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Edmonds' Bat Belts Milwaukee

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The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 1, 2008

MILWAUKEE - Two months ago, Jim Edmonds was released by one of the worst offensive teams in baseball. On Thursday, he slugged his new team to a commanding lead in the NL Central.

Edmonds hit two homers, including a grand slam, and the Chicago Cubs finished off a four-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers with an 11-4 rout to extend their lead in the division.

"I just got it started," Edmonds said, "Nice to win, nice series."

Five days ago, the Cubs and Brewers were tied atop the division after Milwaukee made up five games in nine days. After the sweep, the Brewers have lost five straight and are five games back again.

The Cardinals began the day four games behind Chicago.

Rich Harden picked up his first NL win, giving up a run and six hits in seven innings with nine strikeouts. He has not allowed more than one run in any of his four starts since being traded to the Cubs.

"I felt as strong as I've been," Harden said.
Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome also homered for the Cubs, who swept four games from the Brewers for the first time since 2003.

Edmonds provided all the offense needed after missing the previous three games because of a sore left knee. He led off the third with a homer to right to give the Cubs the lead. Chicago scored first in each game of the series, and outscored Milwaukee 31-11 in the series, all while stranding 35 runners on base.

The Cubs improved to 8-2 at Milwaukee in the last two seasons.

Brewers starter Dave Bush retired the first two batters in the fourth, but Aramis Ramirez walked, Fukudome doubled and Bush hit Mark DeRosa with an 0-2 pitch to bring up Edmonds.

The 38-year-old center fielder, who joined Chicago in May, hit an opposite-field grand slam to left to make it 5-0. It was the seventh grand slam of his career and the 27th time he has hit two homers in a game.

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