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Cubs send Zambrano to hill in opener with Padres

Apr 18, 2011 - 2:37 PM (Sports Network) - It wasn't pretty, but Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano extended his personal winning streak to a career-best 10 straight decisions last time out. He'll try to make it easier on himself this evening as Chicago kicks off a three-game series with the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field.

Zambrano picked up his second straight win of this season on Wednesday in Houston even though he pitched just 5 2/3 innings and allowed five runs on seven hits and three walks. He did help spot himself a 6-0 lead with a homer, the 22nd of his career, and was able to avoid his first loss since June 25.

"It's not the first time I hit a home run," said Zambrano, whose winning streak began on Aug. 14. "It's number 22 for me. I've been excited 22 times. I just went out there trying to do my job, like always."

The 29-year-old righty is 2-0 despite a 6.11 earned run average over three starts, yielding 19 hits and nine walks over 17 2/3 innings. He could turn things around versus the Padres, against whom he is 7-2 with a 2.37 ERA in 12 career starts.

Things were also a little rough last time out for Padres starter Tim Stauffer, the fourth overall pick of the 2003 draft who is 0-1 with a 4.80 ERA on the season. Stauffer hasn't made it out of the fifth inning in two straight, including Wednesday versus the Reds as he lasted just 4 1/3 innings and gave up two runs on six hits while not factoring into the decision of a 3-2 win.

The 28-year-old righty is 0-2 with a 3.46 ERA in three career games versus the Cubs, including two starts.

Stauffer will try to keep the Padres on track tonight after they earned a split of their four-game series with Houston on Sunday thanks to an 8-6 victory. Will Venable, who came into the game after right fielder Chris Denorfia left after four innings with a bruised left forearm, hit a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning.

Jorge Cantu smacked a two-run homer and finished with three RBI, while Nick Hundley added a solo shot before Heath Bell worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning for his fourth save.

"We had some good at-bats ... we didn't expand the strike zone, swung at strikes and we passed on balls," Padres manager Bud Black told his team's website.

While San Diego rallied late for its victory, Chicago was undone in the eighth inning of Sunday's 9-5 loss at Colorado. Cubs reliever Marcos Mateo was charged with four two-out runs in the frame to take the loss.

"That epitomizes baseball here in Colorado. You're never out of it," Cubs manager Mike Quade said. "You get within one pitch of getting out of a [heck] of a mess in the eighth."

Starlin Castro finished 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored for the Cubs, who ended 4-5 on a nine-game road trip. Castro is hitting .418 on the season and has struck out just four times in 67 at-bats.

Chicago was swept by San Diego in a four-game series at home last year, getting outscored 20-9.