Williams victorious
in debut with Cubs

The Waipahu alum gives up just
three hits in seven innings

MILWAUKEE » Dusty Baker knew Jerome Williams could give the Chicago Cubs a lift.

Williams won his Cubs debut, and Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez homered in a 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers last night.

Williams (1-2) made his first major league start since being acquired from San Francisco with pitcher David Aardsma for reliever LaTroy Hawkins and cash on May 28.

"That's the Jerome Williams I had seen in San Francisco," Baker said. "Had it not been for Billy Hall, he might have shut them out."

Baker, who managed the Giants from 1993-02, followed Williams' career after he was drafted in 1999. After parts of five seasons in the minors, Williams made it to the majors in 2003.

The Cubs hope Williams, who was 17-14 for the Giants, can fill in at least until injured right-handers Mark Prior and Kerry Wood return from the disabled list, possibly before the All-Star break.

Called up from Triple-A Iowa earlier in the day, Williams showed he might be able to do just that.

"He kept us close until we could score some runs, which we did," Baker said.

It was the 23-year-old right-hander's first big league start since April 24, when he allowed six runs over five innings in an 8-5 loss to the Brewers with the Giants.

Williams allowed two runs and three hits in seven innings. He walked four and struck out a season-high six.

Ryan Dempster got three outs for his 10th save in 11 chances, retiring pinch-hitter Jeff Cirillo with two on to end it.

Hall was the only Brewers batter to get to Williams. Hall hit a solo homer in the second. In the fourth, he hit the first pitch, another solo drive to left, for his first career multihomer game and a career-high 10 homers this season.

"Two swings of the bat, and they get the win," Hall said, referring to the two-run homers hit by Lee and Ramirez. "I had two swings of the bat with the same result, just not enough men on base."

The Cubs and Williams had a bit of a brief scare in the third when Prince Fielder lined a grounder off the pitcher's leg. The ball rolled to shortstop Enrique Wilson, who made the play to first.

Williams had his left calf heavily bandaged after the game.