Ward's a big hit for Cubs

Sweeping Pittsburgh twice this season was one thing.

Razing Arizona three straight is another matter entirely.

By taking all three games against the Arizona Diamondbacks this weekend by virtue of a 6-4 victory in Sunday's series finale at Wrigley Field -- the same D'backs who swept Chicago out of the playoffs last year and who came to town Friday sporting the best record in baseball -- the Cubs put themselves in position to make a May push in the NL Central with seven games remaining on the homestand.

The win earned the Cubs a tie for first place with St. Louis, which lost 5-3 at Milwaukee.

"Our team came off a tough little span of games there where we struggled," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said of the recent 2-4 road trip through St. Louis and Cincinnati. "A day off and a good opponent here at home, good lively crowds and we've been able to win three important games at home.

"We've still got seven to go. Let's continue playing hard and have a good homestand."

Daryle Ward and Reed Johnson assured the sweep by delivering clutch hits late in the game against Arizona's previously rock-solid bullpen.

Facing reliever Juan Cruz in the seventh, Mike Fontenot drew a one-out walk before Johnson snapped out of the doldrums that had caused his average to dip to .255 by slamming a home run to the bleachers despite a northerly wind that was blowing in from left field at 18 mph. Johnson's first home run as a Cub tied the game at 4-4.

"I knew I hit it good," Johnson said. "I knew I'd kept it low enough to where it had a chance to fight through the wind, and it did."

Said Piniella: "He smoked that ball, he really did. I mean, that ball was up there in (Derrek) Lee territory."

Carlos Marmol pitched a scoreless eighth and came away with the victory when Ward doubled home 2 runs in the bottom of the inning.

With Aramis Ramirez on third base and Kosuke Fukudome at second, Arizona manager Bob Melvin elected to intentionally walk pinch hitter Alfonso Soriano, setting the stage for Ward, who pinch hit for Felix Pie.

Ward ripped the first pitch he saw from Tony Pena for a 2-run double to the gap in right-center, his second key pinch hit in as many days.

"I wanted to jump on the first-pitch fastball if that's what he was going to give to me, and he did," Ward said. "He couldn't have thrown it no more down the middle than that."

Kerry Wood hit a batter in the ninth before tidying up with a game-ending, double-play grounder to earn his seventh save.

Cubs 6, D'backs 4

At the plate: Daryl Ward delivered a game-winning, 2-run, pinch-hit double in the eighth. Reed Johnson hit a 2-run, game-tying home run in the seventh, his first as a Cub and first since July 23, 2007. Kosuke Fukudome went 2-for-4, including a perfect bunt single in the eighth.

On the mound: Named the starting pitcher 45 minutes prior to game time, Sean Gallagher threw 52 of 83 pitches for strikes in 41/3 innings. He allowed 4 earned runs on 5 hits with 6 strikeouts and 3 walks. Chad Fox walked in 2 runs in relief of Gallagher during Arizona's 3-run fifth inning. Michael Wuertz, Carlos Marmol and Kerry Wood each pitched a scoreless inning, with Marmol (1-0) earning the win and Wood the save (No. 7).