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Cubs' motto: Just win, baby

Curb your enthusiasm, Cubs fans.

OK, that was too easy.

But with actor Jeff Garlin of “Curb” fame in the house to sing during the seventh-inning stretch, the Cubs scored a come-from-behind 4-2 victory Friday over the Houston Astros at Wrigley Field.

Yeah, those Houston Astros. The only team worse than the Cubs in the National League.

Even though the victory “improved” the Cubs' record to only 40-60 at the 100-game mark, they seemed more than enthusiastice and happy to take it. And they didn't seem to care who the opponent was.

“It's important, yeah,” said starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano, who escaped several jams to improve to 7-5 with a 6-inning performance. “It doesn't matter who comes here. Our mission is to win, win. Unfortunately, we are 13 games, something like that, out of first place.”

In addition to Zambrano getting his first victory since June 20, the Cubs welcomed two others back to the good side of the ledger.

Alfonso Soriano hit his first home run since June 19, a drive to left field leading off the Cubs' 4-run fifth that erased a 2-0 deficit. Soriano also doubled.

Reliever Carlos Marmol, who thought he might get his closer's job back Friday, instead set up in the eighth inning and struck out the only two batters he faced, setting the table for Sean Marshall, who got his third save with a 1-2-3 ninth.

“I feel very good right now,” Marmol said. “I got my confidence back, and I feel very good right now. I thought (manager Mike Quade) was going to put me in (the ninth) today. He's the boss. He can do whatever he wants.”

Quade indicated before the game that Marmol might close Friday, but he decided on one more day.

Marmol has struggled of late and has been working with pitching coach Mark Riggins.

“Marmol was sharp; he's ready to finish off a game (Saturday), hopefully,” Quade said. “I talked to Riggs probably just prior to the game,” Quade said. “Kind of thought about, ‘Let's see if we can't set up with him and get him in a good situation; take a look at his stuff,' which I thought was as good as we've seen it in awhile today.

“If things go well, let's have him close tomorrow. He's a closer, and he pitched like it today.”

One reliable player of late, Aramis Ramirez, capped off the 4-run fifth with his 18th homer of the season and 13th in his last 26 games.

But Soriano had been mired in a deep slump, with a slugging percentage of just .200 in July entering the game. Had he been pressing?

“Not really, I just thought I was thinking too much about a lot of situations because we expect to play better, and the way we've played, I think I've had a little frustration,” he said. “That's good that I had a good day off yesterday and tried not to think about the situation and tried to do my job.

“I've been cooled off for a month and a half. Now I feel strong. We have two-and-a-half months left, and I hope to play hard and play good for the team.”

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Chicago Cubs' Alfonso Soriano hits a solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros on Friday, July 22, 2011, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano, right, smiles with catcher Geovany Soto during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Friday, July 22, 2011, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Chicago Cubs' Aramis Ramirez rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Friday, July 22, 2011, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)