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Cubs pound Mets

May 27, 2011 - 2:24 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Carlos Zambrano pitched six innings for the win and went 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, leading the Cubs to a 9-3 victory over the Mets in the finale of a three-game series.

Zambrano (5-2) picked up his first victory in four starts after allowing two runs -- one earned -- on six hits and two walks, striking out five. He knocked in the eventual game-winning run with a single in Chicago's four-run fourth and also doubled and scored a run in the sixth.

Carlos Pena hit a two-run homer and Kosuke Fukudome added a solo blast for the Cubs, who won two of three in the series.

Mets starter R.A. Dickey left the game with right heel pain after he fell running to cover first base in the third inning. Pedro Beato (1-1) relieved him and took the loss in 1 1/3 innings.

Daniel Murphy had three hits for the Mets, who have lost four of their last five.

After Wednesday's game -- a 7-4 New York win -- was shortened to seven innings by rain, the start of Thursday's finale was delayed 31 minutes because of weather.

"It was cold, wet and damp, but you have to get through it," Cubs manager Mike Quade said.

The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the third when Jose Reyes stretched his double into a run after throwing errors by Fukudome in right field and Darwin Barney's relay throw from second to third.

But they lost Dickey on a bizarre play in the bottom of the inning. He didn't originally move to cover first base on a ground ball by Fukudome to the right side. But when Murphy was pulled off the bag, Dickey started to run.

The knuckleballer took just a few steps before tumbling to the grass in between the mound and first base. He was helped to his feet after several minutes and tried to walk it off, but was unable to continue.

"When I saw Murphy go to get the ball, it kind of took me by surprise and I started up again," said Dickey. "When I did, I felt a real pronounced burning sensation in my heel and just involuntarily went down."

The Cubs then took a 4-1 lead in the fourth. Starlin Castro drew a leadoff walk and Pena launched Beato's 2-1 pitch into the right field bleachers. Alfonso Soriano singled and scored later on a ground out and Zambrano added an RBI single.

Jason Pridie tripled leading off the fifth and scored on Josh Thole's two-out single to get New York within 4-2. But the Cubs scored two more runs in the bottom of the inning against Pat Misch.

The inning could have ended without a run, but Reyes let a potential double play grounder get past him in the hole. Soriano knocked in both runs with a double to the left-center field wall to make it 6-2.

Zambrano doubled against Misch to lead off the sixth and scored later when Barney greeted new reliever Taylor Buchholz with a sacrifice fly. In the seventh, Blake DeWitt doubled and scored later on a wild pitch by Tim Byrdak.

Justin Turner hit an RBI ground out in the top of the eighth for New York, and Fukudome belted his first homer of the season off Jason Isringhausen in the bottom of the inning to make it 9-3.

Game Notes

In a trade Thursday, the Cubs acquired right-handed pitcher Rodrigo Lopez from the Braves for left-handed pitcher Ryan Buchter...Beato was charged with four runs -- three earned -- on four hits and two walks...Before he was hurt, Dickey picked off Tony Campana at first base in the third...Fukudome hit at least 10 homers in each of his first three seasons...The Mets are headed back to New York for a 10-game homestand that starts Friday against the Phillies...The Cubs continue their nine-game homestand against the Pirates this weekend.