Cubs, Utley highlight NL All-Star voting

NEW YORK, June 30 (UPI) -- Three Chicago Cubs lead at their positions and Philadelphia's Chase Utley remained the leading vote getter in balloting for the National League All-Star team.

Utley has piled up more than 2.6 million votes and owns a 1.5 million-vote lead over Chicago's Mark DeRosa in voting to decide the starting second baseman with the National League in the All-Star Game July 15 in New York's Yankee Stadium.

Vote totals were announced Monday by Major League Baseball. Voting at mlb.com continues through Wednesday with the teams announced Sunday.

Three Cubs are in position to secure starting spots. Catcher Geovany Soto and outfielders Alfonso Soriano and Kosuke Fukudome currently are ahead at those positions. But Fukudome has been passed by Cincinnati's Ken Griffey, Jr. and is just 20,000 ahead of Milwaukee's Ryan Braun.

Other leaders are Houston first baseman Lance Berkman, Florida shortstop Hanley Ramirez and Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones.