From bad to worse for Cubs after 15-6 loss to Nats
Carlos Zambrano's arm couldn't save the Cubs. Neither could his home run swing.
Apparently nothing can save the Cubs.
They fell 9 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night with an embarrassing 15-6 loss to the Washington Nationals, the team with the worst record in the major leagues.
The Cardinals beat the Astros 1-0 to increase their already commanding lead in the National League Central.
People in Chicago are starting to get the hang of how bad the Cubs are these days. The Wrigley Field crowd was announced at 37,297, and there were pockets of empty seats, particularly in the bleachers.
"That was a Rodney King beat down tonight," said Cubs right fielder Milton Bradley, never one to shy from the politically incorrect.
When asked if the Cubs' situation was demoralizing, Bradley responded: "I don't have a politically correct answer for that, so I can't answer it."
Zambrano, making his first start since Aug. 1 after a bout with lower-back spasms, gave up a run in the second inning but got it back with a solo homer in the third.
It was all over for Zambrano and the Cubs in the fifth, when the Nationals scored 6 runs. The Nats chased Zambrano before reliever Aaron Heilman gave up a grand slam to Elijah Dukes.
"This is the big leagues, and I just left some pitches in the strike zone," said Zambrano, who fell to 7-5. "I was behind in the count too much. In the big leagues, when you're behind in the count and make a mistake, you pay for it.
"We have a good team. When you can't perform good, it's tough."
Before the game, Piniella and general manager Jim Hendry talked bravely of their team getting back in the race, as the Cubs began a 10-game homestand, almost all of it against teams with losing records.
"In 2007, did everybody think that Colorado could get into the playoffs?" Piniella asked of the Rockies' miracle run. "It's amazing what a nice winning streak will do for you. You can make up ground in a hurry. Unfortunately for us, we haven't had a good winning streak in a long, long time."
Hendry, while trying to be optimistic, also was realistic.
"We've got to get it going," he said. "We're running out of time. We need a great homestand, and we need to get some help from other people. We've put ourselves in a spot we're in."
The Nationals improved to 45-81, while the Cubs fell to 62-61. All Piniella could do was offer a tip of the cap, a gesture that has become all too frequent for the Cubs in this disappointing season.
"One game," he said. "Look, we scored a few runs, which is positive, but they scored a heck of a lot more. That team swings the bat and has some athleticism. They've been playing well. We've had a rough August so far. What can I say?"
<p class="factboxheadblack">Bruce Miles' game tracker</p> <p class="News"><b>Big Z at the plate:</b> Carlos Zambrano's third-inning homer was his fourth of the season and the 20th of his career, extending his Cubs record for homers by a pitcher.</p> <p class="News"><b>Where there's a Willingham:</b> The Nationals' Josh Willingham hit a pair of homers and drove in 6 runs. Teammate Elijah Dukes hit the first grand slam of his career. He wound up with 5 RBI. </p> <p class="News"><b>Too little, too late:</b> Cubs right fielder Milton Bradley snapped an 0-for13 skid by going 4-for-4 with a homer and a walk. </p> <div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=316534">Cubs won't comment on Kenney report<span class="date"> [8/25/09]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=316537">Soriano out of action with bad left knee <span class="date"> [8/25/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>