The Chicago Cubs built an early 3-run lead & held off several late rallies to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 on Tuesday evening from Wrigley Field.

The Cubs’ magic number to clinch the NL Central for the 2nd consecutive season is now down to 4 after Tuesday’s win.

The Brewers started an immediate rally in the top of the 1st inning after Ryan Braun drew a 2-out walk from Cubs starter Ryan Dempster.

Prince Fielder then doubled to put runners at 2nd & 3rd with 2 outs for J.J. Hardy, who struck out to end the scoring threat.

The Cubs then had a chance to score early in the bottom of the 1st inning after Alfonso Soriano hit a lead-off double against Brewers starter C.C. Sabathia.

Ryan Theriot then hit a groundout to 1st base, which advanced Soriano to 3rd base with just 1 out for Derrek Lee.

Lee hit an RBI double over a leaping Mike Cameron in deep centerfield to score Theriot from 2nd base & give Chicago a 1-0 lead.

Aramis Ramirez then grounded out to Ray Durham at 2nd base, but advanced Lee to 3rd base with 2 outs for Geovany Soto.

Soto then grounded out to Craig Counsell at 3rd base to end the inning.

Chicago then had another scoring chance in the bottom of the 2nd inning after Reed Johnson hit a 1-out single off Sabathia.

2 batters later, Ryan Dempster singled to put runners at 1st & 3rd with 2 outs for Alfonso Soriano.

Soriano grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the scoring threat.

The Cubs then put together another scoring chance in the bottom of the 3rd inning after Ryan Theriot hit a lead-off single against Sabathia.

Derrek Lee then singled to put runners at 1st & 3rd with nobody out for Aramis Ramirez.

Ramirez then hit a 2-run double to score both Theriot & Lee which gave Chicago a 3-0 lead.

Geovany Soto then grounded out to Prince Fielder at 1st base, but was able to advance Ramirez to 3rd base with just 1 out for Mark DeRosa.

DeRosa & Reed Johnson both struck out to end the inning.

Milwaukee then put together their 1st scoring threat of the game in the top of the 5th inning after Craig Counsell & Jason Kendall hit back-to-back 1-out singles off Chicago starter Ryan Dempster.

C.C. Sabathia then reached 1st base safely on a sac bunt after Ryan Dempster bobbled it & threw late to Derrek Lee at 1st base, which loaded the bases with just 1 out for Mike Cameron.

Cameron then hit into a doubleplay as Aramis Ramirez stepped on 3rd base & fired across to Lee at 1st base to end the scoring threat.

Milwaukee then ended the shutout & got themselves back into the game in the top of the 6th inning after Ray Durham hit a lead-off double against Dempster.

2 batters later, Prince Fielder crushed a 2-run homer (31st of season) onto Sheffield Avenue & put the Brewers down just 3-2.

J.J. Hardy then singled & 2 batters later, Craig Counsell also added a single to put runners at 1st & 2nd with 2 outs for Jason Kendall.

Kendall flied out to Derrek Lee in foul territory at 1st base to end the inning.

The Cubs added another run in the bottom of the 7th inning thanks to Alfonso Soriano’s 1-out solo homer off Sabathia (29th of season) which gave the Cubsa 4-2 lead.

Milwaukee answered right back in the top of the 8th inning on Prince Fielder’s 2nd homer of the game, a solo shot to left centerfield (32nd of season) which made it a 4-3 Cub lead.

Chicago then added a key insurance run in the bottom of the 8th inning after Aramis Ramirez hit a lead-off double (41st of season, which is new career-high) off Milwaukee reliever Carlos Villanueva.

Geovany Soto then grounded out to J.J. Hardy at shortstop, but advanced Ramirez to 3rd base with just 1 out for Mark DeRosa.

DeRosa was then hit by a pitch, which put runners at 1st & 3rd for Reed Johnson.

Johnson struck out swinging, which brought up pinch-hitter Henry Blanco with an RBI chance.

Blanco delivered with a clutch RBI single, which scored Ramirez from 3rd base & gave the Cubs a 5-3 lead.

Kosuke Fukudome had a chance to drive in another run with DeRosa at 2nd & 2 outs, but grounded out to Hardy at shortstop to end the inning.

Milwaukee then put together their final rally in the top of the 9th inning after pinch-hitter Mike Lamb hit a 1-out single against Chicago closer Kerry Wood.

2 batters later, Ray Durham hit an RBI double to score pinch-runner Alcides Escobar from 1st base & make it a 5-4 Cub lead.

Ryan Braun then hit an infield single, which put runners at 1st & 3rd with 2 outs for Prince Fielder.

After Kerry Wood pitched a full count to Fielder, he ended the game with a slider for a called strike three for the Cubs’ 5th consecutive win against Milwaukee.

The Brewers have not beaten the Cubs since a 4-3 win on May 1st at Wrigley Field.

Ryan Dempster (16-6) sets a new career-high in wins for the Cubs after pitching 6 innings & allowed 2 runs on 7 hits while striking out 9 Brewers. Dempster is also now 4-0 in 4 starts this season against Milwaukee.

C.C. Sabathia (9-1) suffers his 1st loss in 14 starts as a Brewer after allowing 4 runs on 9 hits in 7 innings.

Despite allowing 1 run on 3 hits, Kerry Wood got out of a 9th inning jam to earn his 31st save of the season.

The Cubs will try to get their magic number down to 2 on Wednesday evening, as righthander Jason Marquis (10-8, 4.36) will be opposed by Brewers ace Ben Sheets (13-8, 2.97).

Marquis will be looking for his 1st home win on Wednesday since August 6th against Houston & is 1-1 in 2 September starts with a 2.70 ERA.

Marquis lost his only previous start to Milwaukee this season on April 29th at Wrigley Field as he allowed 5 runs on 10 hits in just 5 innings of work during the Cubs’ 10-7 loss.

Sheets’ last start against the Cubs on July 29th was his worst of the season, as Sheets got nailed for 6 runs on 11 hits in just 5 1/3 innings during the Brewers’ 7-1 loss.

Sheets’ control has also been a problem against the Cubs, as he has issued 10 walks to go with 13 strikeouts in his 3 previous starts against them.

Signing off for now,