CHICAGO - Moises Alou was angry when he arrived at Wrigley Field on Wednesday and took it out on the St. Louis Cardinals.
Alou had a career-high five hits, including a go-ahead single in the eighth that capped a comeback from a six-run deficit and led the Cubs over the Cardinals 8-7.
"Against St. Louis, right in the middle of a pennant race, for me to come up clutch and get the game-winning hit was awesome," he said. "It was a huge game. Down 6-0, this team really showed a lot of heart."
Before the game, Alou said he still was upset over an umpire's call that the Cubs felt cost them the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader. A bases-loaded drive down the line by Alou was called foul, even though a photo appeared to show it hit the line, and the Cubs lost 2-0.
Alou then went out and drove in four to lead the Cubs to a big win in a tension-filled game that included a shouting match between managers and the starting pitchers hitting each other with pitches.
"That was a great, great victory for us," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. "We were hitting the ball hard all day long and had nothing to show for it. The guys kept battling and fighting and grinding and grinding.
"This was the ultimate comeback in a big game and a big series."
Chicago trailed 6-0 before scoring three in the sixth, then allowed a run in the seventh before closing to 7-6 with three in the bottom half.
Mark Grudzielanek hit a run-scoring triple in the eighth and scored on Alou's single. Both hits came off Woody Williams, making his first relief appearance since pitching for Toronto at the Yankees on June 6, 1996.
"We had nobody else available," St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said. "It was his day to throw in the bullpen. It's a shame that he had to go in that tough of a situation."
Williams, who started in Monday's loss to the Cubs, said he's always ready to help.
"I had a chance to do some good for the team and it didn't happen," he said.
Joe Borowski retired the final four St. Louis batters for the win.
"When we got those three runs back in the bottom of the sixth, there was just a feeling. I was sitting in the (dugout) saying there's no way we're losing this game," Chicago starter Matt Clement said.
PHILLIES 8, EXPOS 3: Jim Thome homered and drove in two to back Kevin Millwood, and host Philadelphia won for the fifth time in six games.
Montreal, which took an early lead on Wil Cordero's three-run homer, lost its sixth straight since a five-game winning streak and dropped five behind the Phillies in the wild-card race. The Expos are 25-47 on the road.
Millwood, who beat the Mets on Friday, has won consecutive starts for the first time since May.
ASTROS 8, DODGERS 2: Jeriome Robertson set a franchise record for a rookie left-hander with his 13th win, and visiting Houston jumped on Kevin Brown for four first-inning runs.
By winning the rubber game of a three-game series, the Astros moved into first place in the Central, a half-game ahead of St. Louis and one game in front of the Cubs.
MARLINS 3, PIRATES 0: Josh Beckett pitched shutout ball into the eighth and drove in a run as host Florida remained tied for the wild-card lead. Beckett won for the second time in seven starts, allowing three hits over 72/3 innings.
GIANTS 7, ROCKIES 6: Pinch-runner Eric Young avoided a tag at the plate to score the winner in the ninth for San Francisco, as even a Coors Field-like four homers could not save Colorado from matching a club record with its 10th straight road loss.
METS 9, BRAVES 3: Jorge Velandia hit a two-run triple and a run-scoring double a day after being called up from the minors, and host New York completed its first sweep of Atlanta since 1995. Former Devil Ray Steve Trachsel pitched eight strong innings and added a run-scoring single in a steady drizzle.
PADRES 12, D'BACKS 0: Gary Matthews hit a two-run triple to highlight a seven-run second host San Diego swept a two-game series and handed Arizona its fifth straight loss. The Diamondbacks have lost 14 of 20, including four straight to the Padres, who have the league's worst record.
BREWERS 9, REDS 6: Brady Clark homered, tripled and doubled and scored four as host Milwaukee won for the 14th time in 16 games.
