Phillies Sneak By Cubs

Chad Ogea found his favorite place to pitch Friday.

In his first appearance at Wrigley Field, Ogea allowed one run in eight innings and Mike Lieberthal hit a two-run homer as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs 3-2.

"This is the best ballpark in America. I love this place and not just because of today," Ogea said, obviously overwhelmed by the brick and ivy. "This place reminds you of how baseball should be, of how it was growing up. So far, it's my favorite place."

Lieberthal homered in the fourth, his 16th, as the Phillies handed the Cubs their 12th loss in 15 games before 40,553 fans, the largest crowd at Wrigley Field this season.

"He had us baffled the whole game," losing pitcher Jon Lieber said of the Phillies right-hander. "He did a terrific job just spotting everything and kept us off balance."

Said Lieberthal: "I don't think Ogea was 100 percent with his fastball but he pitched smart."

Although a newcomer to Wrigley, Ogea knew enough to look which way the wind was blowing.

"The first thing I checked when we came in on the bus was, where's the flags? Which way were they blowing?" he said.

"If the wind was blowing out," Phillies manager Terry Francona said, "I would have broken their lawnmower so the grass would've grown real high."

Ogea, the National League leader in home runs allowed, kept Sammy Sosa, the NL home run leader, in check. Sosa went 0-for-3.

"He did a pretty good job with Sosa," Francona said. "The way he attacked him took the sting out."

Wayne Gomes retired two batters for his 11th save of the season, allowing Jeff Blauser's sacrifice fly for Chicago's second run.

Lieber (6-3) allowed three unearned runs, six hits and one walk over seven innings.

The Phillies have won six of heir last nine games.

Ron Gant reached on a fielding error by shortstop Jose Hernandez leading off the Phillies' fourth. Bobby Abreu singled and both advanced on Scott Rolen's groundout. Rico Brogna hit a sacrifice fly and Lieberthal homered to make it 3-0.

"Technically, they're unearned runs," Cubs manager Jim Riggleman said, "but they earned them."

Lieber's bases-loaded sacrifice fly with none out in the fifth got the Cubs on the board, but Ogea got Curtis Goodwin to hit into a double play.

"The double play was huge," Francona said.

Lieber's fly ball reached the warning track. An extra gust from the wind might have changed Ogea's mind about Wrigley Field.

"I thought it might have had a chance the way the wind was blowing," said Lieber who hasn't homered since high school. "I was hoping and praying and it came up short."

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