PITTSBURGH -- Starlin Castro was in the leadoff spot for the second straight day Wednesday, and manager Mike Quade said the shortstop would see more time at the top of the lineup.

"For right now, given what he's doing and given the makeup of the club, and [Darwin] Barney's ability to do some things in the two-hole, it seems like the best way to go," Quade said.

In 22 games leading off this season, Castro is batting .361. His average is .476 when batting lead off.

In 42 games in the second slot, Castro's average is .335. In the third spot, though, he managed just a .224 batting average in 41 games. He was 4-for-4 in one game batting sixth, and 2-for-4 in one game batting seventh.

"He looks good in the leadoff spot, but he looked really good in the two-hole," Quade said. "You go round and round. He just hits, wherever we seem to put him."

Byrd one hit shy of 1,000 on career

PITTSBURGH -- Center fielder Marlon Byrd entered Tuesday's game with 997 career hits and quickly knocked two more, a single in the third inning and a solo home run in the fourth.

He flew out in his fourth at-bat of the night, and was replaced by Tony Campana when it was his turn again.

In the 11-6 Cubs rout, manager Mike Quade had been replacing most of the game's starters with pinch-hitters in the later innings. He didn't give Byrd a chance to reach 1,000 hits Tuesday simply, he said, because he didn't know Byrd was at that mark.

Byrd didn't fault his manager for the oversight and said he, too, was in the dark until first base coach Bob Demier told him the home run was No. 999.

"I'll get another shot at it," he said. "Hopefully I can get it [Wednesday]."

Byrd leads the Cubs with a .337 batting average and is third with 80 hits. Starlin Castro and Aramis Ramirez, who are the only two Cubs with more base hits than Byrd, have played 100 games each, compared to Byrd's 68.

Naturally, no one is worried that Byrd won't reach his 1,000th hit soon enough.

"He'll get that," Quade said.

Quade leaves lineup alone after outburst

PITTSBURGH -- Though he'd planned to give some players rest before a tough stretch that involves two straight day games, Mike Quade left his lineup on Wednesday identical to the one that beat up on the Pirates to the tune of 21 hits and 11 runs on Tuesday night.

"When a club does what we did last night, it feels good about itself," Quade said.

"Everybody contributed. I just think you run them right back out there and see if they can't build on that."

The Cubs hit six home runs in the first four innings of Tuesday's contest. It was the first time the Cubs had done so since May 31, 1954. All but one starting player scored a run, and eight had more than one hit.

"We'll run with this right now and see where we go," Quade said. "And guess what, if we get 11 [runs] tonight, nobody may get their day off tomorrow."

Worth noting

• The Cubs entered Wednesday on a three-game win streak, matching their longest of the year. They have not won four straight games since a six-game win streak from Sept. 13-19, 2010.

• Cubs starter Matt Garza made his Chicago debut against the Pirates on April 3. In seven innings he struck out 12 batters, the most punch outs he has recorded this season.

• The Cubs signed ninth-round draft pick Garrett Schlecht on Monday. Schlecht, a left-handed pitcher and outfielder in high school, was previously committed to play at Middle Tennessee State University.