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Soriano has five hits as Cubs defeat Brewers

Jun 5, 2007 - 4:50 AM MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- With all the recent troubles the Chicago Cubs have gone through, its amazing that they've won two in a row.

Alfonso Soriano's three-run homer helped the Cubs rally past the Milwaukee Brewers, 7-2, on Monday.

Soriano had his third career five-hit game and Cesar Izturis and Cliff Floyd added RBI in a five-run seventh for Chicago, which has won two straight following a six-game skid.

Chicago trailed 2-1 in the seventh when Michael Barrett led off with a walk and then stole second base, his first steal since 2004.

"Some of the things that have happened to us as a team and happened to me personally are forgotten after a win," Barrett said. "I can't remember the last time I had a leadoff walk or a stolen base. You'll have to go way back for that one. It was nice to contribute."

After Mark DeRosa singled to left, putting runners on first and third, Izturis singled up the middle off Brewers starter Dave Bush to tie the game at 2-2.

After Brian Shouse relieved Bush, Floyd hit a pinch-hit single to left field scoring DeRosa from third to give the Cubs the lead. Matt Wise relieved Shouse and on an 0-1 count promptly gave up a towering three run homer to Soriano deep into the left field seats to make it 6-2.

"That was an exciting moment for me in the game," Soriano said. "I know I had the five hits, but I think the homer was the best and helped us win the game tonight."

Derrick Lee added an RBI single in the ninth.

It was the kind of victory Chicago needed after suffering headline-grabbing incidents recently.

On Friday, Chicago pitcher Carlos Zambrano and Barrett came to blows in the dugout during a loss to the Atlanta Braves. The confrontation continued into the clubhouse, and resulted in Barrett getting six stitches in his lower lip and a bruise below his left eye. Both players were fined by the club.

Then, manager Lou Piniella was suspended indefinitely on Sunday by Major League Baseball for his tirade during the eighth inning of Saturday's 5-3 loss to the Braves. During that incident, Piniella threw his cap to the ground and kicked dirt on umpire Mark Wegner.

On Monday Piniella had the suspension reduced to three more games and received an undisclosed fine. The 63-year old manager watched this contest from the general manager's box while bench coach Alan Trammell managed the team.

"At the end of the game, I saw Lou up in the general manager's box and I pointed up there to let him know even though he's up there, he's a part of the team," Barrett said. "Let's face it, I think what happened on Saturday with all that was going on, he takes some of the heat."

Piniella already served the first game of the suspension in Sunday's series finale with the Braves which the Cubs won, 10-1, snapping the six-game slide.

"I'm not going to say we're hot, but it's better than a losing streak," Trammell said.

Carlos Marmol (1-0), in relief of starter Jason Marquis, pitched two-thirds of an inning to get his first victory since August 8.

"The guys on this club are all capable," Trammell said. "I know you've heard it so many times, but these guys are trying so darn hard and sometimes we're making mistakes because of that. What we need to do is have a little winning streak and we can relax a little bit."

Marquis allowed two runs, seven hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings.

Bush (3-6) surrendered four runs, seven hits and a walk in six-plus innings to fall to 1-4 lifetime vs. Chicago.

"I felt good throwing the ball today," Bush said. "But in the seventh, Barrett put up a good 10-pitch battle to get a walk and unfortunately, that's the way it went. I commanded the ball pretty well."

Chicago took an early 1-0 lead on an RBI double by Aramis Ramirez in the first before Prince Fielder tied it in the third with his 20th homer of the season. Fielder, who was named National League Player of the Month on Monday, hit the first pitch he saw from Marquis over the left field wall to even the contest

The burly first baseman tied the New York Yankees' Alex Rodriguez for the most homers in the majors.

An inning later the Brewers took the lead when Corey Hart hit a single to drive in Bill Hall, making it 2-1.