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Lilly, Fontenot lead Cubs to third straight win

Jun 15, 2007 - 10:12 PM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Ted Lilly bounced back to form with eight strong innings and Mike Fontenot drove in three runs to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 4-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Friday.

Lilly (5-4) helped the Cubs win their third straight game by allowing just one run and six hits, walking one and striking out three. It was the lefthander's first start since being ejected after hitting Edgar Renteria with a pitch in the first inning of a 5-4 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Sunday.

The win also turned around a recent rough stretch for Lilly, who was winless over his past four starts, allowing 17 runs - 16 earned - over 17 innings.

"I felt pretty strong today," Lilly said. "It was the defense behind me that kept us in the game. (Pitching coach Larry Rothschild) told me after the first inning to quicken up the pace, and that seemed to help."

Ryan Dempster worked a perfect ninth inning to record his 15th save of the season.

Fontenot gave the Cubs a 3-1 lead in the sixth inning, when he hit his second home run of the season - a two-run blast - off Padres starter David Wells.

"I just went up there looking to swing early in the count," Fontenot said. "I got a fastball (on the first pitch) and was able to get a good swing on it."

The second baseman also drove in Chicago's first run in the fourth with a sacrifice fly, scoring Mark DeRosa. DeRosa led off the inning with a double and moved to third on a single by Michael Barrett.

DeRosa's two-base hit came on the heels of two spectacular plays in the field in the top of the fourth. The third baseman made a nice play on a tough grounder by Mike Cameron, then robbed Khalil Greene with a diving catch of a line drive down the third base line.

"I am just keeping third base warm until Aramis (Ramirez) returns," DeRosa said. "It's pretty funny, the same people who were cheering me today were booing me yesterday for the error I made."

Alfonso Soriano added his 11th homer of the season in the sixth to provide the final margin.

"There was no doubt about the ball I hit today," Soriano said. "I have hit some balls hard in this park that didn't go out, so it felt good to make it happen today."

Derrek Lee went 4-for-4 for the Cubs, collecting three doubles and a single.

"I talked to Derrek before the game and asked him how he felt," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "He had been in a slump for a while. It was good to see him turn it around."

The Padres plated their lone run in the sixth inning. Hiram Bocachica led off with a double to center field and scored two batters later on a triple by Adrian Gonzalez.

Wells (3-4) took the loss, allowing four runs and 10 hits in six innings. The 44-year-old lefthander walked one and struck out five.

"I didn't think I pitched that bad," Wells said. "It was just two pitches, the home runs, and that was it."

Cla Meredith and Kevin Cameron each pitched a scoreless inning in relief of Wells.