Cubs Beat Phillies, Break Losing Streak

Sunday, May 13th 2007, 4:34 pm

By: News On 6

PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ Ted Lilly restored some pitching order for the Chicago Cubs. Lilly gave up 3 hits in 8 innings, and the Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 Sunday to stop a three-game losing streak.

A day after the Cubs lost 11-7, Lilly (3-2) outdueled Jon Lieber (1-2).

``He gave us 8 extraordinary innings, really exception stuff,'' Cubs manager Lou Piniella said of Lieber. ``He's been very consistent so far this season, and we needed an outing like that one.''

Alfonso Soriano went 0-4 with a walk, ending the longest hitting streak of his career at 20 games.

Lilly retired 13 of his first 14 batters and didn't allow a hit until Abraham Nunez slapped a ground single through the right side of the infield with 2 outs in the 5th. Lilly retired his next 7 batters, then gave up a leadoff single in the 8th to Wes Helms.

Michael Bourn pinch ran and took 3rd on Nunez's single. Carlos Ruiz followed with a soft liner to 3rd baseman Aramis Ramirez, who made the catch but threw wide to 1st trying to double up Nunez. Bourn scored on the error, cutting Philadelphia's lead in half. Pinch-hitter Shane Victorino then flied out and Jimmy Rollins lined out.

Lilly gave up 1 run, struck out 6 and walked 1 in his longest outing this season.

``I've been able to keep the ball in the zone and make them swing the bats on a more consistent basis this year,'' Lilly said.

Lilly lowered his ERA to 2.53 and has allowed 40 hits and 8 walks in 53 1-3 innings. His two defeats were 1-0 to Cincinnati and 2-1 to St. Louis.

``Everybody want to see results and get wins but I'm just trying to stay consistent,'' Lilly said.

Lilly frustrated the Phillies so much that Chase Utley and Jason Werth were among several players who switched from special pink Mother's Day bats during the game and went back to their regular lumber.

``He had all 3 pitches working and had a really good slider,'' Aaron Rowand said. ``We couldn't get anything going offensively.''

Ryan Dempster pitched the 9th for his eighth save in nine chances, completing the 4-hitter.

Lieber, who had his start pushed back from Friday because of a cut on his pitching hand, gave up 9 hits _ 8 of them singles _ in 8 innings.

``Some balls just found a hole,'' Lieber said. ``It's a tough loss. Guys are busting, trying to win as badly was I do.''

Chicago took a 2-0 lead in the 4th on run-scoring singles by Matt Murton and Cesar Izturis. Nunez made a costly throwing error at 3rd that allowed Ramirez to reach on a grounder. Murton singled and, 2 outs later, Izturis squibbed a grounder just inside the 3rd-base bag and into left field.

Izturis and Murton each had their second 3-hit game of the series. Izturis was 7-10 and Murton went 6-10 with a homer and 4 RBIs in the three games.

Chicago strung together 4 straight singles in the 6th but failed to score a run. Murton was thrown out at the plate by Pat Burrell when he tried to score on Michael Barrett's single to left. It was Burrell's fifth assist of the season.

The Cubs added 2 runs in the 9th on Mark DeRosa's bases-loaded walk off Fabio Castro and Ramirez's RBI grounder against Clay Condrey.

``Tacking on those runs was big,'' Piniella said.

Philadelphia dropped to 5-10 in games opponents started left-handed pitchers.

``We've had a little trouble with lefties,'' Manuel said.