Cubs tough in clutch

For any team with its eyes on the playoffs in baseball, it had better know how to win close games.

The Cubs showed again Sunday that they can, rallying to beat the Houston Astros 6-5 at Wrigley Field for their 27th come-from-behind victory of the season.

"What it tells you about the team is there's no quit; that's No. 1," said Cubs manager Lou Piniella. "And No. 2, it tells us we've got to keep the game in check with our pitching moves. If we do that we've got a chance.

"It's about starting pitching giving us a chance (and) the bullpen continuing to do a job."

Michael Wuertz, Kerry Wood, Scott Eyre, Carlos Marmol and Ryan Dempster came out of the bullpen Sunday after starter Rich Hill faltered to combine for 4 scoreless innings.

"We're just trying to do our job down there," Dempster said. "Things are going well. You can't say enough about what a good job Marmol is doing, and now Woody. The way he's starting to throw is huge."

Wood worked another solid 1½ innings Sunday without allowing a hit.

While Piniella couldn't be more pleased with the work of Marmol, Bob Howry and Dempster, he said there's always room for one more.

"I'm going to add Kerry Wood to that mix too," Piniella said. "We've brought him along, he's gotten work and is starting to throw the ball better. He's got that experience also that I'm talking about.

"With Wood throwing the ball well, it will help the situation because I don't have to rely on Marmol as much."

First baseman Derrek Lee sees the Cubs doing all the little things necessary to succeed in tight games.

"I think it's defense and our bullpen and baserunning," Lee said. "One-run games usually comes down to a mistake, and we're not making mistakes, and our bullpen has been lights out. That's how you win 1-run games."

Jacque Jones has been playing a strong center field and turned in a terrific catch in the eighth inning with the Cubs down 5-4 that saved a run.

"Jacque's catch was big," Lee said. "Defense wins games."

The tight games and the race in the NL Central might turn out to be the best thing for the Cubs down the stretch.

"It can work in your favor," Lee said. "This is playoff atmosphere right now. These are big games and a lot of intensity in the stands. I think it does work in your favor going into the playoffs rather than coasting in with a big lead, where you've been resting players, so on and so forth."