Zambrano wins eighth straight to lead Cubs past Mets

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Carlos Zambrano picked up his eighth
straight win and belted a fourth home run of the season to lead
the Chicago Cubs to an 8-6 victory over the New York Mets at
Shea Stadium on Tuesday.

Zambrano (11-3) labored through seven innings, allowing
five runs on eight hits but his solo home run restored a
two-run advantage for the Cubs, enough to secure the win.

“I was really pumped up early on and was trying to be too
perfect,” Zambrano told MLB.com. “I made adjustments after the
second inning and tried to help set up my team for the win.”

Cubs closer Ryan Dempster struggled to close out the
contest, giving way to Bob Howry, who came on to get the final
out and his third save of the season.

Chicago got the contest off to an explosive start with Phil
Nevin and Aramis Ramirez smacking back-to-back first inning
homers off New York starter Tom Glavine.

However, the Mets came charging right back with a solo home
run from Carlos Beltran in the bottom of the inning and a three
run blast from Endy Chavez in the second to jump 4-2 in front.

That lead would be the last time the 47,686 fans at Shea
Stadium could celebrate as the Cubs brought across four runs in
the third.

Juan Pierre opened the inning with a walk, then scored on a
Ramirez sacrifice fly before Henry Blanco delivered the key
blow, stroking a three-run double to left center to put Chicago
ahead to stay 6-4.

“That was very important, to take advantage of the mistake
by Glavine and put as many runs on the board as we could
there,” said Ramirez, who has homered seven times in his last
six games and has 23 for the season.

After the Mets scored a run in the fifth to trim the
deficit to 6-5, Zambrano restored the two-run cushion in the
top of the seventh.

Glavine (11-4) was tagged with the loss, the All-Star
pitcher giving up a season high eight runs — five earned — on
seven hits, while striking out two and walking a pair.

In Atlanta, rookie Anibal Sanchez tossed seven masterful
innings and Cody Ross belted a pair of solo home runs as the
Florida Marlins edged the Braves 2-1.

Sanchez (4-0) was brilliant, yielding just one run on seven
hits, striking out three without a walk to claim his third
straight win.

The Marlins sensation stretched his franchise record of
scoreless innings to 23 before Marcus Giles singled home Ryan
Langerhans in the sixth.

“I didn’t pay any attention to that (scoreless streak),”
Sanchez said. “I’m glad and I’m proud and I’m working all the
time, trying to win for my team.”

A pair of solo home runs from Ross in the second and fourth
innings was all the support Sanchez needed as the Marlins
extended their win streak to four games.

In Houston, Aaron Harang out-pitched Roger Clemens, tossing
eight shutout innings as Cincinnati Reds blanked the Astros
2-0.

Harang (11-6) scattered four hits, struck out six with a
single walk as the Reds registered their eighth win in 11
contests since the All-Star break.

Clemens (2-4), once again, suffered from a lack of support.

The future Hall of Famer turned in another strong outing,
giving up two runs on seven hits over seven innings but the
Astros bats remained silent.

(Writing by Steve Keating in Toronto)