Lee's slam keys Cubs win but Zambrano may end up on DL

Lou Piniella wouldn't want star pitcher Carlos Zambrano playing any other way.

"No, my gosh, what are we supposed to do?" the Cubs manager said Sunday after his team beat the Florida Marlins 6-4 at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs won the game and the series, three games to one, but they may have lost Zambrano for at least 1 start and maybe to the disabled list after he strained his left hamstring beating out a bunt for a basehit to start the Cubs' 4-run fifth inning.

Zambrano tried to stay in the game, but he was rubbing the upper portion of the hamstring and had to come out. Afterward, he went for an MRI.

"Right in the belly of the hamstring," Piniella said. "He told me it was more of a cramp than anything else. Then, after a pitch (by Florida's Ricky Nolasco), he realized it was more than that. I tried to get him out initially. He talked me out of it. We did the right thing getting him out."

Zambrano (3-1) ended up getting the victory as the Cubs moved to 13-11.

The Cubs had taken a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning on Mike Fontenot's solo homer. After the Marlins tied the game in the top of the fifth, Zambrano led off the home half by placing bunt down the third-base line. Nolasco had no play as Zambrano motored down the line.

Pitcher Rich Harden ran for Zambrano, and Derrek Lee keyed the inning with a grand slam to center field.

Zambrano is an all-around athlete whom the Cubs often use as a pinch hitter. He goes all-out on the field and has endured shoulder and forearm problems in the past, but the Cubs don't want him to change his approach.

"He laid down a perfect bunt," said Piniella, who termed Zambrano's start "in jeopardy" for Friday. "What was the score at the time? Tied. He laid down a perfect bunt to start an inning. He hurts his hamstring. But what can you do? I thought it was a really good play. The third baseman was giving him the basehit, and he just dropped it down. It happened."

The other news was Lee hitting his second homer in two days, giving him 3 this season. After Zambrano bunted for his basehit and came out, Alfonso Soriano flied out. Ryan Theriot (2-for-4) singled, and Kosuke Fukudome reached on Ross Gload's error in right. Lee crushed a 1-0 pitch from Nolasco.

"It's getting better," said Lee, who is batting .209. "I'd like to mix in some other hits with it. I'll take the home runs. Honestly, I don't worry about the power. I just really am concerned with having good, consistent at-bats. I think, after that, things take care of themselves. The home runs are nice the last two days, but I'd like to mix in some other good at-bats with it."

Angel Guzman relieved Zambrano and gave up a run as did Carlos Marmol. Kevin Gregg worked the ninth and earned his third save of the year and second in three days.

"We had lost a few series, and now we won three out of the last four games here to win the series," Piniella said. "Let's see if it gets us going."

<p class="factboxheadblack">Bruce Miles' game tracker</p> <p class="News"><b>Turning point:</b> Derrek Lee's grand slam in the fifth inning broke a 2-2 tie. It was Lee's second homer in two days and his first grand slam since May 19, 2007, when he hit a pinch-hit slam against the White Sox and pitcher Boone Logan.</p> <p class="News"><b>Hearing it:</b> Milton Bradley was booed after striking out in the eighth inning. Bradley was 0-for-4 and is now 5-for-43 (.116) for the season.</p> <p class="News"><b>Correct positioning:</b> When the top of the ninth inning started, manager Lou Piniella moved Kosuke Fukudome to right field from center, removing Bradley from the game. The Marlins had the tying run at the plate and two outs when Fukudome made a diving catch of Emilio Bonifacio's fly to end the game and preserve the 6-4 Cubs win.</p>