Chicago ? The weather is heating up, and so is Derrek Lee.

Lee went 3-for-4 with three RBIs to spark an offensive outburst Tuesday night, and Matt Clement kept up his mastery of the St. Louis Cardinals in a 7-3 victory.

“It was a good game,” said Lee, hitting .317 with 12 RBIs over the last 10 games. “I got some hits, and Clement pitched a good game. We needed it.”

Every Cubs starter except Clement had at least one hit. Todd Hollandsworth had a pair of RBIs, and Aramis Ramirez and Ramon Martinez each drove in a run. Clement (7-4) improved to 3-0 against the Cardinals this season, scattering three runs and five hits over eight innings while striking out nine.

Scott Rolen was the only Cardinal with any luck against Clement, homering twice and drawing a walk. But the Cardinals, playing without NL batting champion Albert Pujols, managed only four other hits — two in the final five innings.

“Clement was just outstanding,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. “As well as he pitched, Scott gets a walk and a couple of home runs and he hits another ball hard. You have a day like that against anybody, it’s outstanding. But as well as their pitcher was throwing, that means even more.”

It didn’t mean a win, though.

The Cubs have been scuffling for offense without Sammy Sosa, scoring four runs or less in six of their previous seven games.

But Woody Williams (3-6) was the perfect remedy. He has lost his last three decisions against Chicago, all at Wrigley Field, and the Friendly Confines weren’t any more welcoming Tuesday.

The Cubs roughed him up for seven runs — including six earned — and 12 hits in five innings.

Chicago had a runner in scoring position in all but one inning against Williams and touched him for six straight hits in the four-run third.

“I think hitting is contagious,” Lee said. “I think it’s a confidence level. When your team is swinging the bat well, it kind of snowballs. And the same thing the other way.”