advertisement

Cubs positively perfect

A baseball team can't do better than perfect.

On the one-year anniversary of the Carlos Zambrano-Michael Barrett dugout dustup, the Cubs demonstrated just how far they have evolved under the guidance of manager Lou Piniella by mounting another we're-all-in-this-together effort to defeat Colorado 5-3. The victory capped a 7-0 week at Wrigley Field on Sunday.

"Well, the homestand couldn't have been better," Piniella said. "Everybody on the roster contributed during this homestand, which is really, really nice to see."

More Coverage Links Road trip will tell They EXPECT to win?

The Cubs hit the road with a full head of steam and a 2#189;-game lead in the National League Central over St. Louis, thanks to a second consecutive strong start from rookie Sean Gallagher and enough timely hitting to send the spiraling Rockies to their seventh straight loss.

The defending National League champs now own the worst record in baseball (20-37).

Gallagher struck out eight, a career high, to improve to 3-1. He surrendered 2 runs and a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning on consecutive hits by Garrett Atkins, Seth Smith and Ian Stewart. However, Gallagher said he rested easy knowing how quickly his teammates could reclaim the lead.

"You can look at the past couple of weeks the way we've been playing," Gallagher said. "It's just unbelievable to come out there and they're always on base, always scoring."

The Cubs wasted no time regaining the lead for good. Aramis Ramirez led off the Cubs' fourth with a single to center field, part of his 3-for-3 afternoon. Geovany Soto drew a walk, and Jim Edmonds drove in the tying run with a double off the ivy in left field.

Could it mean the hitting stroke of Edmonds, who also tripled, is officially back on track with 5 hits in his last 7 at-bats?

"It's getting there," said the veteran, whose season average climbed to .198. "But it doesn't mean nothing unless you do it tomorrow."

The Cubs extended the lead to 4-2 in the fifth when Edmonds drew a bases-loaded walk from losing pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez, who escaped further trouble by getting Mark DeRosa to ground into a fielder's choice.

The Rockies drew within 4-3 in the sixth inning when Omar Quintanilla doubled off Gallagher, and Yorvit Torrealba greeted reliever Michael Wuertz with a run-scoring double.

However, Alfonso Soriano restored the 2-run cushion in the sixth by launching home run No. 13 this season, a solo shot to the left-field bleachers. That homer allowed fans to overlook his first-inning error on a flyball that hit his mitt.

"I take my eyes off it at the last moment," Soriano said.

The bullpen did the job from there, holding the Rockies scoreless for 3#189; innings. Bob Howry pitched 1#8532; innings of hitless relief, and Kerry Wood sandwiched a pair of flyballs around a strikeout to earn his 14th save.

Cubs 5, Rockies 3

At the plate: Jim Edmonds notched his second multihit game of the series. He went 2-for-3 with a walk, the 399th double of his career, a triple and 2 RBI. Aramis Ramirez went 3-for-3 with a double, an intentional walk, a run scored and his team-leading 39th RBI. Alfonso Soriano hit home run No. 13, a solo shot to lead off the sixth inning.

On the mound: Sean Gallagher improved to 3-1 and set a career high with 8 strikeouts. He allowed 3 earned runs on 6 hits in 5 2/3 innings without issuing a walk. Scott Eyre struck out Willy Taveras with the tying run at second base in the sixth. Bobby Howry pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, and Kerry Wood retired the Rockies in order in the ninth to earn his 14th save.

Jim Edmonds -- yes, Jim Edmonds -- lines a triple to center, one of his two hits on the day. He drove in two of the Cubs' five runs. Associated Press
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.