullpen just didn't hold the game in check."

The Cubs put across single runs in the second and fifth, with Marshall's RBI single bringing the Cubs within 3-2. Marshall economized on his pitches and took the mound for the eighth. He walked Edgar Renteria and gave up a single to Rich Aurilia. With big bullpen guns Carlos Marmol and Kevin Gregg getting the day off, too, Piniella turned to Jeff Samardzija.

But Samardzija disappointed, hitting Molina with his first pitch before giving up a 2-run double to Aaron Rowand and a run-scoring single to Randy Winn.

"He needs to work on his second and third pitches," Piniella said. "It's hard to pitch up here with a fastball only. I talked to him when we took him out. I said when he goes and throws his bullpen sessions, that's what he needs to work on."

Marshall, who had turned in 2 straight quality starts before Tuesday, fell to 0-2. Lincecum (3-1) won his third straight, working 7 innings and allowing 4 hits.

"I was able to keep them off balance a bit with the changeup and curveball, mixing the two, kind of pitching backwards (more) than I usually do," Lincecum said.

Marshall knew who his mound foe was.

"Sure, absolutely," he said. "I knew his last 2 starts went pretty well. I knew it was going to be a tough game, a tough pitching matchup. I tried to leave it all the field and go toe to toe with him. He did a good job, kept their team in the game. We just couldn't get that one clutch hit that we needed."

Bruce Miles' game tracker

The grade: C. The Cubs' makeshift lineup made Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum work in the middle innings, but another bullpen blowup, this one by Jeff Samardzija, undid all that.

Hanging with him: Cubs starter Sean Marshall threw only 86 pitches through 6 innings, while the Giants' Lincecum was at 98 through 6. Lincecum ended up with 113 in 7 innings. Marshall threw 95 through 7-plus.

Key moment: Bengie Molina belted a 3-run homer in the first inning after Edgar Renteria and Rich Aurilia singled. That staked Lincecum to a 3-0 lead. It was Molina's fifth homer and his sixth game-winning RBI of the season.

Cubs scouting report

Cubs vs. Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park

TV: Comcast SportsNet today; Comcast SportsNet Plus (CLTV) Thursday

Radio: WGN 720-AM

Pitching matchups: The Cubs' Rich Harden (2-1) vs. Mike Hampton (1-2) today; Ted Lilly (3-2) vs. TBD Thursday. Both games begin at 7:05 p.m.

At a glance: The Cubs opened the season at Houston, taking two of three, with Lilly winning the rubber game. Hampton enters tonight with a 4.88 ERA, having given up 29 hits and 11 walks in 272/3 innings. The Astros are last in the NL Central. They're 5-8 at home, and the Cubs are 6-6 on the road. Houston entered Tuesday 14th in runs scored, 12th in OBP and 13th in slugging. Lance Berkman is 2-for-19 vs. Lilly. Derrek Lee has 3 homers off Hampton.

Next: Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park, Friday-Sunday

- Bruce Miles

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