The Cubs staged yet another rally Tuesday, lead by an Alfonso Soriano three-run homer in the seventh, to win 11-7 over the Houston Astros. The win broke a four-game Astros winning streak, and evened the series, with the rubber match scheduled for 1:20 tomorrow.

Before getting into the game, I want to talk a little bit about the other Cubs-related news; the activation of Kerry Wood, and subsequent DFA of Scott Eyre. I'm going to completely acknowledge that much -- and I do mean much -- goes on behind the scenes in running a major-league ballclub. We hear rumors, bits of information, and disseminated half-truths, and as interested parties we're left to read the tea leaves as to the real meaning. But this one  I'm thinking over a great deal, and I just don't get it. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't care that Eyre got moved. The organization likes Sean Marshall, and Neal Cotts looks to be ready to give the organization something. Two lefties are enough. However, I know that Eyre was shopped at the deadline, one can only assume that teams chose to pass on the Cubs asking price. Now that said, there are two questions that I have that I'd really appreciate answering. First, could the organization not have given him something of an adequate showcase if there was a desire to trade him? After being activated from the DL, Eyre made all of one appearance before his DFA. At least another inning last week to try and convince someone that he still had something to offer. Instead, you're going to cut bait, eat cash, and likely give an experienced lefty reliever away. Second, I'd sooner take my chances with Scott Eyre, if only in middle relief, than any more of the Bob Howry show. I can't see the motivation to stick with him over Scott. The point is, call me a purist, but lefties are more valuable than gold; the organization should have found a better way for him to exit if he wasn't in the plans any longer.

Now, about today's game. I figured at the start that with the Astros riding a four-game winning streak, and Rich Harden having put together a fantastic string of starts, somebody was due to fall off the tracks. Turns out, both did. Rich Harden was just not good. A little light on his velocity, and definitely not able to spot his pitches as crisply as we've previously seen. Randy Hundley was in the broadcast booth for a bit, and commented that he thought that he should have thrown the changeup more. Perhaps. I think the biggest problem that he had today though was Lou Piniella. Rich did a good job keeping the team in the game, but struggled in the fifth, giving up a Ty Wigginton homer and Kaz Matsui triple to score Darin Erstad. That should have been the end of it, stretched pen or not, because it was clear that the Astros were figuring Harden out quickly. Piniella left him in though, and paid for it when Geoff Blum clobbered a pitch out to right for a two-run shot the next inning. Bad idea. Worse idea was going to Bob Howry, who frankly is at the top of my personal DFA list right now. He got out of the inning, but in the seventh turned into another pitcher victimized by Piniella today. Howry had no business pitching to Carlos Lee with a base open, and Geoff Blum hitting behind him. Carlos took the first pitch, and jacked it to the bleachers to give the Astros a short-lived lead 7-6 lead. Fortunately, a five run, seventh-inning rally and Alfonso Soriano saved him from looking like a total nut. Nice bounceback too by Derrek Lee today, whose RBI-single put the cap on that rally; he went 4-5 in all.

Kerry Wood and Carlos Marmol closed out the game, with both looking effective. According to Lou, expect to see Kerry working in middle relief for a bit longer as he works himself back into game shape.

"We'll give him one more game in that type of role and he'll be able to get back to the closer's role," Piniella said.

Samardzija. Marmol. Wood. Zambrano. Harden. This is a nasty assortment of power arms that the Cubs are collecting. Here's to everyone staying healthy. And getting through the dog days without imploding like the Brewers.