PHILADELPHIA -- Without Jimmy Rollins once again, the Phillies needed someone to step up and provide some much-needed offense.

Enter Pat Burrell.

Burrell smacked a two-run homer in the fourth inning and laced an RBI double in the sixth off Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano, helping to propel the Phillies past the Cubs, 5-3, before a crowd of 37,368 on Friday at Citizens Bank Park. Burrell boosted his average to a lofty .400, and Philadelphia rebounded nicely with 10 hits after two frustrating losses at Shea Stadium against the Mets.

Since Rollins was out for the third straight game with a sprained left ankle, winning the opening game of nine straight at home was the perfect recipe for the Phillies.

The catalyst on this homestand was clearly Burrell.

"I thought Pat was great," center fielder Shane Victorino said. "It was like last season all over again. He got big hit after big hit for us. Pat was huge in this one. He's locked in at the plate, and he has the ability to carry us for stretches, much like he did last season when we had guys hurt."

Burrell was terrific when second baseman Chase Utley missed 28 games from July 27-Aug. 26 last season, smacking eight homers and knocking in 21 runs. Burrell's average climbed from .249 to .267 during that hot stretch.

Even more important to Burrell than the end of last season was how he approached Spring Training.

"When I got to Spring Training, I had to get that feel back that I had at the end of last season," Burrell said. "I think that's what Spring Training is for. You can't just go through the motions and think that things are just going to happen for you. I've seen it happen too many times to guys.

"So I was just trying to get that approach back, get that feel back. Thankfully, it has happened at the right time for me."

Burrell's two-run blast was the 222nd of his career, placing him just one shy of fourth place on the all-time Phillies home run list, behind Greg Luzinski. It was Burrell's tie-breaking double in the sixth which was just as pleasing to manager Charlie Manuel.

"What I like about Pat is that he's hitting the ball to right with more authority," Manuel said. "He's staying in there, and his swing is good. He's got a quick bat."

Greg Dobbs added two hits, including an RBI double in the fifth that eluded the grasp of Cubs center fielder Kosuke Fukudome, and Carlos Ruiz ripped an RBI single to right in the sixth, which plated the Phillies' fifth run.

Brett Myers had his best start of the season despite allowing three home runs -- back-to-back shots by Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez in the first inning -- and a solo homer by Alfonso Soriano in the sixth. Myers picked up his first win of 2008 by throwing eight strong innings, giving up five hits and three earned runs.

Myers had his longest outing since Sept. 20, 2006, when he tossed a complete game against the Cubs.

"I definitely felt a lot more aggressive with every pitch," said Myers, who lowered his ERA from 6.30 to 5.00. "I felt like I threw pitches with conviction instead of wildly popping them up there. I felt like I was letting them go better."

Myers threw 115 pitches, 78 for strikes, and he seemed to have more confidence in his array of pitches.

"I had a good cutter," Myers said. "The rest of the stuff followed. When I have a good cutter, everything else follows."

Brad Lidge came on to toss a scoreless ninth, picking up his second save in as many chances.

"That was a fun game to watch," Lidge said. "I think my command is starting to come around. The more I pitch, the better I'll feel. I'm feeling good right now and feeling healthier. I'm looking forward to what lies ahead, because we have a very good team, and I'm excited to be a part of it."