Soriano comes through in extras, Cubs top Dodgers

Alfonso Soriano spent the last few days going through the spin cycle after his costly error Sunday in Pittsburgh led to another heated debate over his superstar reputation.

But whether he was being criticized on TV or radio, in the newspapers, blogs or the left-field bleachers, Soriano managed to weather the storm and begin each day as if it was another gift.

On Wednesday night at Wrigley Field, Soriano answered the only way he knows how, delivering the game-winning RBI single off Chan Ho Park in the 10th inning of the Cubs' 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

After finding himself in the middle of a wild celebration on the infield, Soriano knew his teammates had his back after all.

"It's great," he said. "They know I'm working very hard to be better and better. That's good for me, and good for the team too."

Soriano's hit, following Mike Fontenot's pinch double off Park, gave the Cubs a three-game sweep over the Dodgers and left them with a 32-21 record, tied with Tampa Bay for the best in baseball.

On a night when Carlos Zambrano threw 130 pitches over eight innings and the Cubs rallied to tie the game in the ninth off closer Takashi Saito, Soriano's heroics took center stage.

"Soriano is a proven hitter," manager Lou Piniella said. "And he has that ability to stay up and keep trucking, keep performing."

Soriano was wearing a T-shirt in the postgame clubhouse that had a picture of Benjamin Franklin and the words "It's all about The Benjamins" across the front. It wasn't a reference to his $136 million contract but to a reggaeton band from Puerto Rico called The Benjamins that Soriano listens to.

For the last few days, however, it was all about Soriano in Chicago. He was the designated goat who dropped the fly ball in Pittsburgh that led to criticism from all circles, including some jabs from the Cubs' TV booth.

"They have an opinion," Mark DeRosa said. "They're not going to just sit there and have it be a love-fest for us all year long. If you do poorly, you expect criticism. These fans are very passionate about the game, and if you don't come through in big situations, you expect to be booed from time to time. ... But Sori is so mentally tough. What a big hit, and what a big win for the team."

The comeback began in the ninth with the Cubs trailing 1-0 after Derek Lowe shut them down for seven innings and Jonathan Broxton struck out the side in the eighth.

Walks by Ryan Theriot and Aramis Ramirez off Saito opened the door, before Kosuke Fukudome hit a grounder to first and beat out the throw to Saito, loading the bases for Geovany Soto.

After a sacrifice fly by Soto tied the game, giving Zambrano a no-decision instead of a loss, Fontenot came through in the 10th with a clutch, pinch-hit double, shaking off the cobwebs after being glued to the bench for most of May.

"You just stay mentally prepared every day," Fontenot said. "When you do get your chance late in a game, you never know. It might be a big situation. That's the way I've been taking it this year."

Bob Howry pitched a scoreless 10th to earn his first win, and the Cubs improved to 22-8 at home.

psullivan@tribune.com

Related topic galleries: Chan Ho Park, Mark Derosa, Geovany Soto, Wrigley Field, Bob Howry, Carlos Zambrano, Major League Baseball

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