Cubs Rally Past Phillies

Julio Zuleta is quickly making a place for himself in the majors. Zuleta, sent down to Triple-A Iowa during spring training and recalled six days ago, drove in five runs as the Cubs beat the Philadelphia Phillies 8-4 Saturday.

"That was very tough, but that`s in the past," Zuleta said of his demotion. "I have an opportunity now and I have to show what I can do."

He almost didn`t get that chance. With Chicago trailing 4-3 in the sixth, Cubs manager Don Baylor thought about pinch-hitting for Zuleta with right-hander Vicente Padilla on the mound and runners at first and second.

Baylor let Zuleta hit, and he came through with a two-run double that capped a four-run inning.

Zuleta, who homered Friday, added a two-run single in the seventh and a sacrifice fly in the ninth.

"Today, he came up in situations when we needed base hits and he provided them," Baylor said.

Sammy Sosa hit his first homer of the season and Bill Mueller also homered as the Cubs won their third straight game.

Chicago`s bullpen pitched four scoreless innings. The Phillies loaded the bases with one out in the ninth, but Kyle Farnsworth struck out pinch-hitter Gary Bennett and Travis Lee.

The Cubs have won five straight in Philadelphia dating back to last season. They are over .500 for the first time since the 2000 opener.

Jason Bere (1-0) pitched five innings and got the victory. He gave up four runs on five hits and three walks.

Padilla (0-1) got the loss in relief of Omar Daal. Padilla also was unable to hold a lead after Daal left the game in the team`s season opener in Florida on Monday.

Eric Young led off the sixth with a single and Mueller followed with a homer that pulled the Cubs within 4-3. The home run chased Daal, and the Cubs took the lead on Zuleta`s double.

Daal wasn`t happy with his early departure.

"I was kind of surprised, I only made one mistake and it cost me the game," he said. "But he`s the manager and he makes the decisions and I respect that."

Sosa hit the first pitch of the fourth inning over the right-field fence.

Bobby Abreu homered, doubled and drove in two runs for the Phillies. His homer in the fifth gave Philadelphia a 4-1 lead.

Lee scored two runs for the Phillies, on a double by Mike Lieberthal in the second and a single by Daal in the fourth.

Notes: It was the first time the Cubs have not had a one-run game this season. Chicago had opened with four straight games decided by one run, the first time in the team`s 126-year history. ... Adam Taliaferro, the Penn State football player who suffered a spinal cord injury last September, threw out the first ball. He was invited by Phillies pitcher Robert Person, who visited while Taliaferro was still in a wheelchair in a rehab hospital. Taliaferro is now walking and will return to Penn State in May. ... Sosa`s home run was his first since he hit No. 50 last Sept. 16.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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Author: 6 ABC - Action News (AP)