Cubs 10, Phillies 7

CHICAGO – Aramis Ramirez hit three home runs and the Chicago Cubs rallied to beat Philadelphia 10-7, sending the slumping Phillies to their fifth straight loss.

Ramirez hit solo homers off Eric Milton in the second and sixth innings and another bases-empty shot off Roberto Hernandez in the seventh.

It was the second three-homer game of Ramirez’s career. While with the Pirates, he did it against Houston on April 8, 2001.

The Phillies took a 6-3 lead as Bobby Abreu and Pat Burrell each hit two homers off Mark Prior, but they couldn’t hold it as the Cubs put together seven hits in a five-run sixth inning

Milton, who no-hit the Cubs for eight innings five days ago, gave up eight hits and six runs in 5 1-3 innings, including three homers – two by Ramirez and one by Derrek Lee.

City officials gave the go-ahead to play the game after the Cubs installed safety nets to ensure fans would not be hit by any crumbling debris that has fallen three times this season at 90-year-old Wrigley Field.

The only things flying around and out of the old ballpark were homers on a day when a relatively calm wind was hardly a factor.

Abreu, who had five RBIs, hit his second of the game and 22nd of the season, a three-run shot in the fifth that made it 6-3.

Prior, still looking for his first win since June 25, had words for home plate umpire Paul Schrieber on his way to the dugout after being replaced. Prior went 4 1-3 innings, giving up eight hits and six runs.

Abreu also hit a solo shot in the first and Burrell had solo homers in the second and fourth innings.

Ramirez hit a solo homer in the second and Lee’s two-run shot – his 20th of the season – tied the game in the fourth.

Ramirez hit his 20th in the sixth to get the Cubs’ rally started and make it 6-4, and singles by Michael Barrett and Alex Gonzalez drove out Milton.

Rheal Cormier (4-5) relieved and when pinch-hitter Jose Macias grounded to third, Barrett beat David Bell’s throw home to cut the lead to 6-5.

When Mark Grudzielanek’s shallow fly fell over second baseman Placido Polanco’s reach for a single, it got by Abreu in right and Gonzalez scored to tie the game. The runners moved up on Abreu’s overthrow and Patterson hit a go-ahead RBI single.

Grudzielanek was tagged out at the plate on a strong throw from center fielder Ricky Ledee, but Patterson moved up on the play and scored easily when Sammy Sosa hit an RBI single to right.

After Ramirez’s third homer made it 9-6, Hernandez made a throwing error and then wild pitched the Cubs’ 10th run home. Abreu had an RBI single in the eighth.

Jon Leicester (3-0), who worked 1 2-3 innings of scoreless relief, got the win.

LaTroy Hawkins worked the ninth for his 15th save in 19 chances.

Notes: The Phils put LHP closer Billy Wagner on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left rotator cuff.

AP-ES-07-30-04 1837EDT