Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Jayson Werth homered and doubled to drive in three runs for the Phillies, who earned a split in the four-game series with a 5-3 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Ryan Howard had three hits with a run batted in and a run scored while starter Jamie Moyer (12-7) got the win, lasting 5 1/3 innings while giving up two runs on eight hits and a pair of walks with four strikeouts.
The Phillies kept pace in the NL East with the win, remaining one game back of the first-place Mets, who bested the Marlins 6-2 on Sunday.
"It speaks volumes for this club. We've got a good team. We've been playing good all year, and we just have to continue to do that," Werth said. "I think especially to split the series against the Cubs, at home, I think it says a lot."
Starter Sean Marshall (3-4) was tagged for five runs on nine hits and a pair of walks after earning a spot start when scheduled starter Carlos Zambrano was scratched due to a tired arm. The left-hander helped himself with an RBI single, while Ronny Cedeno and Henry Blanco also had run-scoring singles.
The Cubs, who had a seven-game winning streak snapped Saturday, dropped their second consecutive game and lost another game to Milwaukee in the NL-Central race. CC Sabathia hurled a one-hitter as the Brewers downed Pittsburgh 7-0 Sunday to climb within 4 1/2 games of first place.
"We went out and played hard, and got beat. Give them credit," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said while addressing the team's recent lack of offense. "Listen, if we could get guys in every time we got men on base, we'd be 162-0. That's not going to happen. I think we've spoiled people and we've gotten people used to it (winning). How many games did we win (in August)? Twenty games? Not bad."
Philadelphia jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first. Chase Utley drew a walk with one down, stole second and scored on a Howard single through the shift. Shane Victorino followed with a single and the red-hot Werth laced a two-run double down the left-field line.
The Cubs cut the lead to 3-2 in the second. Mark DeRosa and Geovany Soto started the frame with back-to-back singles and a Kosuke Fukudome fielder's choice put runners on the corners for Cedeno, who lofted a routine fly ball to center that Victorino lost in the sun, allowing DeRosa to score. Marshall then singled through a drawn-in infield to plate Fukudome.
Werth continued to rake the ball with a line-drive solo home run to deep left in the fifth and the Phils manufactured another run in the sixth to take a 5-2 lead. Carlos Ruiz doubled to center leading off and moved to third on a sacrifice from Moyer which brought Jeff Samardzija out from the 'pen. Jimmy Rollins came through with a sacrifice fly to deep left.
"I've been seeing the ball pretty good lately and was fortunate enough to put some good swings on some pitches and have been aggressive lately and made some things happen," Werth stated.
Chad Durbin, who entered for Moyer in the sixth, gave up a one-out single to Soto in the eighth and was lifted in favor of J.C. Romero, who moved Soto to second on a wild pitch. Fukudome then advanced the runner to third on a groundout and pinch-hitter Blanco hit an RBI single through the left side, cutting the lead to 5-3.
Ryan Madson came on for Romero to face pinch-hitter Daryle Ward, who kept things going with a single to left, but Madson came back to get Alfonso Soriano swinging for the inning's final out.
Brad Lidge entered in the ninth and quickly retired the Cubs in order to remain a perfect 33-for-33 in save opportunities for the Phillies.
St. Louis, MO (Sports Network) - The St. Louis Cardinals signed left-handed reliever Trever Miller to a one-year contract on Wednesday. ... Full Story...
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