By RICK GANO
AP Sports Writer

CHICAGO(AP) -- Jody Gerut welcomed the chance to start and
responded with one of his biggest hits since joining the
Milwaukee Brewers.

Gerut's second career grand slam lifted the Brewers to a 7-4
victory over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday. It also helped
Milwaukee earn a split in the four-game series between two teams
finishing disappointing seasons.

"I'm happy for whatever I can do," Gerut said.

Out of baseball for two years, Gerut put together a decent
season for the Padres a year ago and then was traded to the
Brewers in May for Tony Gwynn.

His start Thursday at Wrigley Field was just his 18th in 71
appearances for the Brewers.

"If you look at his history, he's done fine. So, a couple things
he can do: He plays center field. He plays all three positions,
keeps himself ready. He's a pro and he's got some pop in his
bat," Milwaukee manager Ken Macha said.

Mike Rivera also had a key bases-loaded hit Thursday for the
Brewers, a two-run double in the seventh to push the cushion to
three.

After making the playoffs last year - Chicago as the NL Central
champion and Milwaukee as the NL wild card - both teams are all
but out of contention with 2 1/2 weeks left. The Cubs fell to
75-70 and the Brewers are 71-75.

Gerut's grand slam capped a two-out rally that started when
Randy Wells (10-9) walked No. 8 hitter Alcides Escobar, gave up
a single to Brewers starter Dave Bush and another walk to Felipe
Lopez.

Gerut, who played 11 games for the Cubs in 2005, drove a Wells
pitch into the right-field bleachers for his seventh homer this
season and just his third since Milwaukee acquired him from San
Diego on May 21. He had only 11 RBIs for the Brewers before
Thursday.

"The home run was a home run but look what happened before that,
a two-out base hit to the pitcher," said Wells, who said his arm
is fine despite throwing 147 innings as a rookie. It's the walks
- eight of them - that have bugged him the last couple of
starts.

Wells pitched only four innings Thursday, giving up five hits,
five runs and five bases on balls.

"I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but you can't win ball
games when you're doing stuff like that," he said. "It's just
pitiful. That's not going to cut it. It's time to rethink some
things."

Bush (5-7) allowed four runs and eight hits in 5 2-3 innings.
Trevor Hoffman worked the ninth for his 33rd save in 36 chances.

Micah Hoffpauir pinch hit for Wells in the fourth and his
two-run, two-out double cut Milwaukee's lead to 5-4.

But the Brewers loaded the bases for a third time in the seventh
and Rivera hit a two-out, two-run double off Esmailin Caridad.

NOTES: Bradley left with left knee inflammation after singling
in the sixth inning and didn't have many answers about his
condition. "What else you got?" he asked several times in
response to questions. "I got knee inflammation," he said,
adding it was the result of previous surgery. ... The Cubs and
Brewers honored 60 Medal of Honor recipients in a pregame
ceremony, with the veterans lining up along the baselines where
they were greeted by the players and souvenirs were exchanged.
... Milwaukee 1B Prince Fielder drew his 99th walk in the third
to tie the season franchise record held by Jeromy Burnitz
(2000). The 268-pound Fielder also legged out his third triple
of the year in the fifth. ... Gerut's other grand slam came in
2003 against the Twins during his strong rookie season for
Cleveland, when he hit 22 homers. ... The Cubs will skip Rich
Harden's next turn in the rotation Monday at Milwaukee and use
Tom Gorzelanny. Harden could also be replaced on Sept. 26 in San
Francisco, but manager Lou Piniella said the right-hander who's
had trouble with high pitch counts will probably get at least
one more start.