The Associated Press

CHICAGO - Now that there will be a Game 7, the Florida Marlins have settled on a starter.

Manager Jack McKeon said left-hander Mark Redman will pitch the deciding game of the NL championship series against the Chicago Cubs tonight.

"Redman doesn't throw 100 mph, but he pitches," said Mike Mordecai, who had a three-run double as the Marlins beat the Cubs 8-3 in Game 6 to even the series.

"We're in the playoffs now, and everybody tightens down the screws. And tomorrow night is going to be no exception. We're going to have a guy out there pitching his heart out."

Redman is 0-0 with a 2.84 ERA in two playoff starts. He pitched Game 3 on Friday night, and gave the Marlins their best outing by a starter to that point.

Despite being bumped at first base in a play that briefly left him dizzy two pitches into the game, Redman lasted 6 2-3 innings and departed trailing the Cubs and Kerry Wood only 3-2.

Now Redman gets another chance against the Cubs. And Wood.

"I have all the faith in the world with Mark Redman," said Carl Pavano, who started Game 6 for Florida. "He's pitched great for us all season. ... He's going to make it very tough on those hitters."

Florida's Josh Beckett, who threw a two-hit shutout to beat the Cubs on Sunday in Game 4 of the NLCS, said before Game 6 on Tuesday that he would be available to pitch a couple of innings out of the bullpen in Game 7.

"Why not?" he said. "It's my bullpen day anyway."

Beckett said his right arm felt fine after throwing 115 pitches Sunday. He throws about 50 pitches during his bullpen session between starts.

McKeon said he would consider using Beckett "for an inning or so."

HISTORY LESSON: The Marlins are trying to accomplish something only one other NL team has ever done.

Since the NL championship series went to a seven-game format in 1985, only the 1996 Atlanta Braves have rallied from a 3-1 deficit. Two AL teams - the 1985 Kansas City Royals and 1986 Boston Red Sox - also came back from a 3-1 hole.

After falling behind 3-1, the Marlins have won two straight to force a decisive Game 7 on Wednesday night.

"We were supposed to just fall over and play dead," McKeon said. "I told you, these guys, they're tough. They're going to battle you all the way. We didn't come in to play one game. We came in to make it the seven-game series, and thank God, we're going to do that."