Cubs top Dodgers on Soriano's 10th inning hit

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Chicago Cubs mounted a late innings fightback to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 and extended their winning streak to three games on Wednesday.

The Cubs trailed 1-0 with one out in the bottom of the ninth, but tied the score on rookie Geovany Soto's bases-loaded sacrifice fly. Alfonso Soriano then won the game in the 10th innings when he singled home Mike Fontenot with one out.

"Soriano is a pro," Cubs manager Lou Piniella told reporters "He's a battler. He has that ability, just to stay up and keep on trucking, performing.

"Tonight I was happy for him. A big clutch hit, and he got us a win."

The victory gave the Cubs a three-game sweep of the Dodgers and kept them 1 ½ games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals, who beat the Houston Astros 6-1, in the National League's Central Division.

Bob Howry (1-2) struck out two batters in the 10th for his first win of the season.

Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano left after eight innings with his team trailing 1-0 after he gave up a bases-loaded walk in the fourth. Zambrano had hit Matt Kemp to load the bases before Blake DeWitt walked.

"I don't know what happened," Zambrano told reporters. "I lost my command. It's weird because in that inning, I haven't felt like that since two or three years ago. .. I tried to be too rushed, too perfect."

Los Angeles also loaded the bases in the eighth inning but Zambrano struck out Kemp to end the threat.

He struck out three, walked four and gave up six hits.

(Writing by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)