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Zambrano, Cubs extend winning streaks

Jun 3, 2008 - 6:42 AM By Tim Powers PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Carlos Zambrano tossed five solid innings and had three hits to help lead the red-hot Chicago Cubs to their eighth straight win, a 7-6 triumph over the San Diego Padres in the opener of a three-game set on Monday.

The streak is the Cubs' longest since winning 12 in a row from May 19-June 2, 2001.

Zambrano (8-1) got off to a rocky start, allowing three runs in the first inning before recovering to blank San Diego over the next four frames. He yielded five hits while striking out two batters and walking four.

"My release point was bad today, but in the third inning I was able to stabilize my fastball and my other pitches," Zambrano said. "The good thing is that we won the game today and we're enjoying this a lot. I'm just glad I came back and did my job and the offense responded today."

"He was fighting himself," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "The last time out he threw a lot of pitches, and I was curious how he was going to bounce back today. He wasn't sharp. But, he got himself a win."

Adrian Gonzalez blasted a three-run homer in the ninth against Carlos Marmol that cut San Diego's deficit to 7-6, but Kerry Wood came on to retire the next two batters and convert his 15th save in 19 chances.

"(Zambrano) made pitches when he needed to after that first inning," Gonzalez said. "They came up with the big hits or the sacrifice fly when they needed it. It was one of those things where this season things aren't going well for us, but they are for them, and you could see it today."

The 27-year-old Zambrano helped his own cause in the fourth when he legged out a triple that plated Jim Edmonds and evened the score at 3-3.

"I'm fast, huh?" Zambrano joked. "It was good to help my team. Any time you can go out there and help yourself, it's a blessing."

Ryan Theriot had three hits and Edmonds added a pair of run-scoring doubles against the team that released him last month as the Cubs built a 7-3 lead in the seventh.

"Edmonds is performing," Piniella said. "He's doing a nice job. We had some patience with him and it's starting to pay off."

San Diego starter Cha Seung Baek (1-1) surrendered four runs in 4 1/3 innings in his first start since coming to the Padres in a trade with Seattle last week. The 27-year-old Korean righthander allowed nine hits and struck out two while walking one.

"(The Cubs) are on a nice roll here," Padres manager Bud Black said. "They're a good team, but if we play our game, we can beat them."

Carlos Guevara pitched an inning of scoreless relief in his major league debut for the Padres, who have lost two in a row on the heels of their only three-game winning streak of the season.