With Soriano out, Cubs keep winning

TORONTO -- Life for the Chicago Cubs without Alfonso Soriano is well underway, and so far the results have been surprisingly positive.

Ted Lilly gave up one hit in six scoreless innings, Derrek Lee drove in three runs and the Chicago Cubs won for the sixth time in seven games with a 7-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday.

Soriano broke his left hand when he was hit by a pitch from Atlanta’s Jeff Bennett on Wednesday and is expected to be out at least six weeks. That was supposed to leave the Cubs with a gaping hole that so far hasn’t appeared.

Chicago has won three of four since Soriano’s departure and averaged five runs against a Toronto team whose starting staff entered Sunday’s game ranked third in the major leagues with a 3.61 earned-run average

Aramis Ramirez hit his 10th home run of the season for the Cubs, who haven’t lost a series since May 25 at Pittsburgh. Much of that success has to do with Lilly (7-5), who won for the sixth time in seven decisions dating to May 3.