For the 2nd consecutive night, the Chicago Cubs dominated from start to finish during their 7-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers from Miller Park & now have a chance to sweep this big 4-game series with a win on Thursday afternoon.

The Cubs struck immediately for 2 runs in the top of the 1st inning after Alfonso Soriano hit a lead-off single against Brewers starter Manny Parra.

Ryan Theriot then laid down a sac bunt to advance Soriano to 2nd base with just 1 out for Derrek Lee.

Soriano was able to steal 3rd base during Lee’s at-bat, who walked to put runners at the corners.

2 batters later, Reed Johnson struck out swinging, but was able to reach 1st base safely after Prince Fielder dropped Jason Kendall’s throw, which scored Soriano from 3rd base & gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead.

Lee also advanced to 3rd base on the play.

Mark DeRosa then singled to score Lee from 3rd base & gave Chicago a 2-0 lead.

With Reed Johnson on 3rd base & 2 outs, Kosuke Fukudome grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

Milwaukee then immediately rallied in the bottom of the 1st inning after Ray Durham hit a lead-off ground rule double against Chicago starter Ryan Dempster.

J.J. Hardy then flied out to Kosuke Fukudome in right field, but was able to advance Durham to 3rd base with just 1 out.

3 batters later, Durham was able to score on Ryan Dempster’s wild pitch to make it a 2-1 Cub lead.

Prince Fielder (who drew a 2-out walk) also advanced to 2nd base on the play, but was stranded there as Corey Hart struck out to end the inning.

Chicago then had a chance to add on more runs in the top of the 2nd inning after Alfonso Soriano & Ryan Theriot hit back-to-back 2-out singles off Parra.

Derrek Lee then grounded out to J.J. Hardy at shortstop to end the scoring threat.

Milwaukee had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the 3rd inning after Manny Parra hit a lead-off double against Dempster.

2 batters later, J.J. Hardy grounded out to Aramis Ramirez at 3rd base, but did advance Parra to 3rd with 2 outs for Ryan Braun.

Braun then grounded out to Ryan Theriot at shortstop to end the scoring threat.

The Cubs then had another chance to score in the top of the 4th inning after Alfonso Soriano & Ryan Theriot drew back-to-back 2-out walks against Parra.

Derrek Lee then grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the scoring threat.

The Brewers had yet another chance to tie the game in the bottom of the 5th inning after Manny Parra hit a 2-out triple off Dempster.

Ray Durham then grounded out to Aramis Ramirez at 3rd base to end the scoring threat.

Chicago then started to put the game away in the top of the 6th inning, which started with back-to-back 1-out singles by Ryan Dempster & Alfonso Soriano.

Ryan Theriot then hit a 2-run triple to score both Dempster & Soriano, giving the Cubs a 4-1 lead.

3 batters later, Reed Johnson hit an RBI single to score Theriot from 3rd base & gave Chicago a 5-1 lead.

Aramis Ramirez (who drew a 2-out walk off Brewers reliever Charlie Villanueva) & Johnson both advancd to 2nd & 3rd base respectively during Mark DeRosa’s at-bat, who flied out to Mike Cameron in center field to end the inning.

The Cubs then struck for 2 more runs in the top of the 9th inning, which started with a 1-out double by Henry Blanco off Brewers reliever Brian Shouse.

Pinch-hitter Ronny Cedeno then singled & Alfonso Soriano drew a walk to load the bases with nobody out for Ryan Theriot.

Theriot drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Blanco from 3rd base, which gave the Cubs a 6-1 lead.

Brewers reliever Guillermo Mota then entered the game & gave up an infield single to Derrek Lee,  which scored Ronny Cedeno from 3rd base & gave Chicago a 7-1 lead.

With runners at 1st & 2nd with 2 outs, Aramis Ramirez struck out to end the inning.

Milwaukee scored their 2nd & final run of the game on Prince Fielder’s 1-out solo homer (21st of season) off Chicago reliever Neal Cotts in the bottom of the 9th inning.

Ryan Dempster (12-4) gets the win for the Cubs after pitching 7 innings & allowing just 1 run on 5 hits while striking out 9 Brewers. Dempster is now a perfect 3-o against Milwaukee in 3 starts against them this season & tied Carlos Zambrano for the team lead in wins (12).

Manny Parra (9-4) takes the loss for the Brewers after allowing 5 runs on 8 hits in 5 1/3 innings of work.

The Cubs’ NL Central lead is now up to 4 games & they can now finish off a 4-game sweep Thursday afternoon from Miller Park, as righthander Rich Harden (0-1, 1.04 in 3 starts with Cubs) will be opposed by Brewers righthander Dave Bush (5-8, 4.51).

Harden has allowed just 2 runs in 17 1/3 innings of work in his first 3 starts as a Cub while striking out at least 10 batters in every start, yet doesn’t have a win to show for it.

Harden will make his 1st career start against Milwaukee on Thursday.

Bush has pitched solid at home all season for the Brewers, as he sports a 4-2 record in 10 Miller Park starts with a 2.85 ERA.

However, Bush is just 1-6 in 9 career starts against Chicago with a 4.88 ERA & has not beaten them since August 9th, 2006.

Signing off for now,