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Cubs on track after slow start

Apr 11, 2008 - 2:01 PM Chicago Cubs (5-3) at Philadelphia (4-6) 7:05 pm EDT

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) - The Chicago Cubs have put their slow start behind them.

The Cubs go for their sixth straight win on Friday when they open a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Chicago registered just one win in its first four games before responding with five straight victories, including a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

After playing 27 innings and using 14 pitches over the first two games of the series, Jon Lieber rescued the Cubs on Thursday, pitching 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief to lead Chicago to a 7-3 victory.

"Without (Lieber), we would have been in trouble," Chicago manager Lou Piniella said. "We were looking for innings."

Righthander Carlos Zambrano (1-0, 1.32 ERA) will start for the Cubs on Thursday in place of Jason Marquis, who was scratched from his regularly scheduled start due to the flu.

The 26-year-old Zambrano was stellar during his last outing, allowing just two runs and seven hits while striking out seven in seven innings as the Cubs picked up a 3-2 victory over the Houston Astros on Sunday.

Brett Myers (0-1, 6.30) is looking to bounce back from a dismal start when he toes the rubber for the Phillies.

The 27-year-old righthander surrendered eight hits and four runs in just five innings en route to a 8-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

Myers struck out four but walked three and lacked explosiveness on his fastball, rarely eclipsing 90 miles per hour when he usually hits between 90-94 on the radar gun.