• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Cubs host Mets as division leaders square off

Aug 3, 2007 - 1:29 PM NY Mets (61-47) at Chicago Cubs (57-50) 2:20 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Two of the National League's hottest teams square off on Friday as the New York Mets visit the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a three-game series.

Carlos Zambrano (14-7, 3.47 ERA) takes the mound for the Cubs looking for his major league-leading 15th win in what could be a possible postseason matchup.

Zambrano has been stellar since the All-Star break, winning four straight starts with a miniscule ERA of 0.71, and has been a huge reason why Chicago has won 13 of its last 19 games.

In his last start, the righthanded Zambrano allowed just two hits and struck out six in 7 1/3 strong innings in a 6-0 win at the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

Chicago has overcome an 8 1/2-game deficit in a month and moved just percentage points ahead of Milwaukee (58-51) for first place in the NL Central Division following the Brewers' 12-4 loss to the Mets on Thursday.

While it took a while for the Cubs to get to first place, the Mets have held that spot the whole season. New York maintained a four-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies (57-51) in the NL East after winning the rubber game with Milwaukee on Thursday.

Damion Easley hit a inside-the-park, two-run homer in the sixth inning and the Mets pounded out a season-high 18 hits en route to their 12th win in the last 19 games.

Orlando Hernandez (7-4, 3.02) gets the ball looking for his fourth straight winning decision. On Saturday, Hernandez yielded just one run and three hits in seven innings against the Washington Nationals.