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Cubs clobber Cincy, win seventh straight

Aug 7, 2011 - 4:55 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Starlin Castro drove in four runs and the Chicago Cubs took advantage of three Cincinnati errors to run their winning streak to seven with an 11-4 win.

Castro finished the game 2-for-5 with two runs scored, Carlos Pena drove in three runs on a pair of hits while Reed Johnson scored three times for the red-hot Cubs, who are on their first seven-game surge since a seven-game run from August 23-29, 2008.

"You don't do it without contributions from everyone and the benefit of these is that you get everyone involved in the game," said Chicago manager Mike Quade.

Carlos Zambrano (9-6) hit the 23rd home run of his career and went six innings to get the win as he gave up just three runs on six hits with four walks and six strikeouts.

"He (Zambrano) was pretty darn good out there today," said Quade. "He made his pitches today and it was a good workman's performance. It's what you get out of him whenever he goes out there."

Yonder Alonso hit the first home run of his career and drove in two for the Reds, who have lost three straight. Johnny Cueto (7-5) was touched for five runs on seven hits with three walks and two strikeouts over just 3 2/3 innings.

"Zambrano's home run and a couple of defensive mistakes and they're off to the races," said Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker.

Cincinnati second baseman Brandon Phillips left the game in the fifth inning with a sprained right ankle after a collision with center fielder Drew Stubbs in the fourth inning. He is listed as day-to-day.

"I'm all right, I'm living," said Phillips. "It doesn't feel too good and I don't like feeling like this, but that's where I am right now. I was just told to keep off it for now and keep it elevated so it won't swell up on me."

The top of the third saw the Reds take the lead on consecutive RBI singles from Miguel Cairo and Alonso, but the Cubs tied the game in the bottom of the inning as Zambrano led off the frame by drilling a 1-1 pitch into the right field stands and Pena later doubled home Aramis Ramirez, who had reached base on an infield single.

The fourth saw the Cubs take a lead that they never relinquished.

After Johnson led off with a double, the play that saw Phillips get injured, Alfonso Soriano doubled Johnson home. Three batters later, Castro hit into a fielder's choice that scored Soriano and a bases loaded walk from Pena made it a 5-2 game.

In the fifth inning, Castro doubled home two runners. Ramirez legged out an infield hit, and two more run scored on the play thanks to a bad throw from Edgar Renteria. Pena followed with an RBI double for a 10-2 lead.

Alonso's first home run came with one out in the sixth, but the Cubs got that back in the bottom half on Castro's RBI single.

Joey Votto drove in Stubbs in the ninth with a single to left.

Game Notes

Zambrano has won both of his starts in August and is now 17-11 in 37 games against the Reds...Cairo is one hit shy of 1,000 for his career...Cueto is 4-6 in 12 games against the Cubs...The Reds still lead the season series, 6-4...Both teams left nine men on base.