Come To Think of It...Cubs Provide Sweet Lou with Sweet Birthday Present

Call it "Ram's Slam."

The Cubs come-from-behind victory over the Philadelphia Phillies Thursday night was the best possible kind of present for birthday-boy, Lou Piniella. The Cubs' manager turned 65 yesterday.

Aramis Ramirez slipped himself into the MVP conversation with his grand slam in the eighth inning, sending the Cubs to their sixth consecutive win, 6-4.

"What a great come-from-behind win. Just a great win. I mean, exciting," Piniella said. "This place really got loud. ...I don't know if it was the loudest I've heard it, but let me tell you what, it was loud."

Phillies ace Cole Hamels departed with a 4-1 lead in the seventh inning, but the Phils bullpen couldn't make it stick.

Reliever Ryan Madson gave up three-straight hits to start the bottom of the eighth. Pinch-hitter Mike Fontenot homered, leading off to make it 4-2, Alfonso Soriano doubled and moved to third on Ryan Theriot's single.

Durbin (5-3) relieved and walked Derrek Lee to load the bases with no outs. Ramirez then hit a 1-0 pitch deep into the seats—Philadelphia's center fielder Shane Victorino hardly moved as the ball left the bat—to give the Cubs the lead with his 24th homer.

Ramirez leads the team with 99 RBI on the season.

With the loss, the Phillies dropped a full game behind the idle Mets in the NL East. The Cubs lead Milwaukee by six-and-a-half in the NL Central.

Bob Howry got the win, and Kerry Wood earned the save, his 28th of the year, though it was not without some tense moments in the ninth inning.

Two former Oakland A's pitchers square off when the Cubs face the Phillies in the second game of the series Friday afternoon. Phillies starter Joe Blanton takes the mound, opposed by the Cubs' Rich Harden.

It was a great win and I'm sure Lou enjoyed his birthday. Come to think of it, 65 is just a number. Sort of like 100 is just a number, too.