Wright gets first win in eight starts as Brewers split

CHICAGO (AP) -- The Milwaukee Brewers gave Jamey Wright a big

cushion and he used it to win for the first time in six weeks.

"I've been stuck on eight wins for quite a long while. But it's

easy to pitch with a 10-run lead," Wright said Monday night as the

Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 10-2 to earn a doubleheader split.

In the opener, Sammy Sosa hit his 45th homer and Delino

DeShields hit a bases-loaded triple with two outs in the eighth as

the Cubs rallied for a 7-4 victory.

Sosa hit his 46th homer in the nightcap, his 11th homer in 16

games, but it wasn't nearly enough as the second-place Cubs stayed

two games behind Houston in the National League Central.

Sosa said he gave no thought to resting in the second game,

despite a late game Sunday night in Arizona.

"For me not to play the second game wouldn't be fair," Sosa

said. "I'm a gladiator. This team needs me."

Wright (9-8) got his first victory since July 3 -- after a winless

span of eight starts -- and was backed by five-run outbursts in the

fourth and fifth innings. He gave up five hits in eight innings,

including a solo homer to Corey Patterson.

There's something about Wrigley Field that's to his liking. He

held the Cubs scoreless for eight innings in his previous start in

Chicago on June 23.

"I love pitching here, there is something about the ambiance,

the crowd, especially at night," Wright said.

The Brewers spoiled the major league debut of Carlos Zambrano,

who was called up between games and became the first player born in

the 1980s to appear for the Cubs.

Luis Lopez tripled to start the fourth for the first hit off

Zambrano (0-1), a long fly to center that Patterson misplayed.

After a walk, Richie Sexson hit a run-scoring single and Hernandez added a

sacrifice fly. Mike Coolbaugh walked and then Brown sent his third

homer in three days to right to make it 5-0.

Sexson, who had three RBI in the opener, singled in another run

in the fifth, Felix Heredia threw a run-scoring wild pitch and

Hernandez hit a two-run triple when Patterson stumbled before

diving for the sinking liner.

The 20-year-old Zambrano lasted just four-plus innings, giving

up four hits and seven runs.

Wright retired the first 11 men he faced before Sosa walked and

Fred McGriff singled for the Cubs' first hit in the fourth.

Game notes
An MRI on Kerry Wood's sore shoulder showed no structural

damage, but he's not expected back until Sept. 1 at the earliest.

... The twinbill drew the largest crowd of the season to Wrigley

Field -- 40,657. ... Brown homered twice against the Reds on

Saturday. ... Sosa has 28 career homers against the Brewers,

including five this season. ... The doubleheader was created by a

rainout May 26. ... Sosa now has 432 career homers, tying him

with Rafael Palmeiro for 28th on the career list. ... The Cubs

will purchase the contract of right-handed pitcher Juan Cruz from Double-A West Pen

on Tuesday and start him against the Brewers. ... Sexson has

reached the 30-home mark for three consecutive seasons.