The Cubs once again wielded the same big lumber they have all year in beating the Orioles 7-4 on Wednesday.
Geovany Soto was two for three with three RBIs, Jim Edmonds had a homer, two runs and two RBIs, and Aramis Ramirez, Ryan Theriot and starting pitcher Ted Lilly each had two hits in the game.
Lilly allowed four runs on two homers in seven innings but otherwise the pitching was impeccable. Carlos Marmol allowed a hit and no runs and Kerry Wood was perfect. I've been saying that a lot lately.
The Cubs hit Orioles starter early, getting four runs in the first and two in the second.
Cubs fans have to be cheered by how Edmonds has improved his batting average lately. He was about .200 when he joined the Cubs, his career in balance. Now he's up to .238 and he's shown some power.
The Cubs are now 49-29, four games ahead of St. Louis (tied in Detroit in the fifth) and six games ahead of hard-charging Milwaukee, which lost to Atlanta.
