Alfonso Soriano’s slow start is long forgotten. Now that summer is turning to fall, Soriano is where he expected to be — leading the Chicago Cubs as they make a serious postseason run.Soriano hit two homers Saturday — giving him 11 this month — and the Cubs kept up their late-season power display to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-5 and solidify their lead in the NL Central. Chicago has won 9 of 11.

“I got my timing at the right time. September is the last month and the team needed that offense,” Soriano said, adding that he’s definitely playing his best baseball of the year.

The Cubs extended their lead to 2 1/2 games over Milwaukee, which lost 4-3 in 11 innings at Atlanta.