Worth noting

• Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard did not start against Buehrle. John Mayberry Jr. started at first base instead. "Just get him off his feet a bit," Sandberg said of Howard. "He's had a string of games now. Just to get a right-handed bat against the left-hander."

Howard hit .171 (7-for-41) with two doubles, one home run, four RBIs and 13 strikeouts in his past 10 games.

• First baseman/outfielder Darin Ruf begins a rehab assignment Thursday with Class A Clearwater. He has been on the DL since the season started with a strained left oblique.

• Asked if right fielder Marlon Byrd could have called off center fielder Ben Revere on a fly ball in the 10th inning Tuesday, Sandberg said corner outfielders do have that option. It was asked because Revere does not have a good arm and had no chance to throw out the winning run at the plate in a 6-5 loss.

"That's an option if he was getting over there," Sandberg said. "There are ideal situations for a stronger-armed guy to take one in the gap that's coming in, take charge. It seemed to me like Byrdie was still trying to get over there. But those can be done. With that depth, from my angle, I'm not sure if it made any difference. But you want the better arm to give it a shot."