If you questioned Craig Counsell’s late-game bullpen decisions on Friday night, you have to understand a lot of those judgments were more out of necessity than preference.

When things got dicey for Tyson Miller in the 9th, Counsell likely would have loved to have turned to Jorge López, his veteran, high-leverage reliever.

When the tying and winning run reached base on Drew Smyly later in the frame, Porter Hodge would have likely been the preference.

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But the Cubs bullpen is going through a trying stretch and Counsell and the relief corps are piecing it together — Friday night it worked. Keegan Thompson picked up the final out as the Cubs hung on to beat the Nationals 7-6 and improve to 69-66.

López suffered a groin injury earlier in the week and has been down since. Prior to Friday’s opener in Washington D.C., the 31-year-old threw a bullpen session to test how he was feeling.

He came out of it feeling well and the Cubs are “optimistic that he’ll be available this series,” Counsell said before the game.

But Friday was too soon for him.

Hodge, like the rest of the team, had the day off Thursday. But he had still thrown 36 pitches across 2 innings during Wednesday’s epic come-from-behind win in Pittsburgh, including sitting for around a half hour between the 8th and 9th inning. Oh, and he had thrown on Tuesday, too, so Counsell didn’t want to push his young reliever.

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That doesn’t include Ethan Roberts, who exited Wednesday’s game with ankle soreness. He threw a bullpen session, too, on Friday. So Counsell was down 3 of his 8 relievers entering Friday. The team added a reliever before Friday’s game to add depth, too, claiming RHP Shawn Armstrong off waivers from the Cardinals.

That’s ultimately why Counsell went Miller, Smyly and then to Thompson in the 9th inning. He went with the best choice of the guys he had available. Thompson, Counsell felt, was the right choice against rookie Dylan Crews.

“He’s been so good against righties,” Counsell told reporters after the game.

Entering Friday’s game, righties were hitting .105/.292/.105 in 49 plate appearances against Thompson. And he delivered, striking out the rookie who debuted earlier this week to preserve the win.