Finally, a quiet victory for Cubs

Four days after getting thrown out of a game he wasn't even pitching for arguing balls and strikes, the Cubs' lefthander threw seven strong innings and got a win over the team with the best record in the majors.

Koyie Hill homered and Kosuke Fukudome hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the seventh, rallying Chicago over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 2-1.

After a wild week in which Lilly jumped the dugout railing to yell at umpire Bob Davidson, Ryan Dempster attacked a dugout Gatorade machine, and Carlos Zambrano threw an all-time temper tantrum, the Cubs needed a quiet, solid performance from a starter.

"Obviously we haven't been playing real well, so it's been emotional," Lilly said.

Lilly (6-4) and Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley (6-3) each opened with six scoreless innings. Cubs manager Lou Piniella called Lilly's performance "professional," a high compliment on a Cubs team that has teetered on the edge while fighting to stay above .500.

"I've got a lot of work left to do," Lilly said. "I'm happy today with the way we competed and the way I threw the ball."

Matt Kemp hit his fifth home run for the Dodgers, with two outs in the top of the seventh. The Cubs bounced back in the bottom half and ended Los Angeles's four-game winning streak.

"Both guys certainly didn't deserve to lose. Billingsley pitched his tail off again. I know how tough Lilly can be," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said.

Hill led off the Cubs' seventh with his second homer, just over the wall in right. With one out, pinch hitter Jake Fox, Alfonso Soriano, and Bobby Scales all singled to load the bases for Fukudome, who flied to center.

This was a rare low-scoring win for the Cubs, who are now 1-19 when scoring fewer than four runs.

"We had some chances early in the game, but we didn't take advantage of them," Piniella said. "Finally we got a couple runs there in the seventh inning and we got Ted Lilly a nice, deserved win. He pitched very well."

Kevin Gregg pitched the ninth, holding on for his eighth save in nine chances. Andre Ethier singled with two outs and Kemp reached on Scales's error at third base, but Gregg got pinch hitter Mark Loretta to ground into a force play.

The umpires had to huddle in the eighth after reliever Carlos Marmol's pitch hit Juan Pierre, who was trying to bunt. Plate umpire Tim Timmons called it a strike and Pierre asked him to check with third base umpire Mark Wegner, who upheld the call.

Hill, the catcher, said he knew the pitch hit Pierre but kept quiet for obvious reasons. Piniella had a more concise take.

"All I know is it was strike two," the Cubs manager said.

Lilly, who had lost his previous two starts, gave up four hits in seven innings, striking out five and walking three.

Billingsley lost his second straight start. He allowed both runs and eight hits in seven innings, striking out seven.

"You've got to give credit to Ted Lilly," Billingsley said. "He pitched a great game, kept us off balance."

In this series, the Cubs are 1 for 17 with runners in scoring position, while the Dodgers are 1 for 11.