CHICAGO - Derrek Lee went 3-for-4 with three RBIs to spark an offensive outburst, and Matt Clement kept up his mastery of the Cardinals in the Cubs' 7-3 win Tuesday.
Clement improved to 3-0 against St. Louis this season. Scott Rolen was the only Cardinal with any luck against Clement, homering twice and drawing a walk. But the Cardinals managed only four other hits, two during the final five innings, and Woody Williams was roughed up again by the Cubs.
The Cubs have been scuffling for offense without Sammy Sosa, scoring four or fewer in six of the past seven games.
But Williams was the perfect remedy for that. He has lost his past three decisions against Chicago, all at Wrigley Field.
Chicago had a runner in scoring position in all but one inning against Williams and touched him for six consecutive hits during the four-run third. His defensive lapse didn't help.
With Moises Alou at second, Aramis Ramirez at first and Todd Hollandsworth at the plate with one out in the third, Williams spun around and threw to second. But his throw was wide, and shortstop Hector Luna couldn't grab it. The ball skipped into the outfield, allowing Alou to go to third and Ramirez to second.
Hollandsworth followed with a double to the deep corner in right. Roger Cedeno looked as if he might grab it, but he stopped short of the brick wall and had to play it on the hop, giving Alou and Ramirez plenty of time to score.
Lee doubled just inside the line past a diving Rolen to drive in another run and make it 4-1.
Chicago tacked on three more in the fifth thanks to a rare blunder by Gold Glove centerfielder Jim Edmonds. With runners at second and third, Lee hit a sharp liner to center. But when Edmonds put his glove up near his face to grab it, the ball bounced off the glove and all the way to the wall.
Lee was credited with a two-run single and took third on the error. He scored on Ramon Martinez's sac fly one out later for a 7-2 lead.
