MESA, Ariz. -- Carlos Marmol tossed the rosin bag to the ground in frustration.
Giving up a triple and hitting two consecutive batters was not the type of outing the Chicago Cubs' right-hander expected on Saturday as he competes for the closer's role with right-hander Kevin Gregg.
But Marmol gathered himself, as closers must do, and struck out the final two hitters to escape the third inning in a 6-4 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
Gregg then made his case to fill the spot vacated by Kerry Wood, pitching a 1-2-3 fourth inning. Gregg, who had a combined 61 saves the last two seasons for Florida, has given up only two hits in five scoreless appearances this spring.
Both pitchers reaffirmed their desire to earn the job.
"I want to be the closer, but if put in a situation where I have to pitch the eighth inning, I (will) go out there. I want the team to win," said Marmol, back in camp after his blown save contributed to the Dominican Republic being eliminated early from the World Baseball Classic.
The 26-year-old saved seven games last season and was the primary setup man for Wood, who became a free agent after a 34-save season and signed with Cleveland.
Gregg, acquired in a mid-November trade with Florida, is throwing the ball with much more confidence after offseason surgery on his landing (left) knee eliminated any doubts.
"That's the way you write it up, isn't it?" Gregg said after Saturday's outing. "I had a little bit of apprehension coming in, not knowing how my knee was going to handle pitching, especially every other day. It feels good every day."
Gregg wants to be the closer.
"I'm comfortable with it," he said.
Cubs manager Lou Piniella said he won't make his decision "for a little while yet."
"There are going to be opportunities for both of them to close. Last year, I think the right decision was made when we let guys compete and put guys in their slots, and we'll do the same thing this year. I'm comfortable with either of them closing," he said.
Los Angeles scored four times in the seventh against right-hander Angel Guzman. Matt Brown had a bases-loaded double for the Angels, who boosted their Cactus League-leading record to 12-3.
Joe Saunders pitched four strong innings in his second spring start, giving up three hits while walking one and striking out one. He also drove in the team's first run with a base hit in the second inning.
"I just let it fly," said Saunders, who was 17-7 in 2008, his first full season in the majors. "I was able to put the ball where I wanted, down in the zone and I got some ground balls. It felt good. It was a very good day."
Notes
Piniella said if the season had started Saturday, Mike Fontenot would be his starting second baseman. Fontenot, who had the day off, is hitting .371. Piniella envisions Fontenot, who has been competing with Aaron Miles for the starting job, hitting in the sixth spot in the lineup. That would allow Piniella to alternate left-handed hitters at No. 2 (Kosuke Fukudome), No. 4 (Milton Bradley) and No. 6. ... Baseball commissioner Bud Selig was in attendance, and the Cubs had their annual spring players' union meeting with executive director Donald Fehr. ... INF Corey Koskie, out of the majors since 2006 following a concussion, has been medically cleared and has joined the Cubs as a non-roster invitee and possible backup to 3B Aramis Ramirez.
