Zambrano follows Prior on the mound with another standout performance

CHICAGO (AP) -- A day after Mark Prior returned to the mound with an overpowering outing for the Chicago Cubs, Carlos Zambrano made sure there was no letdown on the mound.
Zambrano pitched eight solid innings and Rey Ordonez hit a two-run single in the seventh to lead the Cubs over the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-1 Saturday.
Derrek Lee added a two-run homer in the eighth for Chicago, which snapped a three-game losing streak.
One day after Prior's brilliant season debut, Zambrano was just as tough. He allowed one run on four hits, and struck out seven and walked two. He retired six of the last seven batters he faced.
"It's tough sometimes to follow that the next day, but he came in and mentally he was locked in and ready to go from his bullpen on," Cubs catcher Michael Barrett said.
The stopper again
Zambrano stopped the Cubs' five-game losing streak last Sunday against Pittsburgh in a 12-1 win, and he ended up being the stopper again on Saturday.
"Zambrano has been great all year. He's a dominant pitcher, when he is on the mound other teams seem like they never get a bunch of hits or score a lot of runs. We needed that performance today," Lee said.
Pittsburgh was without manager Lloyd Mclendon, serving the first of a two-game suspension for his shouting match with Cardinals manager Tony La Russa on Thursday. The Pirates have lost six of their last seven games.
The Cubs struggled against Pirates starter Kris Benson until the seventh. Benson retired the first 10 batters he faced before giving up an infield hit to Barrett in the fourth inning. Aramis Ramirez then drew a walk, but Benson bounced back retiring the next seven batters.
Cubs lead, 3-1
Working with a 1-0 lead in the seventh, Benson (4-5) gave up a leadoff double to Moises Alou and then a single to Ramirez. He walked Lee to load the bases with one out and was lifted for reliever Mike Gonzalez. Gonzalez got Corey Patterson to hit a grounder to first, but Pirates first baseman Randall Simon's throw home sailed over catcher Jason Kendall's head allowing Alou to score. Ordonez followed with a two-run single to center, scoring Ramirez and Lee, giving the Cubs a 3-1 lead.
"For the most part, I liked what I saw. For seven innings that was a pretty good ball game and the guys played pretty well," said McClendon who watched the game from a private box. "Defensively we just gave the game away today."
Benson pitched 61/3 innings, allowing three runs -- two earned -- and gave up three hits. He struck out seven and walked two.
"It's going to be a tough challenge getting those guys [Alou and Ramirez] out every point of the game," Benson said. "Unfortunately I didn't get those outs when I needed them that last inning and it cost me the ballgame."
Zambrano gave up a leadoff homer to Jason Bay in the seventh on a 3-2 pitch. The ball landed in the right-field basket, giving the Pirates a 1-0 lead.
The Cubs padded their lead in the eighth. Alou scored on Todd Hollandsworth's potential double-play grounder and Lee followed with a two-run homer to left off Pirates reliever Mark Corey, giving the Cubs a 6-1 lead.
PITTSBURGHCHICAGO
abrhbiabrhbi
Kendall c4010TWalkr 2b4000
JWilsn ss2010Barrett c4010
Ward rf4000Alou lf4220
CWilsn lf4000Beltran p0000
Mckwk 3b4000ARmrz 3b3120
Bay cf4111Hlndsw rf4101
Simon 1b4000DeLee 1b3212
Hill 2b2010CPttson cf4010
Benson p2000ROrdnz ss4012
Gnzalez p0000Zmbrno p2000
Corey p0000Macias lf0000
Totals30141Totals32685
Pittsburgh000000100--1
Chicago00000033x--6
E--Simon (1), Alou (2). LOB--Pittsburgh 6, Chicago 5. 2B--Hill (5), Alou (14). HR--Bay (3), DeLee (6). SB--Alou (1). S--JWilson, Benson, Zambrano.
IPHRERBBSO
Pittsburgh
Benson L,4-56 1-333227
Gonzalez2-310000
Corey143300
Chicago
Zambrano W,6-2841127
Beltran100000
Umpires--Home, Mark Carlson; First, Brian Runge; Second, Bill Hohn; Third, Gary Darling. T--2:32. A--39,387.
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