SAN FRANCISCO(AP) -- Jeff Baker was a little leery of facing San
Francisco closer Brian Wilson. After all, in three previous
at-bats Baker struck out.

Not this time.

Baker hit a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the ninth
inning and the Chicago Cubs staved off elimination in the NL
Central for a day by handing the San Francisco Giants a blow to
their postseason hopes with a 3-2 victory Thursday night.

"I was just hoping to make contact," Baker said. "I'm not sure
I've ever made contact off him before. He's got great stuff."

Had the Cubs lost, the St. Louis Cardinals would have clinched
the Central. The Cardinals on Friday begins a three-game series
against the NL wild card-leading Rockies, who lead the Braves by
3 1/2 games with San Francisco and Florida four behind. The Cubs
trail Colorado by 6 1/2 games with 10 to play.

"Any time you can delay it and keep pushing this thing off it's
good," Baker said. "You never know what might happen."

Wilson (5-6) walked Derrek Lee, who was treated for neck spasms
afterward, to open the inning but got Micah Hoffpauir and Mike
Fontenot on infield popups before Baker hit his fourth home run
on a two-strike pitch.

"I always felt I could be a run producer," Baker said. "It was
good to get (Ryan Dempster) off the hook and even better to get
the win."

Aaron Heilman (4-4) pitched the eighth to earn the victory and
Carlos Marmol put two runners on in the ninth but finished for
his 15th save in 19 chances, including 11 straight.

"I've always had a lot of confidence in myself," Marmol said.
"It's always been my dream to be a closer in the major leagues."

Kosuke Fukudome had two hits for the Cubs, who won their fourth
in five games.

"It got awful quiet when Baker hit the home run," Cubs' manager
Lou Piniella said. "Baker has done well since we've gotten him.
He's a tough kid, plays hard and is versatile."

Giants starter Brad Penny outpitched his former teammate with
the Florida Marlins with eight solid innings. He allowed a run
and seven hits. He struck out four and walked one.

"It's tough with the situation we're in," Penny said. "Even
going into today we were in a tough spot. In a close game you
have to be perfect."

Ryan Dempster allowed two runs on seven hits in his seven
innings. He walked one and struck out six.

"That was pretty awesome," Dempster said.

John Bowker hit his first home run of the year and drove in two
runs. The Giants lost for the second time in 75 games when
leading after eight innings.

"It was a tough loss for all of us," Bowker said. "He made some
good pitches on us. He got a couple of pitches up on me and I
was able to take advantage of them."

The Cubs scored their first run in the fourth inning on Baker's
double play grounder. Hoffpauir doubled to lead off the frame
and Fontenot singled ahead of Baker.

Bowker doubled in a run in the fourth and homered to lead off
the seventh. The Giants lost their fourth in six games.

"We know what happened tonight. We had a chance to pick up a
game," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "We were one pitch from
winning the game. It's disappointing, there's no way of getting
around that."

Dempster is 0-3 in 12 games, five starts, in San Francisco
although he owns a career 3.43 ERA here.

NOTES: Giants OF Nate Schierholtz was given the night off with a
slight case of food poisoning. ... LHP Randy Wells (11-9, 3.00)
will pitch Sunday's series finale for the Cubs with LHP Ted
Lilly moving to Wednesday's doubleheader. ... Giants C Bengie
Molina left the game in the fifth inning with a contusion on a
finger of his left hand, the result of a foul ball. ... Giants
3B Pablo Sandoval extended his hitting streak to nine games with
a first-inning single. ... Lee stole his first base of the year
on his first attempt.