• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Cubs beat cross-town rival White Sox

Jun 21, 2011 - 6:27 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Carlos Pena hit a three-run homer and Carlos Zambrano pitched eight strong innings, as the Chicago Cubs took down the Chicago White Sox, 6-3, in the opener of a three-game series between these two cross-town rivals.

Starlin Castro hit a solo homer and drove in three runs for the Cubs, who lost two of three to the Yankees over the weekend.

Zambrano (6-4) gave up three runs on seven hits to pick up the win. He also struck out five and walked two while improving to 5-2 on the road this season. The right-hander improved to 6-4 in 15 career appearances against the White Sox.

"So much has been made about his emotional stuff, and he was relaxed, he felt good and he handled himself great and then really went to work," Cubs manager Mike Quade said of Zambrano. "That's what you need, and good for him."

Paul Konerko hit a two-run homer to extend his home run streak to four straight games for the White Sox, who had a two-game winning streak snapped.

Gavin Floyd (6-7) allowed six runs on five hits over five-plus frames to take the loss. He also struck out three and walked three.

It seemed like Zambrano was going to have a rough outing following a three-run first inning. Juan Pierre led off with a single, moved to second on Omar Vizquel's groundout and scored on Carlos Quentin's base hit past a diving Pena at first. Konerko then kept his home run streak going with a two-run blast over the wall in left to give the White Sox an early 3-0 lead.

But Zambrano settled down on the mound for the Cubs, who got two runs back in the third. A Geovany Soto single and Kosuke Fukudome walk put men on first and second with two outs. The runners moved up a base on a wild pitch and crossed the plate on Castro's single up the middle.

Zambrano got out of a jam in the fifth. With men on the corners and one out, Quentin flied out and Konerko struck out swinging to end the threat.

The Cubs put up a four-spot in the sixth to take the lead. Castro started the frame with a homer to left. Blake DeWitt singled and Aramis Ramirez walked to put two men on with nobody out. Pena stepped to the plate and crushed Floyd's offering over the wall in center. Brian Bruney came in from the bullpen and retired the next three batters to end the inning, but not before the Cubs took a 6-3 margin.

"I made a bad pitch to the leadoff guy, obviously, Castro, and it's just one of those things, when you get two strikes, you have to make a better pitch," Floyd said. "Things kind of led to getting guys on and then I made a bad pitch to Pena. You just have to put it behind you and move on."

The White Sox brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth. Carlos Marmol gave up consecutive one-out singles to A.J. Pierzynski and Alex Rios. Mark Teahen then flied out to right to move Pierzynski to third. Pierre grounded out to give Marmol his 15th save of the season.

Game Notes

The Pale Hose have still won 11 of the last 16 matchups with the Cubs....The White Sox started a six-game homestand on Monday, while the Cubs got a six- game road trip underway....White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen was ejected by home plate umpire James Hoye in the bottom of the sixth inning for arguing...The White Sox left seven men on base.