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Gallagher shines as Cubs rally past Dodgers

May 28, 2008 - 5:57 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Chicago Cubs' offense made sure that Sean Gallagher's outstanding performance didn't got to waste.

Gallagher dazzled through seven innings and Aramis Ramirez drove in the go-ahead run during a three-run seventh as the Cubs rallied for a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday.

In just his fourth career start, the 22-year-old Gallagher (2-1) put on a show for the fans at Wrigley Field, allowing just one run and four hits with three strikeouts. It was also the righthander's first win over the Dodgers.

"With the wind blowing in, you could go out there with a little less fear," Gallagher said. "Just throw the ball over the plate, get ground balls and pop flies, and let the defense work for you."

"(Gallagher) pitched a real good ballgame," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "The conditions were good for both pitchers. And they both pitched pretty well."

Gallagher's lone mistake came in the fourth inning when Blake DeWitt stroked a two-out RBI single to left, scoring James Loney from second to give the Dodgers a 1-0 lead.

Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda (2-4) was impressive, keeping the Cubs off the board until running into some trouble in the seventh, when Ryan Theriot took third on Alfonso Soriano's single to chase the righthander.

Jonathan Broxton entered for Kuroda and got Mark Fontenot to ground to third, but DeWitt's fielding error allowed Theriot to tie things at 1-1. After Derrek Lee flied out, Broxton gave up an RBI single to Ramirez and a run-scoring double to rookie Kosuke Fukudome to make it 3-1.

"There was great pitching out there," Ramirez said. "You had to take whatever you could get with the cold weather and wind blowing in."

"Kuroda pitched a good game," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "If there was one hitter he'd like to get back, it would be the (Ronny) Cedeno (leadoff) walk in the seventh. That and the Soriano at-bat were key reasons for that three-run inning."

Carlos Marmol got out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth before closer Kerry Wood stepped in to record the final three outs for his 12th save.

Kuroda battled through 6 1/3 frames, allowing two runs and seven hits in his first appearance in the Windy City.