CC Sabathia punctuated his Milwaukee debut with a bellowing scream as he came off the mound after the sixth inning. It was almost as if he was putting the National League on notice.

If the Chicago Cubs didn't hear Sabathia, they sure recognized the significance of his arrival in the NL Central. The division leaders went out and made a trade for their own top-line pitcher, Oakland's Rich Harden.

Sabathia was wild in his first win since being acquired from Cleveland, giving up two earned runs on five hits and five walks in six innings as the Brewers beat the visiting Colorado Rockies 7-3 Tuesday night.

"It was just kind of a release," Sabathia said. "You'll see that from me from time to time _ not much, but from time to time. I get riled up, I have to let it out."

The reigning AL Cy Young winner's five walks tied the season high he set in April.

"There are nerves. There's excitement," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "And it's hard to keep yourself calm in these situations."

A day after the Brewers traded for Sabathia (1-0), the Cubs answered by acquiring Harden in a six-player deal before beating the Cincinnati Reds 7-3.

Harden was the best available pitcher, Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said.

"We felt that the two high-end guys who would possibly be available were the two that have already been traded. Those are legit one and two starters. So we tried to focus on trying to acquire one," Hendry said. "It certainly wasn't a reaction move. We would have gladly had Rich two or three weeks ago."

Harden is expected to pitch this weekend against the Giants at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs are 3 1/2 games ahead of the Cardinals and four in front of the Brewers in the Central after the Cardinals stopped the Phillies 2-0.

"The rest of the summer, these last 2 1/2 months, it's going to make it really fun and interesting," Yost said.

In other NL games, it was: Pittsburgh 4, Houston 3; N.Y. Mets 7, San Francisco 0; Arizona 2, Washington 0; San Diego 10, Florida 1, and Atlanta 9, L.A. Dodgers 3.

Sabathia got in trouble in the sixth, loading the bases with no outs on an infield single by Matt Holliday and walks to Garrett Atkins and Ryan Spilborghs.

Yorvit Torrealba doubled down the right-field line, scoring Holliday and Atkins. Spilborghs appeared to have a chance to score the tying run, but instead came up limping at third with a strained left oblique and was taken out of the game.

Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said Spilborghs would return to Colorado on Wednesday and would be placed on the disabled list.

Sabathia got out of the inning by striking out Brad Hawpe with a nasty 96 mph fastball without giving up the lead.

Ryan Braun, who hit his 22nd home run to give the Brewers a 3-0 lead in the first, saw the trade for Harden as the Cubs' attempt to keep pace.

"I think they were probably looking to improve their team regardless," Braun said. "But I think soon as they saw us get CC, they put the pedal to the metal and made sure they got something done. Obviously that improves their team and it's going to be a fun race."

The Cubs can now match Milwaukee's one-two combination of Sabathia and Ben Sheets with All-Star Carlos Zambrano and Harden.

Harden, eligible to be a free agent after the 2009 season, is 5-1 with a 2.34 ERA in 13 starts this season. He's scheduled to make $4.75 million this season.

Ryan Dempster (10-3), the Cubs starter Tuesday, became the first Cubs pitcher to win his first 10 decisions at home since Rick Reuschel in 1977. He allowed two hits and a run in seven innings.

What the Cubs need from Dempster "is another 10 (wins) in the second half and we're in business," manager Lou Piniella said.

The Cubs capitalized on Cincinnati starter Aaron Harang's wildness. The 6-foot-7 right-hander walked a career-high seven and gave up six runs and five hits in 4 1-3 innings. Harang (3-11) had been scheduled to start last Saturday but was given a few extra days to recover from stiffness in his right forearm.

"I walked seven?" Harang asked.

Cardinals 2, Phillies 0

At Philadelphia, Joel Pineiro and three relievers combined on a six-hitter, and Rick Ankiel and Ryan Ludwick hit solo homers for St. Louis.

Pineiro (3-4) allowed five hits and walked three in 6 1-3 innings for his first win since April 29. Cole Hamels (9-6) gave up three hits in seven innings. Continued...