MLB: Chicago Cubs 4, St. Louis 3

ST. LOUIS, Sept. 11 (UPI) -- Ted Lilly allowed a run over eight innings Wednesday and Kerry Wood earned a shaky save, giving the Chicago Cubs a much-needed 4-3 win over St. Louis.

The Cubs won for just the second time in 10 games and maintained a 4 1/2-game lead over Milwaukee at the top of the National League Central.

Chicago scored all of its runs in the second inning off Braden Looper (12-12) and three of them were unearned.

Singles by Kosuke Fukudome, Mark DeRosa and Felix Pie produced one run in the second. A throwing error by Felipe Lopez later in the inning allowed two runs to score and helped prolong the frame.

Aramis Ramirez delivered a two-out, RBI single for the fourth run of the inning.

Lilly (14-9) gave up five hits and struck out five before being removed in favor of Wood in the ninth.

Wood gave up a one-out double to Albert Pujols and Ryan Ludwick then hit a two-run homer. But Wood struck out Aaron Miles and got Josh Phelps on a fly ball to center to end the game and pick up his 29th save.