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Cubs sweep behind Edmonds, Harden

Jul 31, 2008 - 10:16 PM By Dave Cotey PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Jim Edmonds waited for the right moment to impact the Chicago Cubs' biggest series of the season.

The veteran center fielder hit two home runs - including his seventh career grand slam - and drove in five runs as the Cubs swept a four-game set from the Milwaukee Brewers with an 11-4 rout Thursday.

Rich Harden (1-1) won for the first time for the Cubs, who extended their lead in the National League Central over the Brewers to five games in front of 45,346 fans, the second-largest crowd in Miller Park history. The crowd included thousands of Cubs fans who made the 90-minute trip from Chicago.

"We didn't play that well after the break so it's nice to turn it around," Edmonds said. "It was a big four-game series. I would like to say that's the way we're supposed to play. We have a good athletic group that's capable of playing real well. It's nice that we came into a big series and played well."

Alfonso Soriano homered, as did Kosuke Fukudome - the 200th professional home run of his career - for the Cubs, who were tied with the Brewers atop the standings entering play Sunday. Since then, Chicago has won five in a row and Milwaukee has dropped five straight.

"(Harden) really pitched well and the bats were consistent throughout," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "We played good baseball in this series, we really did. We came in here and took it to them. We came here with a purpose, and that was to win some baseball games, and that's what we did."

Edmonds, in his first at-bat of the series, hit a solo home run off Brewers starter Dave Bush (5-9) to lead off the top of the third inning and snap a scoreless tie. Edmonds had missed the previous three games with a sore left knee.

"I wasn't the hero; I just got it started," Edmonds said. "It's nice to win the series, and it's nice to play. I just had one of those days. It don't happen very often. I got lucky and we came away with the win."

In the top of the fourth, Edmonds hit a two-out grand slam off Bush, his first since August 9, 2006. It was Edmonds' 27th career multi-homer game and gave the Cubs a 5-0 lead.

"After taking the first three games, the guys came out swinging the bats and wanted to put it away," Harden said. "Overall, it was a successful series by us. It was definitely a playoff atmosphere, or as close as you could get."

Edmonds' blast came after Bush retired the first two batters of the frame. He then walked Aramis Ramirez, gave up a double to Fukodome and hit Mark DeRosa with a pitch before the crucial blow.

"That pretty much turned the game around right there," Bush said. "It was a critical situation. We got our butts kicked. It's more than frustrating. Frustrating is when you lose a tough game. It was a tough few games for us. They pretty much outplayed us in all aspects of the game."

Harden, who was 0-1 in his first three starts with Chicago since being acquired July 8 from the Oakland Athletics, struck out nine and allowed six hits through seven innings. Since joining the Cubs, he has a 1.11 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings.

"I still feel like I could pitch a little better," Harden said. "I haven't been very efficient with my pitches. I was happy to get through seven."

Prince Fielder homered for the second consecutive game for the Brewers, who were dominated in the series. Milwaukee was outscored, 31-11, struck out at least 10 times in each game and was 2-for-24 with runners in scoring position.

"Nobody's happy after a game like this and I'd be really upset if they were," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "We don't like the fact that we allowed their fans to come into our park and have a four-day party, but that's our fault."

Chicago posted its first four-game sweep in Milwaukee since May 12-15, 2003.