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07/04/2009 5:13 PM EDT
McGehee pounds 4 hits, Brewers rip Cubs 11-2
MILWAUKEE 11, CHICAGO CUBS 2

By ANDREW SELIGMAN
AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO(AP) -- No hard feelings from Casey McGehee. Just some hard
shots.

The rookie homered while setting career-highs with four hits and
five RBIs to help the Milwaukee Brewers pound Rich Harden and
the Chicago Cubs 11-2 on Saturday and snap a three-game losing
streak.

Mike Cameron and J.J. Hardy also went deep to back a solid
effort by Braden Looper (7-4). But McGahee delivered his best
performance against the organization that let him go during the
offseason.

"I'm still trying to make my way with this organization and this
club, be able to contribute and help these guys win," he said.
"So I don't really have the luxury of thinking about the
opponent or who it's against or where it is."

Claimed off waivers in October, he made the team in spring
training and is now batting .331 in 46 games after going 4 for
5. He singled twice and tripled before hitting a two-run homer
off Jeff Samardzija.

The Cubs had won three in a row after going 11-14 in June, but
this was simply a brutal afternoon all around - especially for
Harden and Alfonso Soriano.

Harden (5-5) allowed seven runs and eight hits over two-plus
innings in the shortest start of his career. Soriano, meanwhile,
got booed for his flubs in the field and at the plate after
being dropped from the leadoff spot to sixth in the order.

And the Brewers simply pounded away.

Shut out twice in the previous six games, they scored five in
the first while sending nine batters to the plate. Cameron
followed McGehee's two-run bases-loaded single with a three-run
homer.

"I think that I can help the team win," said McGehee, who
appeared in nine games with the Cubs last September. "That might
not be with 30 home runs or driving in 120, but I think I can
definitely be a contributer on a winning baseball team."

Hardy hit a solo shot in the second, and after McGehee led off
the third with his first career triple, Cameron chased Harden
with a line-drive double to left that sailed over Soriano's head
after he initially broke in, drawing more boos.

Besides that mistake, Soriano went 0 for 4 after being dropped
from first to sixth in the order and is now hitless in his last
16 at-bats. His groundout with the bases loaded to end the first
set the tone, and the boos continued throughout the game.

"It's part of the game," Soriano said. "If you get a hit, they
want to clap. If you strike out, they want to boo."

The Cubs also loaded the bases in the second, but did not score
until Milton Bradley hit a two-run homer in the third. They did
little otherwise against Looper, who gave up six hits in six
innings, and three relievers.

"I didn't think Looper's stuff was off the charts good," manager
Ken Macha said. "When you're pitching in this ballpark and the
wind is not blowing in, a lot of runs can be scored."

Harden fell to 1-4 in his last six starts while throwing - in
his words - "batting practice."

For Soriano, it was simply another frustrating day.

"I'm really struggling at home plate, so I don't know what I
have to do," he said.

Manager Lou Piniella wants Soriano to narrow his stance and "get
a little weight on his backside so he can sit on (the pitch) a
little longer."

He's also going to stick with this lineup for now, with Kosuke
Fukudome leading off, and hope Soriano breaks out of his
two-month slump. He held out Soriano on Wednesday and Thursday
while Sam Fuld batted first and decided to drop him in the order
after watching him go 0 for 5 while leading off on Friday.

"I think you've got to give it more than one day to see how
things work or don't work," Piniella said. "I know you people
want quick results, but that's too quick."

NOTES: The Cubs will have some roster decisions to make with 3B
Aramis Ramirez, OF Reed Johnson and RHP Angel Guzman expected to
return from the disabled list before Monday's game against
Atlanta, and manager Lou Piniella said they might go with 11
pitchers. ... With no starting pitcher scheduled for next
Saturday, manager Ken Macha said the Brewers could recall LHP
Manny Parra from AAA Nashville.

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