Cubs’ Lilly nearly no-hits Astros

MILWAUKEE -- Left-hander Ted Lilly came close to following Carlos Zambrano’s no-hitter with one of his own.

Lilly (15-9) pitched no-hit ball until Mark Loretta’s seventh-inning single, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Houston Astros, 6-1, Monday to sweep a two-game series moved from Houston because of Hurricane Ike.

Jim Edmonds, Derrek Lee and Geovany Soto hit home runs to back up Lilly, who faced the minimum through six innings, giving up only a leadoff walk in the second to Lance Berkman.

Houston had won 14 of 15 games before the series but dropped 2 1/2 games behind Milwaukee and Philadelphia, which are tied for the National League wild-card lead.

On Sunday, Zambrano pitched the Cubs’ first no-hitter since Milt Pappas in 1972, leading Chicago to a 5-0 win.