Imperfect ending as Phils top Cubs in extra innings

The Cubs had a perfectly nice little evening going Tuesday at Wrigley Field.

Enter their bullpen.

Starting pitcher Rich Harden was perfect through 51/3 innings against the Phillies, with the Cubs holding a 2-0 lead. Harden walked Carlos Ruiz with one out in the sixth, and one batter later, he gave up a 2-run homer to Jimmy Rollins.

That part wasn't so bad.

Erratic reliever Carlos Marmol walked three and hit a batter in the eighth to put the Phillies up 3-2. After the Cubs tied it on Milton Bradley's RBI single in the ninth, Kevin Gregg gave up a leadoff homer to Ben Francisco in the 12th, and the Phillies escaped with a 4-3 victory.

The only thing that seemed to frustrate Cubs manager Lou Piniella afterward was a question about being "frustrated."

"I'm not frustrated with anything," said Piniella, whose team remained 3 games behind the Cardinals. "You (the reporter) always have the same question. Your question is always one of frustration. You want to manage and lose five out of six? And see how you feel? You come up here and sit here and let me ask you the question, and let me see what your emotions are."

It was more of the same old, same old for Marmol and Gregg. Walks and hit batters have plagued Marmol while home runs have been Gregg's downfall. Marmol has 52 walks and 11 hit batters in 532/3 innings. Gregg has surrendered 11 homers, 1 more than he did the previous two years combined.

The Cubs gave Harden a 2-0 lead in the third on an RBI single by Jake Fox and a sacrifice fly by Alfonso Soriano. But they also left the bases loaded in each of the first two innings.

"We've talked about chances all year," Piniella said.

Harden allowed his first baserunner in the sixth, when Ruiz walked with one out. Two batters later, Rollins homered.

"One mistake," said Harden. "I didn't take control and throw what I wanted to throw."

Marmol came on in the eighth and walked Ruiz to start things. He later walked Ryan Howard with the bases loaded and had words with umpire Ron Kulpa on his way out of the game.

"It was a strike," Marmol said. "When I needed a strike I didn't get it... Every time I walk the first batter, it kills me."

After never having been involved in an instant-replay case, the Cubs found themselves in their second in two nights.

With two outs in the top of the ninth, Ruiz lifted a high flyball down the left-field line. The ball looked clearly foul, but third-base umpire Dale Scott ruled it a home run, bringing a swift reaction from the Cubs. The umpires reviewed the play on TV and quickly overruled the call. Ruiz grounded out.

In the bottom of the ninth, Kosuke Fukudome led off with a walk and was bunted to second. Bradley stroked a line single to right-center, and Fukudome scored the tying run.

Bruce Miles' game tracker

WHIP it (no) good: Carlos Marmol walked three and hit a batter in the eighth inning. In 532/3 innings this year, he has 52 walks and 11 hit batters. His WHIP (walks plus hits per 1 inning pitched) is a feverish 1.53.

Keeping it down: Starting pitcher Rich Harden threw 87 pitches in his 7 innings. His early-inning pitch counts were 8, 12, 9 and 12 respectively.

Baker's man: Second baseman Jeff Baker matched his career high with 4 hits, all singles.

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