Lilly shuts down Jays as Cubs win 7-4

[June 16, 2008]  TORONTO (AP) -- Ted Lilly tossed six scoreless innings, Derrek Lee drove in three runs and the Chicago Cubs beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-4 on Sunday.

Aramis Ramirez added his 10th homer of the season for the Cubs, who haven't lost a series since May 25 at Pittsburgh. Much of that success has to do with Lilly, who won for the sixth time in seven decisions dating to May 3 and has a 3.81 ERA over that span.

Lilly (7-5) struggled with his control but allowed just one hit. He walked the bases loaded in the third before getting Vernon Wells to pop out to second base and end the inning.

The Cubs led 3-0 in the sixth when Lilly again found himself in trouble. After Wells reached base on an error to shortstop Ryan Theriot, Lilly walked Scott Rolen to bring the tying run to the plate. Rod Barajas hit a deep fly that Reed Johnson caught at the warning track, and Brad Wilkerson grounded out to second base to end the threat.

Lilly struck out six and walked five, departing after six innings having thrown 110 pitches. The only hit he surrendered was to Wilkerson with two out in the bottom of the fourth.

The Cubs' offense clicked in the third off starter Jesse Litsch. With runners on the corners and two out, Kosuke Fukudome singled past a diving Wilkerson at first base to score the game's first run. Lee and Jim Edmonds added RBI singles to give the Cubs a 3-0 lead.

Chicago added four more in the seventh on a two-run single by Lee and Ramirez's two-run homer. Litsch (7-3) was charged with five runs and eight hits over 6 1-3 innings.

Cubs reliever Scott Eyre had his scoreless streak snapped at a franchise-record 33 games when he allowed a sacrifice fly to Alex Rios in the seventh. It was Eyre's first earned run since last Aug. 16.

Gregg Zaun added a two-run homer in the eighth off Chicago right-hander Neal Cotts. Kerry Wood surrendered another run in the ninth before closing things out.

Notes: Jays manager John Gibbons was ejected during the bottom of the eighth inning after arguing a call with first base umpire Adrian Johnson. ... There was a 3-minute delay during the top of the third as the Rogers Centre roof was closed due to incoming weather. ... Wells was back in the Blue Jays lineup after experiencing discomfort in his left wrist during his last at-bat on Saturday. ... Gregg Zaun made his return from the 15-day DL and was inserted into the lineup as designated hitter. Zaun had been out since May 28 with a right elbow injury.

[Associated Press; By ANDREW SELIGMAN]

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