Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Geovany Soto's three-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning provided some breathing room, as the Chicago Cubs extended their home winning streak to nine games with a 10-5 decision over the Atlanta Braves in the opener of a three-game set at Wrigley Field.

Ted Lilly (6-5) went 6 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on four hits while striking out eight to pick up the win.

Reed Johnson and Derrek Lee each drove in two runs for Chicago, which is an MLB-best 41-24 this season. Alfonso Soriano was 2-for-3 and scored twice, while Aramis Ramirez finished 1-for-2 with three walks and three runs scored.

Tom Glavine (2-3) lasted only three innings and gave up four runs on six hits before leaving with a strained left elbow. The veteran lefty also walked four batters. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list after the game.

Buddy Carlyle yielded one run on two hits in three innings of relief. Manny Acosta was charged with five runs -- one earned -- on four hits in 1 2/3 innings.

Greg Norton clubbed a three-run homer for the Braves, who have dropped four straight. Brian McCann and Omar Infante knocked in the other runs for Atlanta.

"We hit the ball well all night," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said. "But we didn't have much to show for it."

Third baseman Chipper Jones, who has a major league-best .420 batting average, was not in the starting lineup for a second consecutive game because of a slight tear in his right quadriceps. Jones did enter the game as a pinch- hitter with two outs in the top of the seventh. He worked a walk and was immediately lifted for a pinch runner.

Clinging to a 6-5 lead, the Cubs erupted for four runs in the bottom of the eighth. Soriano reached on a one-out single, swiped second and took third on McCann's throwing error. Ryan Theriot then reached on Acosta's fielding error and Soriano scored on Lee's sacrifice fly. Theriot stole second and, after Ramirez was intentionally walked, Soto followed with a shot that cleared the wall in left-center field.

Norton's second home run of the season staked the Braves to an 3-0 lead in the first inning. Yunel Escobar drew a leadoff walk and Kelly Johnson followed with a single to right field. Lilly then fanned Jeff Francoeur and Mark Teixeira before Norton turned on an 0-1 changeup and drove it over the wall in left-center field.

"He buckled down and after he gave up those runs in the first, he did an outstanding job the rest of the way," Chicago manager Lou Piniella said on Lilly.

Chicago narrowed the deficit to one in the second. Ramirez worked a leadoff walk and back-to-back singles by Soto and Kosuke Fukudome plated a run. A single by Mark DeRosa loaded the bases for Reed Johnson, whose sacrifice fly made it a 3-2 game. After Lilly bunted the runners to second and third, Glavine intentionally walked Soriano and got Theriot to fly out to avoid further damage.

The Cubs then pulled ahead in the third. Lee's leadoff home run tied the game and Ramirez followed with a walk. A pair of infield outs moved the runner to third and, after DeRosa was given a free pass, Reed Johnson's single gave Chicago the lead.

Chicago tacked on another run in the fourth as Soriano led off with a walk, moved to second on a single by Theriot and came home on a one-out single from Ramirez for a 5-3 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh, Fukudome had a two-out single, swiped second and scored on DeRosa's RBI single to make it a 6-3 game.

The Braves got two runs back in the next frame. A two-out single by Norton put runners on the corners and McCann followed with a single to right field. Infante then singled to cut the deficit to 6-5.