Lee, Ramirez homer as Cubs top Brewers 10-2

[September 22, 2009]  MILWAUKEE (AP) -- Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez hit consecutive homers and Tom Gorzelanny tied a career high with nine strikeouts, lifting the Chicago Cubs to a 10-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night.

Lee drove in four runs and Ramirez scored twice and drove in two more for the Cubs, who won for the second time since general manager Jim Hendry suspended volatile outfielder Milton Bradley for the season on Sunday.

Bradley's replacement on the roster, Tyler Colvin, made his first career start, driving in a run with a sacrifice fly his first time up as the Cubs built a 7-0 lead in the second inning.

Colvin also got his first major league hit in the third.

Mike Cameron hit two solo home runs off Gorzelanny (6-2), but that was it against the left-hander who pitched five solid innings after struggling in his two previous starts at Miller Park.

Chicago's first four batters of the game reached and scored against Braden Looper (13-7).

Ryan Theriot singled, Kosuke Fukudome doubled after Corey Hart and second baseman Felipe Lopez collided in shallow right field, and Lee followed with a two-run single.

Ramirez singled and, after an out, Jeff Baker drove in a run with a single. Colvin, a first-round draft pick in 2006 who needed reconstructive elbow surgery last year, followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0.

With two outs in the second, Fukudome singled and Lee hit his 34th homer to left field to tie a career best with 107 RBIs this season. Ramirez followed with a home run two pitches later to give Chicago a 7-0 lead.

Bradley signed a $30 million, three-year deal before the season to give the Cubs another big bat in the middle of the order. It hasn't panned out, and Bradley was suspended Sunday for criticizing the organization in a newspaper interview.

Lee and Ramirez both went 3 for 4 and provided more than enough offense against Looper, who has allowed a major league-high 37 homers this year.

Cameron homered in the second and fourth off Gorzelanny.

Gorzelanny allowed 13 runs in his previous two starts at Miller Park, but the rest of the Brewers couldn't produce against him or relievers Aaron Heilman and Justin Berg over the final four innings.

NOTES: Cameron reached 20 homers in a season for the eighth time in his career. ... The Cubs activated OF Reed Johnson (left foot) from the 15-day disabled list. ... To make room for Colvin, Chicago designated RHP Thomas Diamond for assignment.

[Associated Press; By COLIN FLY]

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