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Myers, Burrell lead Phillies past Cubs

Apr 12, 2008 - 3:11 AM By Larry Doucherty PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- The Chicago Cubs came in as one of the hottest teams in baseball, but ran into one of the National League's hottest players - Pat Burrell.

Burrell blasted a two-run homer and added an RBI double in support of Brett Myers' strong effort as the Philadelphia Phillies snapped the Cubs' five-game winning streak with a 5-3 victory Friday night.

Burrell, who led the National League in slugging percentage (.774) entering Friday's play, connected on his team-leading fourth homer in the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-2. His RBI double to right field in the sixth gave the Phillies the lead for good at 4-3.

"What I was trying to do in spring training was get the approach back, get the feel back and thankfully it came at the right time," Burrell said.

"He is swinging good right now," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "He has a quick bat and is staying on the ball good."

Myers (1-1) picked up his first win of the season, allowing three runs on five hits over eight innings for his longest stint of the season.

All three runs came on solo homers, including back-to-back blasts by Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez in the first inning. Myers settled down after the homers, limiting the Cubs to three hits and one run - a solo shot by Alfonso Soriano to lead off the sixth inning.

"I felt a lot more aggressive today," Myers said. "With every pitch, I felt like I threw pitches with conviction instead of just lollipop them up there or just guide them in there."

Carlos Zambrano (1-1) allowed just three hits in the first three innings, but the righthander fell apart and gave up five runs over the next three frames with Burrell providing the bulk of the damage.

"Something was wrong with my fastball today," Zambrano said. "It didn't come like I thought. My team gave me the lead, and I blew it."

"(Zambrano) didn't really throw the ball all that well," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "Pitched himself out of a tough first-inning jam. Then, they got to him in the middle part of the ballgame. He wasn't overpowering tonight."

Burrell blasted a two-run shot to right field that tied the game at 2-2, and the Phillies took advantage of a questionable call to add another run in the fifth.

After Shane Victorino reached base on a two-out walk, Gregg Dobbs drove a ball to deep center that appeared to be caught by center fielder Kosuke Fukudome.

However, Fukudome bumped into Soriano and dropped the ball. Umpire Bill Welke ruled the ball was in play and Dobbs was credited with a double, which scored Victorino for a 3-2 lead.

Soriano tied the game at 3-3, but the Phillies took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth.

Ryan Howard led off with a double and Burrell drove him home with a double for his third RBI of the game. One batter later, Carlos Ruiz delivered a RBI single to make it 5-3.

Myers then retired the next six batters before yielding to closer Brad Lidge, who pitched a scoreless ninth for his second save.

"Very encouraging as we lost his first two," Manuel said of Myers' performance. "His command was definitely a huge difference tonight."

Reigning NL MVP Jimmy Rollins was out of the starting lineup for the third straight game after spraining his ankle Tuesday against the New York Mets.