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Zambrano outduels Sheets to lift Cubs past Brewers

Apr 7, 2007 - 9:21 PM MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Carlos Zambrano was the better ace.

Zambrano outpitched Ben Sheets and Aramis Ramirez belted a two-run homer to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 6-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

After losing his first start of the season at Cincinnati, Zambrano (1-1) broke into the win column by allowing three runs and five hits in seven innings. The Venezuelan righthander walked two, struck out six and departed after throwing 109 pitches.

"I like the matchup (with Sheets) and challenge, it makes me pitch better," said Zambrano, who also singled home a run. "You see a guy like him or (Chris) Carpenter and you get more focus in the game."

Bobby Howry pitched a perfect eighth and Ryan Dempster worked a 1-2-3 ninth with two strikeouts for his second save.

The Cubs mustered enough offense against Sheets, who pitched a two-hitter in beating Los Angeles on Monday.

Ramirez's first homer of the season with none out in the top of the sixth inning gave the Cubs a 4-1 lead.

"He was throwing well, we just took advantage of the few mistakes he made," Ramirez said.

Sheets (1-1) went six innings, allowing five runs and nine hits. The righthander struck out three without a walk.

"His stuff was really good but his command was off," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "He didn't execute his pitches like he wanted to."

Zambrano showed things would be different in his second start, striking out four of the first six batters.

"He came out with outstanding stuff and piled up a few early strikeouts," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "Quite a different performance from Opening Day, seven good innings of baseball, the best stuff I've seen from him."

Sheets worked around a two-out double in the first but was unable to keep the Cubs off the board in the second.

Matt Murton singled with one out and Mark DeRosa followed with an RBI triple. After Henry Blanco grounded out, Zambrano helped his own cause with a run-scoring single.

"Like I always say, anything I can do with the bat or running to help the team, I like to do," Zambrano said.

Rickie Weeks reached Zambrano for a leadoff homer in the fourth, his first of the season.

Lee opened the sixth with a hard single and Ramirez followed by slugging a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall, giving the Cubs a 4-1 cushion. Henry Blanco lofted a a sacrifice fly later in the frame.

"They've got a good lineup," Sheets said. "I was getting behind a little bit too much, and the curveball hurt (me) in that (sixth) inning."

Zambrano gave up Prince Fielder's RBI double in the sixth. Lee answered with a run-scoring single in the seventh.

Milwaukee's Geoff Jenkins hit his first homer to open the bottom of the seventh and cap the scoring.