How One Swing Can Erase Three Ks

Carlos Zambrano was flat-out bad today, and all of a sudden what was supposed to be the Cubs' biggest strength is looking like a weakness.

Alfonso Soriano started the day with three strikeouts as he couldn't hit a slider if it was sitting on a tee.

Yet, when the Cubs left fielder came up to the plate in the bottom of the eighth inning, all was forgotten as his two-run home run sailed over the left-center field wall. Carlos Marmol (not Kevin Gregg ... thank goodness) closed out the ninth to secure an 8-7 Cubs win.

This is how Soriano's five home runs break down so far:

• Two lead-off homers. (Cubs win both games).
  
• Two game-winning homers. (Cubs win both games, duh).
  
• One game-tying homer. (Cubs lose in extra-innings).

Let the record show Soriano would have had no shot to hit these home runs if he was not in the lead-off spot. And you know what? He should stay there ... no matter how much former governor Rod Blagojevich disagrees.
Let the record show