Cubs rally to defeat the Brewers, 6-4

MILWAUKEE -- Derrek Lee doubled with one out in the ninth to score Alfonso Soriano and the Chicago Cubs rallied to beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 6-4, on Monday night to take a two-game lead in the NL Central.

“The way we’ve been playing, we just needed a win. Period,” Lee said. “On the road, it makes it even better.”

In the opener of a four-game series between the NL’s top two teams, the Cubs prevailed in a back-and-forth contest to improve to 32-26 at Miller Park -- also known by Cubs fans as “Wrigley North” -- since it opened in 2001.

With the score tied, 4-4, Brewers closer Salomon Torres (5-3) struck out Kosuke Fukudome but ran into trouble by walking Soriano and pinch-hitter Mike Fontenot.

Lee, who finished three for five with three runs batted in, then flared a double to right, scoring Soriano. After an intentional walk to Aramis Ramirez and a strikeout of Geovany Soto, Mark DeRosa’s infield single scored Fontenot to make it 6-4.

Brewers starter CC Sabathia, who was 4-0 in his first four starts with Milwaukee with a 1.36 earned-run average, gave up four runs and nine hits in 6 2/3 innings.