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Zambrano outpitches Maine as Cubs rout Mets

May 16, 2007 - 3:19 AM FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- Carlos Zambrano won the battle of marquee pitchers. Aramis Ramirez gave him more than enough breathing room.

Zambrano allowed one run over eight innings and Ramirez highlighted a six-run sixth inning with his seventh career grand slam as the Cubs handed John Maine his first loss of the season and defeated the New York Mets, 10-1.

Cliff Floyd had three hits and drove in a run in his return to Shea Stadium and Daryle Ward had a two-run double for the Cubs, who pounded out 15 hits to win for just the second time in six games.

Ramirez broke open the game with his grand slam off Scott Schoeneweis, ending an 0-for-17 stretch for Cubs hitters with the bases loaded.

"We've been struggling with runners in scoring position," said Ramirez, whose blast landed about eight rows up in the mezzanine level. "It doesn't matter how far it goes. It's still a home run."

Shawn Green homered for the Mets, who lost for just the second time in seven games.

Zambrano (4-3) won for the third time in four starts but has been inconsistent this season. A bullpen session with pitching coach Larry Rothschild apparently worked wonders.

"I've been working hard with Larry," said Zambrano, a 16-game winner last season. "Hopefully this can be part of a good streak. When you prepare yourself, you don't get frustrated."

Zambrano allowed one run and six hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

"We were looking forward to this," manager Lou Piniella said. "This was one of he best outings he had all year."

Scott Eyre pitched the ninth for Chicago.

Zambrano worked out of one jam in the fifth and was helped defensively by left fielder Alfonso Soriano, who threw out a runner at home in the third.

Maine (5-1) has been among the more effective pitchers in baseball through the first six weeks of the season and entered the game with a 1.79 ERA. But the righthander was never in control in this one, allowing three runs and seven hits with three walks in five innings.

Maine need 73 pitches to get through the first three innings, including 30 in the first frame alone.

"They were waiting on my fastball," Maine said. "It took me a few inning to adjust."

Schoeneweis replaced Maine and allowed singles to Zambrano and Floyd sandwiched around a walk to Ryan Theriot. Ramirez later belted his ninth homer to give the Cubs a 7-1 lead.

"I still trust him, but he made a bad pitch," Mets manager Willie Randolph said of Schoeneweis.

Aaron Sele relieved and allowed RBI doubles to Michael Barrett and Jacque Jones to cap the six-run inning.

The Mets received a scare when first baseman Carlos Delgado was hit on the pinkie with a pitch in the sixth and was forced to leave the game.

"I'm good," Delgado said.

The Cubs took a 3-0 lead in the first two innings. Maine walked Theriot and Soriano in the first and both scored on a two-run double to left-center field by Ward.

Ward started in place of star first baseman Derrek Lee, who missed his second straight game due to back spasms.

Floyd, who spent the last four seasons with the Mets before signing with the Cubs in the offseason, delivered an RBI single in the second to increase the lead to 3-0. Floyd, who did not play on Monday, received a warm ovation before his first at-bat.

"They're great fans here and I respect them," Floyd said.

Green led off the fifth inning with his fifth homer of the year to cut the lead to 3-1. The Mets later put runners on second and third with two outs, but Zambrano got Endy Chavez to ground out.

Zambrano allowed three hits in the second, but escaped without a run when Soriano threw out Green trying to score from second on a single to left field by Paul Lo Duca.

Barrett made it 10-1 in the eighth with a sacrifice fly.