Thu May 29 00:00:09 2008

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Soriano delivers game-winner as Cubs sweep Dodgers

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Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Alfonso Soriano plated the game-winner in the bottom of the 10th inning, as the Chicago Cubs finished off a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 2-1 victory at Wrigley Field.

The last time Chicago swept Los Angeles at home was May 2001, and with the win, the Cubs tied the all-time series against the Dodgers with 1,010 wins apiece.

Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano was once again his dominating self. Now unbeaten in nine straight starts, the righty walked four and struck out three in eight innings of one-run ball. Bob Howry (1-2) picked up the win with a scoreless extra inning.

Geovany Soto knocked in Chicago's other run, while Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome each tallied two hits.

Dodgers starter Derek Lowe came into the game winless in his last six starts, but the veteran allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out five in seven shutout innings. Takashi Saito blew his third save of the season with a rocky ninth inning, and Chan Ho Park (1-1) took the loss with his 10-inning showing.

Russell Martin went 3-for-5, while Blake DeWitt earned a bases-loaded walk to account for L.A.'s only run in its fifth loss in six games.

Saito came on in the ninth inning of a brilliantly pitched game and couldn't finish it off. The usually reliable closer walked Ryan Theriot and Aramis Ramirez, and with one out failed to touch the bag on a Fukudome grounder to first.

Soto answered with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to right, and Saito induced an inning-ending flyout from Mark DeRosa to push the game into extra frames.

The Dodgers summoned Park in the 10th, where a one-out, pinch-hit double from Mike Fontenot preceded Soriano's game-winning looper to left.

Both starters kept baserunners to a minimum throughout the game. The Dodgers got their run in the fourth behind a two-out rally started by Martin's single. James Loney followed with a base hit and Matt Kemp was hit by Zambrano to load the bases.

Zambrano walked DeWitt on a payoff pitch to force in the game's only run until the ninth, and escaped another bases loaded jam in the eighth, fanning Kemp on his 130th pitch of the game.

Game Notes

Chicago is 22-8 at Wrigley Field this season...The Cubs are 13-9 over the past 22 matchups in this series...The Dodgers went 3-for-27 with men in scoring position during the series, including 0-for-5 in Wednesday's bout...On Thursday, the Cubs host Colorado for the first of four games, while the Dodgers head to New York to battle the Mets for four straight contests.