Soto homer lifts Cubs over White Sox 5-4

[March 19, 2010]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Geovany Soto hit a three-run homer, Jake Fox went deep again to back another solid start by Randy Wells and the Chicago Cubs broke a four-game losing streak by beating the White Sox 5-4 on Friday.

On a day when things finally went right on the field, there was more controversy for the Cubs. This time, the mercurial Milton Bradley went after the Gatorade cooler in the dugout and had an angry exchange with manager Lou Piniella in the clubhouse after striking out in the top of the sixth. Ryan Freel replaced him in right field in the bottom half.

On the field, the news was better for the Cubs. And helping them turn things around was the man at the center of controversy the previous day.

Fresh off the revelation that he tested positive for marijuana at the World Baseball Classic, Soto hit a three-run homer off Contreras in the seventh to give the Cubs a 5-2 lead.

Wells won his second straight start, allowing two runs and five hits in seven innings, and the Cubs hung on even though Carlos Marmol nearly blew it in the eighth. Jim Thome, who hit his 554th homer earlier in the game, drove a two-run double off first baseman Derrek Lee's glove after Jermaine Dye's pop fly to left fell in to load the bases.

Marmol then intentionally walked Paul Konerko to load the bases again. Sean Marshall then came in and pinch hitter A.J. Pierzynski then grounded into an inning-ending 3-2-3 double play on the first pitch.

Kevin Gregg walked Josh Fields with two out in the ninth before striking out Scott Podsednik for his 12th save in 15 chances.

Jermaine Dye gave the White Sox a 1-0 lead in the first with his 17th homer. Jim Thome tied it at 2 in the fourth with a solo drive that broke an 0-for-13 slump after Fox - who had three hits - hit a two-run drive in the top half.

But on a day when the ball was carrying, Soto landed the biggest blow after Fox singled with one out and Mike Fontenot reached on first baseman Paul Konerko's error. The 2008 Rookie of the Year, he drove his seventh homer out to center to help send Contreras to his second straight loss.

The right-hander allowed five runs and seven hits in 7 1-3 innings and is 2-2 since being recalled from Triple-A Charlotte. He came up clutching his lower back after striking out Kosuke Fukudome leading off the sixth but stayed in the game following a visit by manager Ozzie Guillen and trainer Herm Schneider.

NOTES: White Sox SS Alexei Ramirez was in the lineup again even though Guillen was still steamed about two careless errors on Thursday. "Alexei Ramirez is not going to win batting titles, he's not going to win RBI titles," Guillen said. "The only thing this kid can do is be a Gold Glove. I know he's got a shot to win a gold glove because he can play like a gold glover." The problem is Ramirez began the day with eight errors and Guillen estimated seven were careless. ... The White Sox unveiled a memento case in the lobby of U.S. Cellular Field to honor longtime Chicago baseball writer Jerome Holtzman, who died last July at age 81. Holtzman was the creator of the save rules, was inducted into Hall of Fame in 1989 and later became Major League Baseball's official historian after more than four decades covering the game as a journalist. Included in the case was an early typewriter, one of Holtzman's legendary cigars and copy of his book "No Cheering in the Press Box."

[Associated Press; By ANDREW SELIGMAN]

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