Cubs Clinch N.L. Central With 5-4 Win !

[via FoxyTunes / Steve Goodman]

The Cubs Clinched the NL Central with a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals Saturday afternoon and now can look forward to the playoffs.
The Cubs scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning when Alfonso Soriano hit a three-run single that drove in Jim Edmonds, Mark Derosa and Kosuke Fukudome to give the Cubs a 3-0 lead. The Cubs then added two more runs in the fourth inning, the first run came in on a double by Mark Derosa that drove in Geovany Soto. The second run of the inning came in on a bunt single by Ted Lilly to give the Cubs a 5-0 lead.
The Cardinals got all their runs in the sixth inning the first run came in on a Felipe Lopez infield single that drove in Cesar Izturis, Troy Glaus then hit a three-run shot to left field to make it a 5-4 game but that is as close as the Cardinals got the rest of the way.
Ted Lilly put in seven innings of work where he allowed four earned runs on six hits while striking out five and walking two. With the win Lilly improved to 16-9 on the season. Kerry Wood worked the ninth striking out one and walking one on way to his 32nd save of the season and to clinch the division for the Cubs!
Joel Pineiro who started for the Cardinals went six innings allowing three earned runs on six hits while striking out three and walking two. With the loss Pineiro fell to 6-7 on the season.
Sunday afternoon the Cubs will send Ryan Dempster to the mound who is 16-6 with a 3.02 ERA as Braden Looper who is 12-13 with a 4.06 ERA goes for the Cardinals.
The Cubs are now 93-60 they have CLINCHED THE NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL and now will set their eyes on playoffs and will wait to see who they will take on in the first round.