--1B Derrek Lee's third-inning home run was his 18th of the season but his first since July 27. Manager Lou Piniella had no explanation for the power drought. "I don't know," said Piniella. "You can talk to the hitting coach about his swing or talk to Derrek. He hasn't hit the ball for power, but he's been getting his base hits. I don't have an explanation for it." Lee said he was not concerned with the lack of power. "We're winning baseball games, so I try to keep my concerns on that," he said. "We're playing so good that who really cares about your stats?"
--RF Mark DeRosa hit his 16th homer, extending his career best for a single season. DeRosa also established a career single-season best in RBI, with 75. His previous high had been 74, set in 2006 while he was with Texas. DeRosa has five homers and 20 RBIs in August after batting .195 in July. --LF Alfonso Soriano scored on a double steal in the first inning. It was the first time the Cubs have stolen home since OF Angel Pagan did it on July 29, 2006 at St. Louis on the front end of a double steal.
--RHP Chad Gaudin gave up two homers, one to Ronnie Belliard and one to Willie Harris. It was the second time this year Gaudin gave up two homers. The other time came April 8 at Toronto, when Gaudin was with Oakland.
--RHP Jason Marquis pitched five shutout innings before the roof caved in during the sixth. It was the fourth straight game in which Cubs starters haven't allowed an opponent to score until the sixth or later. Marquis hadn't pitched since Aug. 13, as Piniella was trying to keep his arm "fresh." But Marquis ran out of gas in the sixth. "I don't have an explanation," Piniella said.
BY THE NUMBERS: 27.4 -- Cubs catchers Geovany Soto and Henry Blanco entered the week having thrown out 27.4 percent of runners trying to steal (23 of 84). That placed the Cubs ninth in the major leagues. Last year, Cubs catchers ranked 29th, throwing out just 11 percent, or 15 of 116.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Don't I still smell like a brewery?" -- Pinch-hitter Daryle Ward, after crushing a three-run homer last Friday in Florida to lift the Cubs to come-from-behind 6-5 victory. Ward had been 4-for-40 as a pinch hitter, and his teammates doused him with beer after the game.
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