MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

CHICAGO | The first-place Cubs' summer-long power outage abated ever so briefly Thursday night -- at just the right time, involving just the right hitters and against just the right pitcher.

Matt Murton and Alfonso Soriano, meet Cubs killer Chris Capuano. The confluence of that threesome resulted in a 5-4 Cubs victory that knocked the losing Milwaukee Brewers 2 1/2 games back after they lost their final showdown series 2-1. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Cardinals, who also lost for the second game in a row, fell 3 behind.

The Cubs sweated it out to the happy ending. Closer Ryan Dempster (save No. 23) walked in a run in the ninth before retiring Kevin Mench with the bases loaded to end the game.

"A win's a win, we don't care by what margin," manager Lou Piniella said.

Murton and Soriano combined to launch back-to-back homers with two out in the sixth off reliever Capuano. They were the only Cubs homers in the three-game series against the Brewers.

The clouts were no small feat against slow-balling southpaw Capuano, banished to the bullpen after he racked up 16 consecutive winless starts, and then lost his next appearance in relief. However, Capuano had been 8-2 lifetime against the Cubs, including a pair of complete-game shutouts.

Murton's 0-for-13 slide going into last weekend moved him way back in manager Lou Piniella's player rotation after former Detroit Tigers slugger Craig Monroe had been acquired to play against left-handers.

"I got into a good situation, good count," Murton said. "It was a 3-2 changeup. I definitely think I'm becoming a little more comfortable (after having 150 minor-league at-bats at mid-season)."

Soriano, who will take today's game off, had struck out his first three times Thursday. He was a shaky 1-for-12 since his earlier-than-expected return Tuesday from a torn right quadriceps muscle.

"Remember, he didn't have a (minor-league) rehab assignment," Piniella said. "He needed some at-bats."

Overcoming starter Ted Lilly's shaking outing, the Cubs tallied three in the top of the third on Mark DeRosa's two-run single and Jacque Jones's run-scoring single against Brewers starter Manny Parra.