• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Zambrano, Ramirez help Cubs top Brewers

Jul 30, 2008 - 3:57 AM By Nick Berenz PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MILWAUKEE (Ticker) -- Two of the National League's best pitchers faced off in a National League Central Division showdown in front of a sellout crowd at Miller Park on Tuesday. However, only one looked like an All-Star.

Carlos Zambrano outpitched Ben Sheets and the Chicago Cubs extended their division lead over the Milwaukee Brewers to three games with a 7-0 win.

Aramis Ramirez went 4-for-5 with three doubles and drove in a run while Kosuke Fukudome had a two-run triple to help the Cubs win their third straight.

"I want to produce every time up there," Ramirez said. "It's fun anytime you play the team chasing you, though, especially when it's Milwaukee."

Mark DeRosa lifted a sacrifice fly in the fourth to open the scoring in support of Zambrano (12-4), who struck out nine while giving up five hits and two walks.

"When you see guys like Sheets, Roy Oswalt or Brandon Webb, you know you have to be almost perfect and bring your 'A' game," Zambrano said. "We have good pitching, but if you make mistakes these two teams will make you pay."

Fukudome delivered his big hit to spark a five-run rally in the sixth and DeRosa followed with an RBI single. Ben Sheets surrendered a sacrifice fly to Alfonso Soriano later in the frame to increase Chicago's advantage to 6-0.

"Ramirez is swinging the bat really well, and I re-inserted Fukudome into the five-hole, and it paid off handsomely," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said.

Sheets, who has one victory since June 23, surrendered six runs and 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings. The All-Star righthander looked good through the first five innings but unraveled in the sixth as the Cubs drove him from the game with seven consecutive hits.

"They put the ball in play and put the pressure on us to try and stop some runs, and it came back to blow up in our face," Sheets said. "We don't want to give any away, but there's a lot of season left to play."

Entering the game, Sheets had a 2.38 ERA against the Cubs this season.

Zambrano, however, continued his stellar pitching, notching his seventh win against NL Central Division opponents.

"Zambrano is our ace and he's got really good stuff," said Cubs All-Star catcher Geovany Soto. "He likes big games, and that's what they pay him for."

After starting the second half 8-1 and tying the Cubs for the division lead as recently as Saturday, Milwaukee has lost three straight. Even worse for the Brewers, the last two losses have come with staff aces C.C. Sabathia and Sheets on the mound.

"They got past our two best," Brewers manager Ned Yost said. "The good thing going in our favor is that it's still August, and we have a lot of time to make up ground and we still have two games left in the series."

Prince Fielder went 1-for-3 with a single and a walk and Mike Cameron laced an RBI double in the ninth for the Brewers.