The Cubs aren't supposed to win games like they have been lately. Come-from-behind victories and taking walks aren't familiar practices for the North Siders who continued their winning ways and have moved out of last place with a sweep of the Nationals this weekend at Wrigley.

Friday's game started on a disappointing note, with Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano quickly giving up four runs to the Nationals in only the first inning. But the Cubs offense spared Zambrano the loss with to a two-run shot by Derrek Lee and a game-tying double by Alfonso Soriano in the fourth. Fifty-six-year-old Cliff Floyd then drove in Soriano for what would be the winning run.

The Cubs went on to win 6-4, thanks in part to Lou Piniella's quick pulling of Will "Walk 'Em All" Ohman's appearance in relief. Zambrano was relieved that the offense spared him the loss in this game, but perhaps no one was more pleased than general manager Jim Hendry.

"The way Carlos has been pitching so far, I'm confident I can sign him to much less than I could have before the season began," Hendry said. "The wilder he is, the more money I can spend on big contract extensions for Kerry Wood and Mark Prior."

The Cubs would reach the .500 mark on Saturday thanks to a usually Cub-like pitching performance by the Nationals in the third inning that gave up four runs to the North Siders--a home run by Aramis Ramirez and three straight walks with the bases jammed.

Rich Hill would get the victory, despite the best efforts of the Cubs bullpen behind Neal Cotts to blow the lead and the game once again. Ryan Dempster got the save in the ninth and the Cubs won 5-3.

A come-from-behind victory in extra innings in Sunday's game featured the call-up of Angel Guzman, who sported a whopping 12.19 ERA in three starts at Iowa before taking the mound at Wrigley. Guzman would surprise Cubs fans and even himself by retiring the first ten batters he faced, only giving only one run on a bases-loaded walk.

Jacque Jones and Mark DeRosa would counter the Nationals' first run of the game with back-to-back doubles to tie it at one a piece. Ryan Theriot would reach on a fielder's choice in the fifth inning, followed by back-to-back walks to Lee and Ramirez to load the bases. Nationals pitcher Shawn Hill would walk in the go-ahead run by hitting Jones, giving the Cubs the lead.

The Cubs' bullpen was predictably shaky, with Scott Eyre, Michael Wuertz, and Bob Howry allowing the Nationals to score two runs in the seventh. However, the Cubs offense took advantage of Washington closer Chad Cordero in the ninth, with a walk to Floyd was pulled for Jason Marquis, who scored the tying run on a Theriot single. The game went into the tenth, where the Cubs would go on to win 4-3 thanks to a double by Matt Murton, a Henry Blanco single, and the game-winning hit by Daryle Ward of all people.

Number of the weekend: 40,481
The attendance of Sunday's game, coincidentally the same number of people pleased to not see Ronny Cedeno anywhere near Wrigley.

By Steve Howard