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Alcantara's first hit gives Cubs 10th-inning win

Here's the thing about the Cubs nowadays: They sure are fun.

They're not always pretty - just ask Monday night's starting pitcher, Jon Lester - but they're off to a rollicking start to the 2015 baseball season.

The Cubs came from behind a couple of times against the Cincinnati Reds before prevailing 7-6 in 10 innings. Arismendy Alcantara, who had not had a hit this season, singled up the middle with one out and the bases loaded to score Jorge Soler with the winning run and move the Cubs' record to 4-2.

It's the first time the Cubs have been at least 2 games over .500 since the end of the 2009 season.

Speaking of Soler, he had the biggest hand in bringing the Cubs back. After Lester gave up 3 runs in the top of the first inning, Soler hit a 2-run homer in the bottom half with a drive into what will become the left-field bleachers. He did it again in the eighth with another 2-run homer, this time to center.

The victory was the second dramatic comeback in two days for the Cubs, who rallied to win at Colorado on Sunday.

"Not unlike yesterday's game," said manager Joe Maddon. "The way we keep fighting back, the liveliness in the dugout is a lot of fun to witness right now. When you start doing things like this, you believe you can win late. That's really important, to believe you can win the game late. It really is. And it's also really fun if you can come from behind, which we've done two days in a row, late.

"Those are two of the best things you can possibly get across to a young team. Yes, I've enjoyed it."

Lester was more than happy to sing the praises of his teammates, who got him off the hook and changed the tone of the conversation. If the Cubs had lost, talk would have been about Lester's 2 poor starts to begin the season and his 7.84 ERA.

"At the end of the day, that's the main goal," Lester said of the team victory. "To maybe not be so hard on yourself, but at the same time, a lot of work to be done. Jorgie picking me up, Mendy picking me up. That was huge."

The Cubs profess not to be worried about Lester, who missed part of spring training with a "dead arm." In essence, they say, he's still in the latter stages of his own spring training.

"Obviously, I haven't hit my stride yet," he said. "But I don't want to use anything as a crutch by any means. Things have to be better."

Fans did give Lester a mock cheer when he threw over to first base on a pickoff attempt for the first time in almost two years. On his second attempt in the same sequence, he made a throwing error, with Zack Cozart on after he lead off the second inning with a single. However, Soler bailed him out by retrieving the ball and nailing Cozart at third base.

"The first one, it actually felt really good to throw a ball over to first base," Lester said. "It's been a while. The second one, I got a little excited. I looked over there and the guy was going in the other direction. When you're not used to doing stuff like that, I got a little overexcited and tried to throw the ball a little too soon."

In the end, it was something they all could laugh about.

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Chicago Cubs right fielder Jorge Soler (68) watches his second two run homerun against the Cincinnati Reds during the eighth inning of a baseball game in Chicago, on Monday, April 13, 2015. Associated Press
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