Blanco caps 'team' victory for Cubs

It's not as if the Cubs need to remind anyone why they have the best record in the National League at 70-46.

But just in case there are still doubters, the Cubs put many of the things they do best on display Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field in a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals that took 11 innings.

It was a line single to left with the bases loaded by backup catcher Henry Blanco that sealed the deal, but before that the Cubs got a another great start from Ted Lilly, shutdown work by Carlos Marmol, Jeff Samardzija and Bob Howry out of the bullpen, 2 more home runs by Jim Edmonds, and enough quality defensive plays to fill an ESPN Web Gems segment.

"That's why we call it a team," said Blanco, who replaced Geovany Soto in the 10th inning. "Every day it's going to be nine guys that go out there, but at some point in the season all 25 count. That's what this team is all about."

Few Cubs sit more than Blanco with Soto in the midst of a rookie-of-the-year season, but the veteran catcher is considered a pro's pro in the eyes of his teammates.

"It's so great to see him get involved, too," Lilly said. "He's such an underrated asset on this ballclub, I really believe that, in a lot of different ways. Not only with working with Geo all year, it's just the energy he brings to the clubhouse every day."

Edmonds hit solo home runs in the second and seventh innings against his former team and made a diving catch in left-center, also in the seventh.

But rather than rub it in that he homered twice against the team that gave up on him, Edmonds preferred to praise his new teammates.

"That's what it's about, going out and playing as a team, and not as individuals," Edmonds said. "Then at the end of the day you hope someone picks up the team (like Blanco did)."

The Cubs made big defensive plays at critical times.

In the fifth, Lilly got Cardinals pitcher Braden Looper miss on a squeeze bunt attempt with Cesar Izturis getting tagged out at the plate by Soto.

Left fielder Alfonso Soriano threw out Joe Mather at the plate in the sixth to complete an inning-ending double play.

Then, in the ninth, second baseman Mark DeRosa made a barehanded flip to first on what looked as if it might be a run-scoring bunt by Skip Schumaker to end that inning.

"Even guys that didn't get a hit made big plays on the field that in some way, shape or form added to the win," Lilly said.

Lilly worked into the eighth inning, allowing only 2 runs on 7 hits. He threw just 83 pitches, 58 for strikes.

Marmol came on with a runner aboard and one out in the eighth and got Albert Pujols to fly out before striking out Troy Glaus after a walk to Ryan Ludwick.

Samardzija worked scoreless innings in the ninth and 10th. He gave up a two-out single to Pujols in the 10th then caught the Cardinals' slugger on a delayed attempt to steal second.

"The pitching was really the story line today," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "(The defense) coincides with the pitching. That's one thing this team has been doing more and more of, and what it does is help your pitching."

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