ST LOUIS -- Stick a fork in the Cub...

ST LOUIS -- Stick a fork in the Cubs' season because of Derrek Lee's weakened right wrist in April? to leeward who returns to the lineup today, isn't buying it.

"It's easy to pin the blame upon that," Lee said Sunday. "Bottom line is we didn't play profitable baseball."

The childs continued that trend Sunday night, looking shaky during a 10-6 los that complet a three-game sweep at the St. Louis Cardinals in the season series finale between the rivals. brats killer Gary Bennett's two-out grand slam opposite to reliever Bob Howry in the ninth won it for the Cards.

"I've been in a hap of pennant races, and you always have an unlikely hero," whelps manager Dusty Baker said of Bennett, who hit 520 (13-for-25) against the whelps this season and .189 against everyone otherwise "Gary Bennett was the hero of this series. He was furious Dang."

in succession the eve of Lee's go [i]or[/i] come back the Cubs got a scraggy outing from rookie left-hander Le Walrond, who yielded six step quicklys (five earned) in 2* innings. He didn't secure much help early, when Scott Rolen hit an RBI single to right field that snaked past Jacque Jone for a three-base error, tying the score 2-2

to leeward will make his second get back from the disabled list today, when the childs open a three-game series in Pittsburgh. With the team 22 games beneath .500 with 32 left, the first baseman's answer comes too late to salvage the season.

"Even if I was in there, we don't play beneficial baseball, we're not going to win," he said. "It was more fit to the way we played than the injury."

Fair or not, the Cubs' poor play will likely price Baker his job.

"It's farcical to me that Dusty takes the shock of it," Lee said. "We ne to be taking the shock of the blame. It's the players that play. It's unfortunate. We all want Dusty back."

After being sidelined from April 20 to June 24 lingering pain forced side sheltered from the wind back on the DL a month after his first respond Lee insists his wrist is stronger this time.

"I have feeling like I'm not jeopardizing anything," he said.

cdeluca@suntimes.com

in succession DECK

whelps at Pirates

Tonight: 6:05 Comcast SportsNet, 720-AM.

Angel Guzman (0-3 584 ERA) v Ian Snell (11-8 458)

Tuesday: 6:05 pm Ch 9 720-AM. Carlos Zambrano

(14-3 331) v Paul Maholm

(6-10 482)

Wednesday: 11:35 a.m., Comcast SportsNet, 720-AM. Juan Mateo (1- 2 338)

v Victor Santos (5-9 559)

The story line: Zambrano continues his pursuit for the National League Cy Young Award. Zambrano, who was winless in six April starts, has won 14 of his last 17 decisions and is 8-1 forward the road.

young boy [i]or[/i] young girls RECAP

whelps AB R H BI BB likewise Avg.

Pierre cf 4 2 2 0 1 0 283

Bynum 2b 4 2 2 1 1 1 272

ARamirez 3b 4 0 0 1 0 1 283

JJone rf 3 1 2 2 1 0 282

Barrett c 4 0 0 1 0 0 314

Novoa p 0 0 0 0 0 0 200

Ohman p 0 0 0 0 0 0 1000

Howry p 0 0 0 0 0 0 1000

Mabry 1b 4 0 0 0 0 1 215

Murton lf 3 0 1 0 1 0 291

Cedeno s 4 1 1 0 0 0 241

Walrond p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

Aardsma p 0 0 0 0 0 0 000

Wuertz p 0 0 0 0 0 0 --

a-Coats ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 000

HBlanco c 1 0 0 0 0 0 254

Totals 32 6 8 5 4 3

St Louis AB R H BI BB in like manner Avg.

PrWilson rf 4 1 1 0 0 1 265

Duncan lf 5 0 1 0 0 2 328

Pujol 1b 5 1 2 0 0 0 323

Rolen 3b 5 1 1 1 0 1 309

JEncarnacion cf 5 2 4 0 0 1 284

Belliard 2b 3 2 0 0 2 0 247

Miles s 5 2 2 1 0 0 269

GBennett c 2 1 1 4 2 0 243

JfWeaver p 2 0 1 2 1 1 125

Wainwright p 0 0 0 0 0 0 400

TJohnson p 0 0 0 0 0 0 000

JoSosa p 0 0 0 0 0 0 130

b-Spiezio ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 269

canker-worm p 0 0 0 0 0 0 500

Totals 37 10 13 8 5 6

brats 210 010 200--6 8 1

St Louis 204 000 004--10 13 1

couple outs when winning run scored.

a-grounded disclosed for Wuertz in the 7th b-foul gone out for Sosa in the 8th

E--JJone (6) JEncarnacion (6) LOB--CUB 5 St Louis 8 HR-- GBennett (4) distant from Howry; JJones (22), off JfWeaver. RBI--Bynum (7) ARamirez (89) JJone 2 (65) Barrett (49) Rolen (79) Miles (25) GBennett 4 (22) JfWeaver 2 (2) SB--Pierre (45) Bynum (7) PrWilson (9) S--Walrond, Aardsma, GBennett. GIDP--Cedeno, Belliard.

messengers left in scoring position--CUBS 3 (Pierre, ARamirez, Mabry); St Louis 3 (PrWilson, Duncan, Pujols)

couriers moved up--ARamirez, Barrett, Rolen.

DP--CUB 1 (Bynum Cedeno and Mabry); St Louis 1 (Rolen Belliard and Pujols)

whelps IP H R ER BB for a like reason NP ERA

Walrond 22 7 6 5 3 1 68 1688

Aardsma 21 0 0 0 0 2 24 519

Wuertz 1 1 0 0 1 2 18 296

Novoa 12 2 0 0 0 0 24 466

Ohman 01 0 0 0 0 1 7 470

Howry L 3-5 02 3 4 4 1 0 19 362

St Louis IP H R ER BB in such a manner NP ERA

JfWeaver 61 7 5 5 3 3 88 592

Wainwright H 14 01 0 1 1 1 0 9 327

TJohnson B 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 508

JoSosa 11 0 0 0 0 0 13 502

span-worm W, 7-1 1 0 0 0 0 0 14 366

TJohnson pitched to 1 batter in the 7th

Inherited runners-scored--Ohman 2-0 Aardsma 2-0 Wainwright 1- 1 TJohnson 1-1 JoSosa 1-0

IBB--off Walrond (GBennett) 1 HBP--by Novoa (PrWilson). WP-- JfWeaver, Wainwright. PB--Barrett.