Zambrano wild in his return; Cubs lose in 11

With Carlos Zambrano, there is control, and there is self-control.

The big right-hander seemed to have the latter Monday night as he comported himself well during his first start since going out of control June 25 at U.S Cellular Field.

The only control problem Zambrano had against the Giants on Monday was in getting the ball over the plate.

Zambrano was throwing more balls than strikes in the early going. He walked seven in his 5 innings, including 3 in the second.

A pair of double plays helped Zambrano emerge unscathed as the Cubs grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first and held it through four innings before the Giants tied it at 2-2 in the fifth. The Cubs went ahead 3-2 in the sixth.

The Giants pushed across a run in the 11th inning to earn a 4-3 victory. Pat Burrell hit a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded and nobody out off Cubs rookie reliever Marcos Mateo to score Edgar Renteria with the winning run.

Of course, all eyes were on Zambrano, the opening-day starter who was getting his third chance as a member of the starting rotation this year.

"We're all very hopeful of what we're going to see," acting manager Alan Trammell said on the WGN radio pregame show. Trammell is filling in for Lou Piniella, who is home in Florida tending to his ailing mother.

"I think he has been very remorseful (about) the incident that happened well over a month ago," Trammell said. "We hope that he's learned from this and that he can channel his emotions because that's something he has to do.

"We need it because we've been struggling, and I think he would like to pick us up. With that being said, I think he needs to stay within himself whether or not we have a pitch count. We'll certainly be monitoring Carlos."

The Cubs had planned to have Zambrano throw 75-80 pitches, but a cool night in San Francisco enabled him to throw 95.

Going against the Cubs was lefty Madison Bumgarner, and the Cubs got to him quickly. Starlin Castro doubled with one out in the first inning. After Xavier Nady flied out, Aramis Ramirez walked. Marlon Byrd followed with an RBI single, and Alfonso Soriano doubled home Ramirez to put the Cubs up 2-0.

The Cubs didn't do much after that, but they did leave the bases loaded in the third. They chased Bumgarner in the sixth, with Tyler Colvin rolling a two-out RBI single into left field to score Blake DeWitt, who had singled earlier.

<p class="factboxheadblack">Bruce Miles' game tracker</p>

<p class="News">Giants 4, Cubs 3 (11)</p>

<p class="News"><b>The mark of Z:</b> Carlos Zambrano started for the Cubs and pitched 5 innings, giving up 4 hits and 2 runs. He walked seven and struck out three. Zambrano threw 95 pitches, 49 for strikes. He came away with a no-decision.</p>

<p class="News"><b>X marks the spot:</b> Xavier Nady made his second straight start, this time at first base in place of Derrek Lee. Nady had singles in the third and fifth innings.</p>

<p class="News"><b>Late change:</b> Koyie Hill got his third straight start behind the plate, as No. 1 catcher Geovany Soto missed another start because of a sore right shoulder.</p>

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