Originally published Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at 12:00 AM

Game of the Day | Cubs' Geovany Soto hits inside-the-park homer

Geovany Soto didn't get the home run he deserved. Cubs manager Lou Piniella thinks he probably likes it that way. Soto was credited with...

By KRISTIE RIEKEN

The Associated Press

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PAT SULLIVAN / AP

Geovany Soto, center, heads to the dugout with teammates Aramis Ramirez (16) and Kosuke Fukudome after scoring them on his fourth-inning, inside-the-park home run.

HOUSTON — Geovany Soto didn't get the home run he deserved. Cubs manager Lou Piniella thinks he probably likes it that way.

Soto was credited with an inside-the-park, three-run homer in the fourth inning despite replays showing that it should have been an automatic home run in Chicago's 7-2 win over Houston on Monday night.

The ball bounced just to the right of the yellow line on the wall in left-center field.

"It was a home run, but I think he'd probably rather have the inside-the-park home run anyway," Piniella said.

Astros center fielder Michael Bourn scooped it up and threw it home, but Soto scored easily before the throw got there.

"Never in my whole life had I had an inside-the-park home run," Soto said. "I didn't think it was out. It's so big, that left-center area, I didn't think I hit it over it. I thought double, maybe triple if they misplayed it."

Aramis Ramirez singled and Kosuke Fukudome walked before the hit. Ramirez had an indisputable two-run homer to the back row of the stands in left field in the ninth.

Third-base umpire Ed Rapuano defended his call.

"The ball hit the yellow line that designates home run, no home run," he said.

When asked if there was any question in his mind when he made the call, he said: "No. I called what I saw."

It was the second straight night that major-league umpires botched a home-run call. On Sunday, Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado hit a shot that originally was ruled a three-run homer then was reversed, turning it into a long foul ball. The replay showed it should have been a home run.

Delgado ended up with an RBI single.

The win was Chicago's ninth in the last 11 and puts the Cubs at 11 games over .500 for the first time since finishing the 2004 season at 16 over.

Ted Lilly (5-4) allowed four hits and two runs with six strikeouts in 5-1/3 innings for his fourth consecutive win.

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