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Marshall fills in for Zambrano as Cubs face Reds

Sep 7, 2008 - 12:44 PM Chi Cubs (86-56) at Cincinnati (63-79), 1:15 pm EDT

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- At first, the "Marshall Plan" was supposed to be a precautionary strategy. Now, it has frantically become a necessity.

Without ace Carlos Zambrano, the Chicago Cubs turn to Sean Marshall on Sunday in the heat of a playoff race as they take on the Cincinnati Reds

Zambrano exited his start on Tuesday after five pedestrian innings with complaints of pain in his arm and the Cubs are reporting an MRI test revealed shoulder inflammation and rotator cuff tendinitis. The timetable for his return is unknown and Rich Harden's arm is reportedly barking as well, but the Windy City refuses to panic.

''I hear it - 'the city's panicking,''' Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee said to the Chicago Sun-Times. ''But we don't feel any of it. We're just concerned with ourselves in this clubhouse and want to get back on the right track.''

If 40 percent of the first-place club's starting rotation is out of gas, Marshall (3-4, 4.03 ERA) will need to step up and hold Chicago's four-game lead on the Milwaukee Brewers (82-60) in the National League Central. Judging by the Cubs' recent six-game slide, such an advantage is still fragile.

On July 31, the 26-year-old lefthander started in place of Zambrano upon manager Lou Piniella decided to sit the All-Star with hopes of alleviating the lingering pain of his fatigued arm. Such was the birth of the plan to send Marshall to the mound in place of Zambrano, Harden, Ted Lilly, Ryan Dempster and Jason Marquis at least once throughout the rest of the regular season.

Marshall surrendered five runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies then and made his fifth start in 28 appearances this season.

Aaron Harang (4-15, 5.24) counters for Cincinnati with hopes of halting a recently inconsistent offense of the Cubs, who managed 14 runs and were shut out twice over a six-game stretch prior to Saturday's 14-9 victory.

Harang, who was on the disabled list from July 13-August 10 with a strained right forearm, has one win since June 13 and his ERA has risen from 4.10 over his past 10 efforts.