By MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK(AP) -- Mike Pelfrey's inconsistency has been a mystery to
the New York Mets this season. Fed up with his own performance,
the big right-hander brought a new attitude to the mound Sunday.

Pelfrey pitched eight efficient innings and Daniel Murphy
homered, tripled and drove in four runs to lead New York past
the Chicago Cubs 4-2.

"My last couple starts have been embarrassing," Pelfrey said. "I
know I need to be a lot better and I'm going to be a lot
better."

Following his previous start, the 25-year-old Pelfrey had a long
chat with manager Jerry Manuel that the pitcher described as
"all positive."

"He told me he expected more out of me and I told him the same
thing. I said, `Hey, your expectations aren't higher than
mine,"' Pelfrey said. "I can finish this thing on a positive
note."

Pelfrey (10-10) allowed five hits in his longest outing this
year and Murphy finished a double shy of the cycle. The Mets
took two of three from Chicago in a series between preseason NL
favorites who have struggled all year.

It was the first time New York won a series since taking three
of four games against Colorado from July 27-30. The
injury-depleted Mets went 0-8-2 in series during that span.

Francisco Rodriguez, pitching on his bobblehead day, allowed a
run in the ninth before nailing down his 30th save in 35
chances.

Manuel and a trainer came out to check on Rodriguez after
Geovany Soto's two-out RBI double, but the All-Star closer waved
them off and got pinch-hitter Kosuke Fukudome to ground out on
his next pitch.

Rodriguez said his left leg simply cramped up.

"I probably didn't get enough water," he said.

Soto had a pair of run-scoring doubles for the Cubs, who
mustered little offense in support of Randy Wells (10-8). A
contender for NL Rookie of the Year, he yielded two runs - one
earned - and seven hits over six innings in a hard-luck loss.

"There's no sense in talking about it," Cubs manager Lou
Piniella said. "Wells did a nice job again. He's been one of the
most positive developments here."

Chicago starters have a 0.70 ERA in the last six games, but the
team is only 3-3 during that stretch.

A 13-game winner last season, Pelfrey entered 1-4 with a 6.09
ERA in his past six starts. But he was rarely in trouble Sunday.
He struck out five, walked one and threw 70 of his 105 pitches
for strikes.

"He was tremendous. He was rolling. He was throwing every single
pitch for strikes," Rodriguez said. "He was the Mike Pelfrey
that everybody was hoping to see."

After Soto's RBI double with nobody out in the fifth, the big
right-hander retired his next three batters to limit the damage.

"From here on out I think we'll see pretty good efforts from
Mike," Manuel said.

Murphy hit a solo homer into the second deck in right field in
the fourth. A two-out error by third baseman Aramis Ramirez
extended the New York fifth, and Murphy made the Cubs pay for
their mistake with a tiebreaking RBI single.

"You've got to pitch around the error. That's what good pitchers
do and I didn't," Wells said.

With two on and two outs in the seventh, Murphy hit a long drive
to center against Kevin Gregg that went over Sam Fuld's head and
off his glove for a two-run triple.

Cubs shortstop Andres Blanco turned in a spectacular play in the
fourth to rob Jeff Francoeur of a hit. Blanco made a diving stop
up the middle and threw to first from the seat of his pants as
he rolled over on the outfield grass.

"That's as good a play as I've ever seen made at the major
league level," Piniella said.

NOTES: Mets CF Carlos Beltran went 1 for 5 at Class A Brooklyn,
striking out three times. He said he was ready to rejoin the
Mets on Tuesday. ... Chicago recalled RHP Esmailin Caridad from
Triple-A Iowa. Piniella said Caridad would go into the bullpen
but could get a spot start or two before the seasons ends. He
said the team might also want to take another look at RHP Jeff
Samardzija as a starter before the end of the year. Samardzija,
currently pitching at Iowa, was a star receiver at Notre Dame.
... Piniella rested Fukudome and SS Ryan Theriot. ... Piniella
said he thinks the Cubs, last in the majors in stolen bases,
will try to add some speed in the offseason. ... Chicago 1B
Derrek Lee turned 34. ... Cubs RF Milton Bradley hobbled around
after fouling a ball off his right foot in the fourth. He was
checked by a trainer and Piniella, but stayed in the game. ...
Rodriguez's 238th save broke a tie with Ugueth Urbina for most
by a Venezuelan-born pitcher.