Want to know a sign of how well things are going for the Cubs right now? Despite losing 4 of their last 5 games entering tonight’s action, Chicago was still ranked 2nd in the majors with 152 runs scored & sported the MLB’s 2nd best record.

The Cubs’ offense put on a clinic today, as they scored 5 runs or more in 3 different innings during their 19-5 drubbing over the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field on Wednesday evening.

The offensive slugfest started in the bottom of the 1st inning after Reed Johnson & Ryan Theriot hit back-to-back singles off Brewers starter Jeff Suppan.

Derrek Lee delivered an RBI double to score Johnson from 2nd base, giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Theriot was held at 3rd & wasn’t sure whether or not Ryan Braun was going to catch Lee’s liner to left field.

It wouldn’t matter, as Theriot scored along with Lee on Aramis Ramirez’s 2-run double, which gave the Cubs a 3-0 lead.

3 batters later, Geovany Soto blasted a 3-run homer (4th of season) into the left field bleachers, scoring Mark DeRosa (who drew a 1-out walk) & Ramirez to give the Cubs a 6-0 lead.

Milwaukee scored their 1st run of the game in the 3rd inning on Ryan Braun’s 2-out RBI single, scoring Rickie Weeks (who hit a 2-out single off Cubs starter Ryan Dempster) from 2nd base to make it a 6-1 Cub lead.

It was a night where nearly everything went the Cubs’ way, including a lead-off double in the bottom of the 3rd inning from Kosuke Fukudome that ricocheted off Jeff Suppan’s foot & into foul territory near 1st base, which Prince Fielder had to end up chasing down.

Mark DeRosa then followed with an RBI single, scoring Fukudome from 2nd base & gave the Cubs a 7-1 lead.

Chicago would again erupt again in the bottom of the 4th inning after Ryan Theriot & Derrek Lee hit back-to-back 1 out singles off Suppan.

Aramis Ramirez reached 1st base safely thanks to Bill Hall’s error, as he bobbled Ramirez’ grounder which allowed all baserunners to advance 90 feet. Theriot was also able to score from 3rd base on the play, giving Chicago a 8-1 lead.

1 batter later, Mark DeRosa hit another RBI single that scored Lee from 3rd base & gave the Cubs a 9-1 lead.

Geovany Soto then decided to play some more long ball off Brewers reliever Brian Shouse, delivering another 3-run homer (5th of season) to give the Cubs a 12-1 lead.

Milwaukee scored 2 runs in the 5th inning on Ryan Braun’s 2-out, 2 run double that scored both Jason Kendall (who drew a 1-out walk) & Rickie Weeks (who drew a 1-out walk) to make it a 12-3 Cub lead.

The Cubs added another run in the bottom of the 6th inning on Kosuke Fukudome’s RBI single, scoring Ronny Cedeno (subbed for Derrek Lee & drew a lead-off walk) from 2nd base to give Chicago a 13-3 lead.

Milwaukee scored their final runs on a 2-run homer from Mike Rivera in the top of the 7th inning (1st of season) that sailed onto Waveland Avenue & made it a 13-5 Cub lead.

The Cubs lit up Brewers reliever & former closer Derrick Turnbow in the bottom of the 8th inning after Mark DeRosa’s 1-out walk & Mike Fontenot’s pinch-hit single started yet another rally.

2 batters later, Matt Murton’s RBI single scored DeRosa from 2nd base & gave the Cubs a 14-5 lead.

1 batter later, Ryan Theriot drew a bases-loaded walk from Turnbow which forced in Fontenot from 3rd base & gave the Cubs a 15-5 lead.

Ronny Cedeno then cleared the bases on a 3-run double that scored Reed Johnson (who drew a 2-out walk), Theriot & Murton to give the Cubs a 18-5 lead.

Daryle Ward then immediately followed with an RBI double, scoring Cedeno from 2nd base & gave the Cubs their 19th & final run of the game. 7 of the Cubs’ 17 hits (41%) tonight were either extra-base knocks, or home runs.

Ryan Dempster (4-0) picks up the win for the Cubs after pitching 6 innings & allowing 3 runs despite walking 5 batters, which ties a season-high.

Jeff Suppan (1-1), takes the loss for the Brewers after allowing 11 hits & 11 runs in over 3 innings of work.

The Cubs will welcome the return of left fielder Alfonso Soriano tomorrow afternoon at 1:20 pm & look to win this series against the Brewers at Wrigley Field. Chicago will send their ace righthander Carlos Zambrano (4-1, 2.21) to the mound against Milwaukee righthander Yovani Gallardo (0-0, 0.64).

Zambrano pitched an Opening Day gem against the Brewers on March 31st, as he allowed just 3 hits over 6+ innings of work before leaving with cramps.

Zambrano has not beaten Milwaukee at Wrigley Field since June 28th, 2005 when he pitched 8 shutout innings during the Cubs’ 3-0 win.

Gallardo has given up just 1 run in 14 innings so far this season, but hasn’t had much offensive support so far (Brewers have scored 3 runs in his 2 starts).

Gallardo’s only previous outing against the Cubs was on June 29th, 2007 as he allowed 2 runs on 5 hits in 6 innings during the Brewers’ 6-5 loss. (Gallardo finished with a no-decision)

Signing off for now,