In a game that featured lots of big hits during 2 separate comeback tries, the Chicago Cubs got the last laugh with a five run 7th inning, which allowed them to beat the Houston Astros 11-7 on Tuesday afternoon from Wrigley Field.

The Cubs were able to take an early lead in the bottom of the 1st inning after Ryan Theriot drew a 1-out walk from Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez.

Derrek Lee then followed with a double to put runners at 2nd & 3rd with just 1 out.

2 batters later, Reed Johnson was hit by a pitch, which loaded the bases for Mark DeRosa.

DeRosa delivered a clutch 2-run double to score both Theriot & Lee, giving Chicago a 2-0 lead.

With runners at 2nd & 3rd with 2 outs, Kosuke Fukudome flied out to Carlos Lee in left field to end the inning.

Houston was able to cut their deficit in half during the top of the 2nd inning after Geoff Blum hit a 1-out single off Chicago starter Rich Harden.

Ty Wigginton then struck out & Henry Blanco fired to 2nd base to nail Blum, but Mark DeRosa dropped the relay throw to keep the inning alive.

Darin Erstad then hit an RBI single to score Blum from 2nd base & made it a 2-1 Cub lead.

Chicago was then able to extend their lead in the bottom of the 2nd inning after Henry Blanco hit a lead-off double against Rodriguez.

Rich Harden then laid down a sac bunt & reached 1st base safely after Rodriguez’s throw was late.

Alfonso Soriano then hit an RBI single to score Blanco from 3rd base & gave the Cubs a 3-1 lead.

2 batters later, Derrek Lee singled to load the bases with 1 out for Aramis Ramirez.

Ramirez drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Harden from 3rd base & give Chicago a 4-1 lead.

Reed Johnson was then robbed of a hit thanks to a great catch by Darin Erstad in centerfield, but was able to score Soriano from 3rd base on a sac fly & give the Cubs a 5-1 lead.

Mark DeRosa then hit a RBI single to score Lee from 2nd base & gave Chicago a 6-1 lead.

With runners at 1st & 2nd with 2 outs, Kosuke Fukudome then flied out to Carlos Lee in deep left field to end the inning.

The Cubs had a chance to score some additional runs in the bottom of the 4th inning after Derrek Lee & Aramis Ramirez hit back-to-back 1-out singles off Rodriguez.

Reed Johnson & Mark DeRosa then both flied out to end the scoring threat.

Houston’s comeback began in the top of the 5th inning, as Ty Wigginton hit a lead-off solo homer (11th of season) against Harden to make it a 6-2 Cub lead.

Darin Erstad then singled & scored 3 batters later on Kaz Matsui’s RBI triple to make it a 6-3 Cub lead.

With Matsui on 3rd base & 2 outs, Harden then struck out Miguel Tejada looking to end the inning.

The Astros crept a bit closer in the top of the 6th inning after Hunter Pence hit a lead-off single against Harden.

2 batters later, Geoff Blum hit a 2-run homer (10th of season) to make it a 6-5 Cub lead.

Houston then had a chance to tie or take the lead after Darin Erstad’s single & Humberto Quintero’s walk knocked Rich Harden out of the game.

Bob Howry then came on from the Cubs’ bullpen & got pinch-hitter Mark Loretta to ground into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

Chicago had yet another chance to add onto their lead in the bottom of the 6th inning after Alfonso Soriano hit a lead-off double against Astros reliever Chris Sampson.

2 batters later, Aramis Ramirez grounded into a doubleplay to end the scoring threat.

Houston then took their only lead of the game in the top of the 7th inning after Kaz Matsui hit a lead-off single off Howry.

Matsui would then advance to 2nd base on Miguel Tejada’s groundout to Howry & scored on Carlos Lee’s 2-run homer (26th of season), which gave the Astros a 7-6 lead.

However, the Cubs battled back with a huge 7th inning which got started with Reed Johnson’s lead-off single off Sampson.

Mark DeRosa then doubled to put runners at 2nd & 3rd with nobody out for Kosuke Fukudome.

Fukudome then hit a sac fly to Darin Erstad in centerfield, which scored Johnson from 3rd base & tied the game 7-7.

Pinch-hitter Daryle Ward was then intentionally walked to load the bases with 1 out for another pinch-hitter Geovany Soto, who struck out swinging for the 2nd out.

Alfonso Soriano wouldn’t let the Astros off the hook though, as he hit a game-winning 3-run homer (2oth of season) off Doug Brocail into the left field bleachers which gave the Cubs a 10-7 lead & prompted Soriano to make a curtain call to the 40,416 delighted fans at Wrigley.

Chicago then added a key insurance run after Ryan Theriot hit a 2-out single & stole 2nd base during Derrek Lee’s at-bat, who hit an RBI single to score Theriot & give the Cubs an 11-7 lead.

Kerry Wood then entered the game for the 1st time since July 5th & retired 3 of the 4 batters he faced to pitch a scoreless 8th inning before Carlos Marmol retired the side in the 9th to end it.

Alfonso Soriano & Mark DeRosa matched Houston’s entire team, as the twosome combined to drive in 7 runs for the Cubs.

Derrek Lee led the team with 4 hits & finished a game with 4 hits or more since his 5-5 effort against the White Sox on June 28th during a 6-5 Cub loss.

Bob Howry (4-4) gets the win for the Cubs plus his 3rd blown save of the season after giving up Carlos Lee’s go-ahead 2-run homer in the 7th inning which briefly gave Houston their 1st & only lead of the game.

Howry pitched 1 1/3 innings & allowed 2 runs on 2 hits & could be in danger of being sent down to the minors when veteran reliever Jon Lieber is ready to return off the DL.

Chris Sampson (5-4) takes the loss for the Astros after pitching 1 1/3 innings & allowing 3 runs on 3 hits, which included Alfonso Soriano’s game-winning 3-run homer in the 7th inning.

The Cubs will now look to win the series on Wednesday afternoon from Wrigley Field, as righthander Jason Marquis (6-7, 4.68) will be opposed by Astros righty Brandon Backe (6-10, 4.72).

Marquis’ ERA has dropped in each month from May-July & will look to pick it up at home, where he is 3-4 in 11 Wrigley Field starts with a 5.68 ERA.

Marquis faced the Astros in his 1st start of the season back on April 5th at Wrigley & gave up 5 runs on 8 hits in 5 1/3 innings of work during the Cubs’ 9-7 win & received a no-decision.

Jason is 8-5 in 19 career starts against Houston with a 5.20 ERA.

Backe is 3-6 in 13 road starts this season with a 4.50 ERA & will look to beat Chicago for the 1st time on Wednesday since May 25th, 2005.

With Kerry Wood’s return from the disabled list on Tuesday, the Cubs designated southpaw reliever Scott Eyre for assignment.

Eyre will be a free-agent at season’s end & was 0-2 in 19 relief apperances for Chicago this season with a 7.15 ERA.

Signing off for now,