Chicago ? Now THAT was a series, five games of spirited baseball that the Chicago Cubs turned into four emotional victories over the St. Louis Cardinals.

“If you weren’t a fan and you watched this series, you became one,” Tony Womack said Thursday after his RBI single pushed the Cubs to a 7-6 victory and moved them past the Cardinals and within a half-game of the NL Central lead.

The series featured a little bit of everything: a rain delay of more than four hours Monday; a day-night doubleheader that included a 15-inning opener; the ejections of three Cubs players, including Sammy Sosa Thursday, and pitching coach Larry Rothschild; a shouting match between managers Dusty Baker and Tony La Russa; and a stunning comeback by the Cubs to win Wednesday after trailing 6-0.

All in front of large, lively crowds at Wrigley Field.

“I think a lot of people will remember this,” Baker said. “I talked to a lot of people, and they said this is the best five-game series they’ve ever seen, especially this late. But it’s too early to say if it is a turning point.”

The Cubs trail Houston by a half-game, while the Cardinals are a game behind the Astros in third place.

Baker and La Russa, whose blowup centered about pitching inside and hitting batters, met for several minutes behind the cage during batting practice and shook hands.

Their teams don’t play again in the regular season.

“Every game could have gone either way, and it went their way except one,” La Russa said. “There’s a difference between a play, a pitch or an at-bat and they had it. They had the edge over us.”

Chicago's Troy O'Leary, left, Kenny Lofton, center, and Randall Simon celebrate the Cubs' victory over St. Louis. The Cubs defeated the Cardinals, 7-6, Thursday in Chicago to win their five-game series, four games to one.

Womack, who entered in a double switch in the top of the seventh, singled in the bottom half off Mike DeJean (5-8), who had walked Moises Alou and hit Aramis Ramirez with a pitch.

DeJean then got out of a bases-loaded jam by slipping a third strike past Randall Simon called by plate umpire Bill Hohn, the center of numerous complaints all day by the Cubs.

He ejected Sosa as he was walking back to the dugout after Sosa apparently made a comment about a third strike call.

“I was cursing myself, and he threw me out of the game,” Sosa said. “He heard me when I was cursing myself.”

Baker argued, then returned to the field two pitches later when Mark Grudzielanek was called out on a close play at second.

Fans began to throw cups on the field, and the grounds crew had to go to the warning track and clean up the debris.

In the fifth inning, Hohn ejected Rothschild, who was in the dugout. Moments earlier, Hohn called a ball on a close pitch that Cubs starter Shawn Estes apparently thought was a strike.

“I think the umpire crew was pretty fired up, too, and got caught up in the emotions, too,” Estes said.

The umpires were not available for comment after the game.

Phillies 6, Mets 5

Philadelphia — Mike Lieberthal’s two-out RBI single in the ninth inning lifted Philadelphia past New York. The Phillies overcame another blown save by Jose Mesa to win for the sixth time in seven games and remain tied with Florida for first place in the NL wild-card race.

The last-place Mets, swept by Philadelphia in a three-game series last week at Shea Stadium, were coming off a three-game sweep over first-place Atlanta.

Prentice Redman, playing just his fourth game in the majors, led off the ninth against Mesa with his first career homer to tie it at 5. It was Mesa’s second blown save in four days and his fourth of the season in 28 chances. Mesa, who needs to finish 10 of the next 22 games to guarantee his contract for $5.5 million next season, is 5-7 with a 6.26 ERA.

Valerio De Los Santos (4-3) retired the two batters he faced in his first outing since being acquired from Milwaukee Tuesday.

Marlins 5, Pirates 1

Miami — Miguel Cabrera and Alex Gonzalez emerged from slumps and sparked a four-run seventh inning to help Florida beat Pittsburgh. Cabrera singled home the go-ahead run, and Gonzalez followed with his 16th home run. Cabrera began the game in a 1-for-33 slump, and Gonzalez was 1-for-25.

Pinch-hitter Ramon Castro, batting for the first time since he was charged with raping a woman in his Pittsburgh hotel room last week, hit his fourth home run in the seventh.

The first of Florida’s three homers was by Juan Pierre — his first in 572 at-bats this season. The Marlins finished 6-1 on their homestand and begin a six-game road trip tonight against Montreal in Puerto Rico. They went 1-8 on their most recent trip.

Pittsburgh’s Matt Stairs hit his 17th homer for the only run off Carl Pavano, who gave up seven hits in 61/3 innings. Michael Tejera (2-3) retired both batters he faced and stranded the go-ahead run at second in the seventh.