No decision for Big Z, but Cubs win big over Brewers
The Cubs got Carlos Zambrano off the hook Tuesday night.
Manager Lou Piniella said he hopes Zambrano can help himself a little bit more in the near future and down the road.
Zambrano found himself staked to a 4-0 lead by the fourth inning, but he couldn't hold it. The offense rescued him, and the Cubs went on to a 13-7 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field.
He threw 39 of his 103 pitches in the fifth inning as the Brewers sent 10 men to the plate and scored 5 runs after two outs.
That was it for Zambrano, who heard boos from the announced crowd of 38,896, most of whom headed for the exits well before this sloppy game was over.
Afterward, Zambrano was cordial in talking about the game, but he became irritated when a Chicago reporter asked him about reports that have the Cubs "shopping" him for a trade this off-season. Zambrano has a no-trade cause in his $91.5 million contract that runs through 2012.
"Why, you guys are (the) general manager now?" Zambrano replied. "I don't care. I don't care. If the Cubs want to trade me, it's because they don't like me anymore. I have to move on. What else can I do? Just move on. No, I don't want (to go). What kind of question is that, huh? That's enough."
With that, he ended the news conference.
It has been that kind of season - some would say career - for Zambrano, who brings immense talent but can't seen to get over the hump.
"Every year that I've been here and gone to spring training, I'm thinking to myself, 'Zambrano's going to win 20 ballgames,' " Piniella said before the game "That's how talented I think he is. But one thing or another, he hasn't been able to do that.
"Hopefully, in the not too far in the future, he can put a full year together, stay injury free, stay focused and win himself the amount of ballgames that he's fully capable of winning."
Zambrano looked strong at the start of Tuesday's game, striking out six over the first three innings. He helped himself by hitting a sacrifice fly in the Cubs' 3-run fourth. Later that inning, Derrek Lee hit a 2-run double, driving in his 99th and 100th runs of the season.
In the Brewers' 5-run fifth inning, Zambrano gave up a 2-run double to Corey Hart and a 2-run single to Mike Cameron. All of the trouble came after pitcher Yovani Gallardo singled with two outs and nobody on base.
Geovany Soto's leadoff homer in the bottom of the inning tied the game at 5-5, and the Cubs batted around and put across 5 in the sixth. They added 2 in the seventh.
Piniella summed up what he thought Zambrano needs to do.
"He's got ample time to do the things that we envisioned when he signed this contract, and hopefully, he will," Piniella said. "He's a talented young man. Focus. Staying healthy. Being totally dedicated. Those are the things that need to be done."
<p class="factboxheadblack">Bruce Miles' game tracker</p> <p class="News">Cubs 13, Brewers 7</p> <p class="News"><b>Getting on:</b> Shortstop Ryan Theriot saw his on-base percentage dip to .336, but he was on all game. He singled and walked four times.</p> <p class="News"><b>D-Lee doings:</b> First baseman Derrek Lee has recorded the second 100-RBI season of his career. His first came in 2005, when he knocked in 107 for the Cubs while hitting 46 homers and leading the NL in batting, at .335.</p> <p class="News"><b>Back on track:</b> After having his five-game hitting streak snapped Monday, catcher Geovany Soto hit a solo homer and knocked in 2 with a single. He also walked.</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=321730">Fuld nursing very sore thumb<span class="date"> [9/15/09]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>