Zambrano continues to puzzle Pirates, 9-5

The Cubs' pitcher posted his seventh straight win over the Bucs in two years.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Carlos Zambrano dominated the Pittsburgh Pirates until tiring with a big lead in the eighth inning. Maybe it was too much to ask him to complete two games in three days.
Zambrano beat Pittsburgh for the seventh consecutive time over two seasons, limiting the Pirates to two hits until the eighth and helping himself and the Chicago Cubs with two hits in a 9-5 victory Saturday.
Zambrano (12-5) went 5-0 against the Pirates last season -- the first pitcher to beat them five times in season since Tom Seaver in 1973 -- and is 2-0 in three starts against them this year. He gave up Craig Wilson's RBI single in the first, then was in control until he gave up three runs in the eighth.
Pitching 72/3 innings, Zambrano won his fourth in a row overall and his fifth in six decisions, though he failed for the first time in 13 starts to allow three or fewer runs. He gave up five runs and five hits, striking out nine and walking four, despite feeling pain in his back while fielding a ground ball in the second inning.
"I felt like a dog bit me in the back, but after I stood up and stretched I felt a lot better," he said.
In soccer scrimmage
Before the game, manager Dusty Baker was surprised to learn that Zambrano played in a 40-minute scrimmage with the Chicago Fire soccer team Thursday. The right-handed Zambrano was supposed to serve only as an honorary captain in an event staged for the media, but started the game as a midfielder and ended it playing goal -- making five saves in about 15 minutes, one with his pitching hand.
"That was fun," Zambrano said. "I wasn't playing like we were trying to win the world championship or the World Cup ... just take it easy."
No doubt Baker would have had a different reaction if Zambrano, who regularly does stretching exercises for his sometimes-troublesome back, had aggravated the problem while playing another sport in-season.
"It was supposed to be a promotional thing, but it's hard to be out there and be good at it and not do something," said Baker, who wouldn't have knowingly allowed Zambrano to play. "It's too late now, but I'm sure they won't have any other promotions."
Cubs 10-3 against Bucs
The Cubs are five games under .500 and out of postseason contention, but at least they can count on beating the Pirates, who are two losses from a 13th-consecutive losing season. Chicago is 10-3 against Pittsburgh this season and 23-8 over the last two seasons.
Chicago is assured of its fifth consecutive winning season against the Pirates, the first time that has occurred in one of the NL's oldest rivalries since 1913-19, when the Cubs had winning records in seven consecutive seasons. They have won six in a row in Pittsburgh, where they have played .500 or better every season since PNC Park opened in 2001.
The Pirates, who have lost 50 of 85 since they were 30-30 on June 11, dropped their eighth in nine games and their 11th in 13 games -- the kind of late-season slump that can get a manager fired. The Pirates have not exercised their 2006 club option on Lloyd McClendon, who has yet to have a winning season since taking over in 2001.
Regardless, McClendon is giving frequent starts to the seven Pirates rookies who have made their major league debuts this season, and will keep doing so. He bumped veteran starter Josh Fogg from the rotation Saturday to give more starts to rookies Paul Maholm and Zach Duke.
"We're making progress," he said. "Is it showing up in the standings? No, but it's not like we're not making progress."
CHICAGOPITTSBURGH
abrhbiabrhbi
Hrst Jr cf3311McLth cf3211
Cedeno ss4121Snchez 2b3100
DeLee 1b3011Bay lf3111
McClin 1b0000Mckwk 3b3000
Grcprr 3b3001CWilsn rf4023
Macias 3b1000Doumit c4000
Burnitz rf5011Eldred 1b4000
Murton lf5121JWilsn ss4120
buren p0000DWlms p0000
TWalkr 2b4010Rstvich ph1000
NPerez 2b1000Vglsng p0000
HBlnco c5331Mdows p0000
CZmro p4121Ward ph1000
Ohman p0000Gnzalez p0000
CPttson cf1000RiWhte p0000
TRdmn ph1000
STorres p0000
Wggntn ph1000
Totals399138Totals32565
Chicago220210200--9
Pittsburgh100010030--5
E--Garciaparra (9), Mackowiak (10). DP--Chicago 1, Pittsburgh 1. LOB--Chicago 9, Pittsburgh 5. 2B--Hairston Jr. (22), Cedeno (3), Burnitz (30), HBlanco (6), CZambrano (5), McLouth (2), CWilson (9), JWilson (17). HR--Murton (2), HBlanco (5). SF--DeLee, McLouth.
IPHRERBBSO
Chicago
CZmro W,12-57 2-355549
Ohman1-300001
Van buren110000
Pittsburgh
DWilliams L,10-11254421
Vogelsong222210
Meadows121101
Gonzalez232202
RiWhite100000
STorres110001
HBP--by Vogelsong (Cedeno), by Vogelsong (Hairston Jr.). PB--HBlanco. Umpires--Home, James Hoye; First, Ted Barrett; Second, Alfonso Marquez; Third, Rick Reed. T--2:50. A--22,909.