Cubs complete sweep of Cleveland Indians with 6-2 win

Randy Wells gets 1st major league victory

By Paul Sullivan

Tribune reporter

4:15 PM CDT, June 21, 2009

Rookie right-hander Randy Wells finally earned his first big league victory Sunday as the Cubs finished off a three-game sweep of the Cleveland Indians with a 6-2 win at Wrigley Field.

Wells (1-3) allowed two runs on five hits over 6 2/3 innings, leaving with a 6-1 lead before reliever Sean Marshall allowed an inherited runner to score in the seventh.

It took Wells eight starts to notch a win, even though he has allowed two or fewer runs in six of his starts. The bullpen blew a four-run lead June 2 in Atlanta, and the offense scored one or zero runs in four of his other starts.

The streaking Cubs won their fourth straight game for the first time since May 12-16 and have won five of their last six.

The Cubs didn't exactly overpower the Indians, knocking out nine hits off Jeremy Sowers and the Cleveland bullpen. But they made their hits counts, and they have scored six or more runs in each of their last four games.

Jake Fox doubled and drove in three runs in his second start at third base, Geovany Soto hit his fourth home run since June 6 and Derrek Lee extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a run-scoring single, tying a career high set in 2005.

The Cubs travel to Atlanta on Monday for a makeup game of their June 4 rainout before resuming interleague play Tuesday in Detroit.

"The trip to Atlanta is a little bit of a toughie because it's a one-day thing," manager Lou Piniella said. "Obviously we would've preferred to have the day off and just fly to Detroit and play the three games there, but what can you do?"

Piniella said he plans to rest some of his regulars Monday, hinting at a day off for shortstop Ryan Theriot, left fielder Alfonso Soriano and possibly right fielder Milton Bradley. Piniella will rotate his designated hitters in Detroit, with Fox, Bradley, Lee and Micah Hoffpauir possible candidates.

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