El Hijo returns: Cubs 5 games up in Central.

After about a week off to hide out from the brimstone heat, El Hijo is back with a Cubs update...

Standings: The Cubs are now an NL-best 68-46, five games clear of the Brewers and 5.5 ahead of St. Louis, who comes to Chicago this weekend.

Last weekend: the Cubs showed signs of fatigue on Friday. Coming home from the triumphant four-game sweep at Milwaukee, they looked lifeless and were shut out by the Pirates. That sparked increased talks about playing Friday and Saturday night games. El Hijo has long approved of increased night games, and this would be great. Imagine a September pennant race game at Wrigley on a Friday night. Talk about atmosphere. On Saturday, Ted Lilly overcame early wildness and pitched into the seventh. The offense manufactured more than enough runs, and the Cubs even stole three bases. Sunday's game was a wild one. Piniella removed Carlos Zambrano after five innings to give him so well-deserved rest, but the bullpen could not hold a 5-2 lead. Reed Johnson bailed them out with a pinch two-run homer.

Monday: Heinous thunderstorms swept through Chicago, leading to a near three-hour rain delay. The Cubs were once again silenced by journeyman Brian Moehler, who shut them down earlier this summer in Houston. Baffling. It was 2-0 after five innings, and then the rains came. After the delay, they played a couple more innings, but the game was called in the eighth. You had to like the Cubs' chances of scoring two or more in the final two innings. So, they kinda got hosed there. Maybe MLB needs to revisit its policy on suspending games, especially when teams are going to be playing again the next day.

Tuesday: Once again the Cubs squandered a big lead, only to pull out the victory. They led 6-1 after two innings, but Rich Harden gave up several longballs and Houston shockingly took a 7-6 lead. But, Alfonso Soriano clubbed a three-run homer in the seventh and the Cubs won 11-7.

Up next: Astros-Cubs, 1:20 today at Wrigley. Brandon Backe takes on Jason Marquis.