Ramirez leads way with two 3-run shots

Rewind to the last time the Cubs made the playoffs in 2003 and Aramis Ramirez was a monster over the last seven weeks of the season with 15 home runs and 38 RBI.

Fast-forward to the present, and the Cubs are inching toward another division title with Ramirez again putting the club on his back.

Ramirez hit not one but two 3-run homers Friday as the Cubs outslugged the Pittsburgh Pirates 13-8 at Wrigley Field.

In his last 36 games, Ramirez has 9 home runs, 27 RBI and has scored 22 runs.

"He's fun to watch," teammate Derrek Lee said. "He's got his stroke going and is smoking the ball."

Ramirez's 3-run blast in the first inning off Pirates starter Paul Maholm cleared the bleachers and landed on Waveland Avenue. It was only the fourth time this season a Cubs hitter put one on the street to left field.

"I couldn't see how far it went, but, yeah, I hit that one pretty good," Ramirez said. "I didn't even feel that one."

The mammoth blast impressed Cubs manager Lou Piniella.

"That ball was hit," Piniella marveled. "When I really catch one on the tee, that's how it sounds. You don't believe that, do you? But that ball had a nice click to it. It was hit on the right spot on the bat with perfect timing."

After delivering his second 3-run homer in the sixth off reliever Franquelis Osorio, Ramirez narrowly missed a third home run in the seventh when his towering fly to left was caught at the base of the wall.

Ramirez's big afternoon left him with 25 homers 98 RBI and a .314 batting average. With the debate raging over who is the Cubs' MVP, Ramirez is making a strong case for himself.

"It ain't for me, I mean, it's for the team," Ramirez said. "We're in a pennant race, and we've got to keep playing good.

"For me, I like to drive in runs, especially when it counts and your team is in a pennant race."

The last thing Piniella wants to do at this moment is debate his club's most valuable player, or even if Ramirez should be considered for National League MVP.

"We're not worried about little things right now," Piniella said. "We can talk about those things later this year. We've got some people here that do deserve consideration, but at the same time what's important now is we're playing good baseball.

"We've got a lot of people here that can do a nice job, and it's starting to get more consistent, which is the important thing this time of year."

Alfonso Soriano certainly is right there with Ramirez in terms of importance to the team and what he has meant the last several weeks.

Soriano hit a leadoff homer Friday for the second straight game and for the fifth time this month.

"It's a big advantage when the leadoff hitter gives you a lead right away," Ramirez said. "We just follow him. When Soriano goes, we go."

Soriano's homer was his team-leading 29th of the season, 4 more than Ramirez.

"The last 10 games, I think everybody feels comfortable swinging the bat," Soriano said. "That's good for us."