The definition of an ugly loss: Brewers rip Cubs 11-2

The one public service the Cubs performed Saturday was that they allowed many in the Wrigley Field crowd of 40,088 to get an early start on their Fourth of July.

Everything about the Cubs' 11-2 loss to Milwaukee was decided in the first few innings, and even manager Lou Piniella's new lineup was pretty much a nonissue after the first.

The Brewers jumped on Cubs starting pitcher Rich Harden for 5 runs in the first inning and chased him in the third.

Mike Cameron hit a 3-run homer in the first. J.J. Hardy hit a solo shot in the second, and former Cubs farmhand Casey McGehee had 5 RBI and fell a double short of hitting for the cycle.

"My off-speed was up in the zone, and they were just sitting (on) fastballs," said Harden, who fell to 5-5 with a 5.35 ERA. "It's batting practice for them."

The only glimmer of hope for the Cubs came in the bottom of the first, and it involved left fielder Alfonso Soriano, who was moved from the leadoff spot to the sixth hole.

Soriano came up with the bases loaded and two outs against Braden Looper, but he hit a little dribbler to third base to end the inning and draw the first boos of the afternoon.

He heard more as he went 0-for-4 with 2 strikeouts as his batting average fell to .223 and his on-base percentage dropped to a lowly .288. The only positive for Soriano was that many of the fans had gone home by the time he struck out in the ninth.

"It's rough day, but we're still winning the series 2-1," he said. "I hope tomorrow we've got a better chance to win this game and to win (the series) 3-1.

"I tried to put the ball in play. He threw me a very good split down. That's my pitch, and I hit a groundball to third. That's part of the game."

As for the boos, Soriano took them in stride.

"That's part of the game," he said. "If I get a hit, they want to clap. If I get a strikeout, they want to boo."

Piniella inserted Kosuke Fukudome (1-for-4) into the leadoff spot, saying he wanted to "jump-start" Soriano by moving him down and taking the pressure off him in the leadoff spot. Piniella, who has been known to change his mind on lineup moves, said this one will stick.

"We're going to see how it works," he said. "I don't think we'll see it game by game, no. Game by game is not the way to describe it.

"We're going to stay with this thing for a while and see how it works out. If we have to make an adjustment or two along the way, we'll try it. I plan on staying with this way for the time being."

After the game, Piniella said he was going to look at films of Soriano's stance and perhaps get Soriano to bring his feet closer together.

He passed no judgment on the new lineup.

"We were out of the ballgame," Piniella said. "We changed two spots in the whole thing. I think you've got to give it more than one day to see how things work or don't work.

"I know you people want quick results, but that's a little bit too quick."

<p class="factboxheadblack">Bruce Miles' game tracker</p> <p class="News"><b>Short-timer:</b> Cubs starting pitcher Rich Harden lasted a career-low 2 innings, giving up 8 hits and 7 runs. His previous low was 21/3 innings for Oakland against the Giants on June 26, 2004.</p> <p class="News"><b>No escaping leadoff:</b> Even though Alfonso Soriano batted sixth in the order, the led off the sixth and ninth innings, striking out both times. He grounded out with the bases loaded and two outs in the first and reached on an error in the third.</p> <p class="News"><b>Been awhile:</b> Right fielder Milton Bradley went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and his first homer since May 25. Bradley's on-base percentage is up to .368.</p> <p class="News"><b>Brewers banter:</b> Milwaukee's Ryan Braun extended his hitting streak to 11 games, tying his career best. He also hit in 11 straight in 2007.</p>