Cubs’ offensive struggles continue

HOUSTON -- Manager Lou Piniella is beginning to worry about the Cubs’ sputtering offense.

Wandy Rodriguez and the Houston Astros again shut down Chicago’s bats in a 4-1 victory Saturday. The Cubs lost, 2-1, Friday night.

Rodriguez (5-3) yielded nine hits, including a solo homer by Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano, but Chicago stranded seven runners and dropped its third straight game.

The Cubs were the league’s highest-scoring team before the All-Star break, scoring 507 runs. They came into Saturday’s game with a league-best .280 team batting average, but they have scored only four runs in their last three games.

“I wasn’t expecting this,” Piniella said. “I expected to come out of the gate scoring runs. Other teams are scoring, so I don’t think the break is too much of an excuse for anybody else.”

Zambrano (10-4) yielded four runs and walked six, a season high. He is not as concerned about the offense as his manager is.

“We’ve been the best team scoring runs the first half. But the first two games, we don’t,” he said. “But I believe in my teammates. I think we’ll start scoring runs again.”