• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Zambrano dominant again as Cubs blank Reds

May 7, 2008 - 4:48 AM CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- May is traditionally Carlos Zambrano's best month. He has done nothing to dispel that notion again this season.

Zambrano tossed eight dominant innings Tuesday, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 3-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

A two-time All-Star, Zambrano (5-1) entered this contest with a 12-9 career record and a 2.54 ERA over his eight seasons in the month of May, allowing the opposition to bat .203 against him in the process. He was sharp again in his last start on Thursday, a no-decision against Milwaukee when he allowed just one run over 6 1/3 innings.

Five days later, the Cubs' ace was up to his usual tricks as he secured his fourth consecutive win, yielding three hits and three walks while striking out three to give the Cubs just their fourth win in their last 12 games.

"Zambrano gave us exactly what we needed," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "He gave us eight really good innings of baseball. He really threw the ball well."

Zambrano has tossed at least six innings in each start this season and Tuesday marked the seventh time in eight turns this season that he has permitted two runs or less.

"I felt good today," Zambrano said. "The longer I get into the game, (the more I feel) better and everything went good for me today."

Zambrano overcame his only jam in the sixth. After Ken Griffey Jr. opened the frame with a single, Brandon Phillips reached when Chicago second baseman Ronny Cedeno's high throw pulled shortstop Ryan Theriot off second base as the duo was attempting to turn a double play.

However, rookie Joey Votto flied out harmlessly to left-center and Edwin Encarnacion grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.

Closer Kerry Wood, pitching on the 10-year anniversary of his 20-strikeout game against Houston, gave up a bunt single and struck out two in the ninth, collecting his fifth save in eight chances.

"We won with three runs," Piniella said. "Let's see if we can do that a little more often."

The Cubs took an early 1-0 lead as Aramis Ramirez plated Theriot with a first-inning single off Aaron Harang (1-5).

They added a pair of insurance runs in the third, taking advantage of a rare lack of command from Harang to lead off the inning. After Derrek Lee and Ramirez drew the only walks the Reds' righthander issued, Kosuke Fukudome moved the runners up a base before Cedeno drove both of them home with a two-out, two-run single to right.

"The difference is they got two two-out hits and those are the things we're not getting," Reds manager Dusty Baker said.

Harang was solid over seven innings, allowing three runs and seven hits with six strikeouts before departing in favor of reliever Jared Burton prior to the eighth.

Once again, however, the Reds' ace was doomed by his offense, which has provided him a total of 15 runs of support in his eight starts this season. In half of Harang's eight starts, the Reds have scored two runs or less.