Soto giving Piniella a legitimate option

ST. LOUIS -- Forget next spring. Rookie catcher Geovany Soto is starting to make a case to be a regular part of the final two weeks of the Cubs' stretch drive.

Getting an opportunity to start the last two days because of a doubleheader Saturday, Soto went 5-for-9 with three doubles in the two games -- including a four-hit Sunday -- and did an impressive job defensively.

Getting an opportunity to start the last two days because of a doubleheader Saturday, Soto went 5-for-9 with three doubles in the two games -- including a four-hit Sunday -- and did an impressive job defensively.

''It's a lot of food for thought,'' manager Lou Piniella said after Sunday's game. ''What a job he's done. It's awfully impressive.''

''It's a lot of food for thought,'' manager Lou Piniella said after Sunday's game. ''What a job he's done. It's awfully impressive.''

Piniella had said before the game that he prefers more experience on the field this time of year, suggesting he would stick with veteran Jason Kendall as his every-day catcher.

Soto, who was with the Cubs for two days in July, is 10-for-19 (.526) since being recalled this month and has started four games, showing a strong, accurate arm and working well with pitchers. The Cubs are 3-1 in those games.

''I feel like I can play here,'' said Soto, the Pacific Coast League player of the year. ''Every day you go out there and try to prove yourself and try to prove to these guys you can play at this level and try to show you want the job.''

Piniella seemed tolerant of some lapses that cost the Cubs a chance to win Saturday's late game, pointing to the extreme circumstances of a day-night doubleheader with game times spaced seven hours apart.

''I still contend that split doubleheaders at this time of year are not fair to athletes,'' he said. ''And I'm not saying they favor us or anybody else. I'm not making excuses for the loss. It's just too long to be at the ballpark in between games.''

Confined to the stadium for the four hours or so between games, players did some baseball work but mostly watched football games, napped and played cards.

''If I had to do it again, I'd have told everybody to leave and come back,'' Piniella said. ''That's a long time at the ballpark. You lose your edge a little bit.''

Shortstop Ryan Theriot said he was fine Sunday after rolling his right ankle three times while running out a double that otherwise might have been a triple Saturday night. He has had the ankle issue occasionally throughout his career but not in two or three years, he said.

Theriot, who was able to continue playing Saturday by taping the ankle, didn't play Sunday because of an already scheduled day off. Piniella said he doesn't expect Theriot to need any more time off down the stretch.

Kerry Wood's appearances in both ends of the doubleheader was a professional first for the big right-hander.

The last time he did it was an infamous high school doubleheader just after he was drafted by the Cubs in 1995, when he threw 146 pitches in the opener and came back on about 30 minutes' rest to pitch part of the second game.

''It's different,'' he said Sunday. ''It was fun. And I feel good today.''

Wood, who only last month returned from a long shoulder rehab, told Piniella after a 1-2-3 inning of relief in Game 1 -- and his first win in more than a year -- that he felt good enough to pitch in the nightcap if needed. He delivered another 1-2-3 inning in that game.

Piniella said he might use veteran Steve Trachsel out of the bullpen over the final two weeks. Trachsel has bristled at that idea since the Cubs reacquired him from Baltimore on Aug. 31.

•    •    The Cubs finished 11-5 against the Cardinals, their best record against St. Louis since 1995 (9-4) and assuring their top record against a division opponent this year.