Sean Marshall smiled in the weight room.
The Cubs pitcher, who hurled six scoreless innings in Iowa's 5-3
series-sweeping win Tuesday over Oklahoma, retired the last three batters he
faced.
Then he retreated to pump iron as the Cubs rallied with a four-run seventh
inning to win their fourth consecutive game before an announced crowd of 5,285
at Principal Park.
"I watched it on TV," said Marshall, who hopes to rejoin the Chicago
Cubs for this weekend's series against St. Louis. "It's a pleasure to see
these guys. It's good they got those timely hits late."
Those two-out hits came from Felix Pie, who blooped a single between three
players in shallow center field; Eric Patterson, who followed with an RBI
single; and Michael Restovich, who blasted a three-run home run to give the
Cubs their winning margin.
Pie shook off a 0-for-10 slump. Patterson improved to 8-for-15 in four games
since being called up from double-A West Tenn. Restovich homered for the 23rd
time.
Marshall provided a standout performance after two lackluster efforts in
previous rehab starts. He entered the game 0-2 with an 8.31 ERA.
"I felt strong," said Marshall, who was 5-8 with Chicago before
going on the disabled list July 23 with a strained oblique muscle. "The
body feels as close to 100 percent."
Iowa remained within four games of Pacific Coast League American Northern
Division leader Nashville. Thirteen regular-season games remain.
"You just don't quit until some mathematician tells you you're
eliminated," Cubs manager Mike Quade said.
