Easy does it working for Lee

Less is more in Derrek Lee's world.

During a frustrating stretch earlier this season, the Cubs first baseman went 126 at-bats without a home run, a drought he broke on July 15 when he ripped a 3-run home run off Astros pitcher Wandy Rodriguez.

Lee has since smacked 9 more round trippers, including the inside-the-park home run he hit in Arizona on Aug. 26.

The return of Lee's power stroke was most welcome Sunday, when he hit his second home run in as many days -- a game-winning, 2-run shot to the basket in left-center field.

The blast, Lee's 17th of the season, lifted the Cubs to a 6-5 win and sent 41,415 into a frenzy.

"Boy, today was big," manager Lou Piniella said. "I wasn't sure if Derrek had gotten all of it, but it got up there in that basket and that was that."

"I didn't hit it great," Lee said. "The wind wasn't blowing in today, so I thought it might have a chance. It was nice to see the basket scoop it up."

Lee was aware when he stepped to the plate in the eighth inning that second-place Milwaukee and third-place St. Louis had already won their games, thanks to a scoreboard-watching Cubs fan who yelled out to him on the field. That meant the Cubs were in danger of seeing their lead in the National League Central slip to a half game.

"This is crunch time, so it was a very big win," said Lee, whose heroics came at the expense of right-handed reliever Chad Qualls with Alfonso Soriano on base. "We needed to get this series. It was a rough game out there today. We were fighting and clawing. To come back and steal the game like that will give us a big lift."

The 6-foot-5 Californian, who will turn 32 on Thursday, was asked about the difference in his power numbers from June and July to now.

"I don't know the difference," Lee said. "I haven't done anything different. I haven't tried to change anything. (Saturday), I took the easiest swing and hit the best ball. So, I tried to just build off that maybe, try to do less. Just take nice, easy swings and let whatever happens happen.

"You know, I thought maybe sometimes you try to do too much, so I just tried to do less, back off a little and see what happens."

Lee's was the fourth home run in two games for the Cubs, who are tied with San Francisco for 13th in the National League with 110.

Piniella was similarly at a loss when it came to explaining the difference in Lee since his homer-less streak ended.

"I don't know. I really don't know," Piniella said. "I know that he's swinging it good now and we'll leave it at that. Let's not disturb a good thing."