Game of the Day | Lilly gives Cubs big boost

ST. LOUIS — The top offense in the major leagues surfaced again Saturday. Chicago Cubs manager Lou Piniella only asks that his team try to minimize the lows.

Mike Fontenot hit a three-run homer and had a career-best four runs batted in, leading Chicago to a 9-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Geovany Soto hit a two-run double in a four-run sixth for the Cubs, who finished with 12 hits and are averaging six runs per game. They've also scored three or fewer in 13 games, five times during a recent stretch of six losses in eight games.

"We've got a good offense," Fontenot said. "We've had a little lull for a little bit, but I think in the long scheme of things our offense will come through."

It was more than enough for Ted Lilly, who worked seven solid innings, recorded his 1,000th strikeout and added his second career extra-base hit. The only thing Piniella didn't like about Lilly's day was his needless belly-flop slide into second on what should have been a stand-up double to start the seventh.

"Oh, Lord," Piniella said, shaking his head. "Left his hands nice and low so the shortstop or second baseman could step on them or he could jam them."

Kyle Lohse (3-1) faced 10 batters in the fourth and allowed eight runs overall in six-plus innings, entering the game with a 2.36 earned-run average and exiting at 3.79. He had won seven consecutive decisions dating to last season.

Lohse matched a career worst for runs allowed and Fontenot's homer was the first he had given up in 42-2/3 innings dating to 2007.

"That one inning was a bad time," Lohse said. "One inning where it just got out of whack."

Albert Pujols hit his sixth homer for St. Louis and has reached base in all 31 games, two shy of his career-best start in 2005. Yadier Molina also went deep in front of a Busch Stadium-record sellout crowd of 46,792.

Lilly (2-4) hit a season best for innings, allowing three runs and six hits. He is 2-1 with a 2.84 ERA in his last three starts, recovering from an 0-3 record and 9.16 ERA his first four outings.

Lilly struck out four, giving him 1,002 for his career, and walked none while throwing a season-high 112 pitches. He believes he's been making do with lower velocity, although he's happy with his arm strength.

"I don't even know what it is on the gun, I just don't think it's to where it'll be at some point, and hopefully it's soon," Lilly said. "I still feel like even if that's not the case I should be able to go out there and win games and change speeds and locate."

Kosuke Fukudome had a pair of doubles among his three hits and drove in two runs. The Cubs had a season-high six doubles.