Soriano homer gives Cubs 7th straight win

The postseason is more than a month away, but everything around the Cubs these days is looking, feeling and smelling like the playoffs.

Friday's 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field wasn't the prettiest the Cubs have played this year, but they found a way to win and improve to 85-50.

They've come from behind to beat the Phillies twice in two days. On Friday, Alfonso Soriano's seventh-inning solo homer broke a 2-2 tie after the Cubs rallied earlier from a 2-0 deficit.

While the Cubs are cruising in the National League Central, they're putting some serious hurt on the Phillies, who are in a fight with the Mets for the East lead.

"They're a really good team," said Cubs second baseman Mark DeRosa, who had 2 of the Cubs' 7 walks. "These first two games are an indication of what playoff baseball is like when two teams are fighting to get there. We caught some breaks today and were able to come out on top."

The Cubs sent Rich Harden to the mound, but he admittedly didn't have his best stuff and had to leave after 5 innings and 100 pitches.

Harden got two quick outs to start the game before hitting Chase Utley, and Utley eventually scored on Pat Burrell's single. From there, Harden struggled to find the plate.

"Yeah, it was just one of those days," he said. "I really didn't have much going for me. It was a battle. Command is a big issue for me if it's not there. It's tough. I've been giving guys free bases, putting guys on base."

The Phillies got an unearned run in the fifth before the Cubs came back in the bottom half on an RBI forceout by pinch hitter Daryle Ward, as Henry Blanco slid hard into second base to break up a possible double play.

The Cubs drew 4 walks in the sixth, 3 off starter Joe Blanton and 1 off ex-Cub Scott Eyre by Kosuke Fukudome to force in the tying run.

Then some luck came into play.

Jeff Samardzija came out of the Cubs' bullpen to replace Chad Gaudin in the seventh. With runners on first and third with two outs, Ryan Howard hit a hot grounder to first baseman Derrek Lee, who fought it off, recovered and tossed to Samardzija.

First-base umpire Chris Guccione called Howard out, although replays indicated otherwise.

"Oh, man," Lee said. "That ball just kicked away from me. I was able to get to it, and bang-bang play. I don't know. I didn't see the replay yet, but I heard it was pretty close."

"I was pretty sure I was safe," Howard said. "It's frustrating. It's tough."

Phillies third-base coach Steve Smith was kicked out of the game by home-plate umpire Bill Welke after the inning. Samardzija, who wound up with his first major-league victory, made the play by getting to the bag quickly.

"On D-Lee's play, it took a nasty hop on him, right on the edge of the grass and hopped right on him," Samardzija said. "He stayed with it and made the play."

Soriano came up in the seventh and cracked his 23rd homer, off Clay Condrey with one out. Thursday night, Aramis Ramirez hit a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth to give the Cubs a 6-4 win.

"I think I've been selective at home plate, trying to make contact," Soriano said. "But he left a very good pitch down the middle, and I hit it very hard."

Carlos Marmol worked 1 innings for his seventh save, and manager Lou Piniella liked it all.

"Good ballgame," Piniella said. "We battled and came out on top. Good pitching. We played good, solid defense, and just enough hitting."

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