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Zambrano, big inning fuel Cubs past Padres

May 13, 2008 - 4:24 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Carlos Zambrano is willing to help the Chicago Cubs any way he can. Luckily for them, he is multi-talented.

Zambrano tossed seven strong innings and sparked a six-run fifth with a double as the Chicago Cubs rolled to a 12-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on Monday.

Alfonso Soriano homered and Geovany Soto drove in a pair of runs as the first eight batters reached safely in the decisive fifth frame.

A switch-hitter, Zambrano also added a single from the left side in a five-run sixth.

"It's good to have one hit righthanded and one lefthanded," Zambrano said. "Anything I can do for my team - running, pinch-hitting, pitch (or) play outfield."

The two big innings were more than enough support for Zambrano (6-1), who was scratched from his start on Sunday due to a rain delay. The Cubs' ace allowed three runs and six hits with five strikeouts and two walks to post his fifth straight winning decision.

The native of Venezuela was forced to put on long sleeves in between innings due to the 40-degree weather.

"In Venezuela, it's never this cold," he said. "Not even close. As a starting pitcher, you have to make adjustments in this weather. What you try to do is hit your spots and put the cold out of your mind. I was able to do that tonight."

One of Zambrano's only mistakes came in the top of the fifth when he allowed a solo home run to Jody Gerut which gave the Padres a 2-1 lead.

However, the big righthander made up for his mistake quickly - with his bat. One of the best hitting pitchers in baseball, Zambrano led off the decisive fifth with a double off the center field wall.

Soriano followed by blasting a 1-2 offering from Padres starter Randy Wolf (2-3) to left-center field for his fourth home run of the season.

"I feel very comfortable at home plate," Soriano said. "I'm swinging at strikes and being more patient at home plate. That's what I want to do to help the team win. I'm being more aggressive, but at the same time being selective at home plate. When I swing at strikes, I know I hit the ball very hard."

"He's starting to swing the bat," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "He hit that two-run homer to put us ahead after they scored. That's good to see."

Aramis Ramirez had an RBI single and Soto's single to center plated Derrek Lee and Ramirez for a 6-2 lead. Mark DeRosa capped the outburst with a RBI single to left off Sean Henn for a six-run bulge.

"We've been swinging the bats very well at home, putting runs on the board," Piniella said. "When you do that, it makes it much easier on your pitching. We put together two big innings. When we (hit) like tonight, our offense really looks potent and good. We were patient and took a few walks."

Wolf was charged with seven runs and eight hits in four-plus innings.

"Randy pitched all right early," Padres manager Bud Black said. "In the fifth inning, he started to get his fastball up. The ball was up to Zambrano and the ball was up to Soriano when he hit his home run. That started it for them."

Things got out of hand in the sixth as a throwing error by third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff allowed three runs to score for a 11-2 lead. Reed Johnson capped the frame with an RBI single.

Edgar Gonzalez, the brother of Padres first baseman Adrian, had an RBI single in his first career at-bat in the seventh for San Diego.

Chicago broke out on top in the first as Ryan Theriot hit a one-out single and scored on a double to right field by Lee. The Padres tied the game at 1-1 in the third on an RBI single by Tadahito Iguchi.