Zambrano returns; Harden joins DL; Padres win 4-0
The Cubs gained one but lost one Friday night.
Ace right-hander Carlos Zambrano returned to the starting rotation for the game against almost-Cub and almost-White Sox Jake Peavy and the San Diego Padres. Zambrano worked 4
2⁄3
innings in the Padres' 4-0 victory.
To make room for Zambrano, the Cubs had to put right-hander Rich Harden on the 15-day disabled list with what the club termed a mid-back strain. Apparently, Harden felt something in the back in last Sunday's start against the Astros, during which he worked 6 innings in a 6-5 loss.
The back also acted up again during Harden's bullpen session in St. Louis earlier this week.
Manager Lou Piniella said on his pregame radio show that Harden's injury was not serious but that the Cubs didn't want to take chances. Rookie right-hander Randy Wells will start tonight's second game of the series.
Zambrano came out firing and looked, if anything, to be overly amped up. He walked leadoff hitter Tony Gwynn and hit No. 2 hitter David Eckstein, eventually sending Eckstein out with a bruised right shoulder.
After Zambrano struck out Adrian Gonzalez, Scott Hairston walked to load the bases. Brian Giles hit a sacrifice fly to score Gwynn. The Cubs, who scored a grand total of 2 runs in three games at St. Louis, had chances against Peavy in each of the first four innings but could not push across a run.
Peavy walked a pair with two outs in the first inning, but Micah Hoffpauir struck out. In the second. Peavy hit Bobby Scales with a pitch, causing the umpires to warn both teams. Koyie Hill reached first base on Chris Burke's error, but the next three batters went down, and the Cubs came away empty.
The Padres went ahead 3-0 in the fifth, when they chased Zambrano. Peavy led off with a single and went to third on Gwynn's double. Edgar Gonzalez hit a sacrifice fly. Zambrano walked Adrian Gonzalez intentionally before getting Hairston on a popout.
Piniella removed Zambrano in favor of Aaron Heilman, who gave up an RBI single to Giles.
Peavy lasted 6 shutout innings, giving up 2 hits while walking four and striking out 10. Adrian Gonzalez homered off Neal Cotts in the seventh, giving him 5 homers against the Cubs this year.
Seeking the century: Starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano was seeking to become the fourth pitcher in the last 50 years to win 100 games with the Cubs, joining Fergie Jenkins, Rick Reuschel and Greg Maddux. Zambrano will have to wait at least another start.
Shaking it up: Bobby Scales (third base), Koyie Hill (catcher) and Micah Hoffpauir (right field) all got starts as slumping Mike Fontenot, Geovany Soto and Milton Bradley took seats.
Running it up: The Cubs wanted to keep Zambrano on a pitch count, and he got there first. He threw 31 pitches in the first inning and had the pitch count up to 97 by the time manager Lou Piniella came and got him with two outs in the fifth.