ST. LOUIS -- Carlos Zambrano made his second start since returning from anger management therapy, attempting to become the first Cubs pitcher besides Ryan Dempster to win a game since Carlos Silva beat Houston back on July 26.
Zambrano pitched well, allowing two runs over 5 2/3 innings and earning his first win since June 20 with a 3-2 victory over the Cardinals.
After Marcos Mateo and Sean Marshall combined for 1 2/3 scoreless innings, Carlos Marmol entered with a man on in the eighth and got the final two outs. But former Cub Aaron Miles started the ninth with a dribbler to third, but Aramis Ramirez's throwing error sent Miles to second.
Koyie Hill dropped a popped up bunt from Brendan Ryan, but Ryan popped it up again and Hill made the catch. Felipe Lopez fouled out, and Allen Craig struck out to end it.
The win snapped a streak of eight consecutive losses in one-run games for the Cubs.
After giving up a first inning run, the Cubs scored two for Zambrano in the second on Ramirez's home run off Chris Carpenter and Koyie Hill's RBI double. Derrek Lee added a solo shot in the third.
The Cubs are now 3-14 since that July 26 game, turning a bad season into a nightmare with a 49-68 record. The only teams with more losses than the Cubs are Pittsburgh (76 losses), Baltimore (75), Arizona (71) and Seattle (71). Kansas City and Cleveland both have 68 losses, tied with the Cubs.
Zambrano alllowed only two runs in five innings in his return to the rotation last week in San Francisco, though he walked seven men. On Saturday, he walked only two in a 96-pitch outing.
"He's got to get the ball over the plate a little more," manager Lou Piniella said beforehand. "Seven walks, five innings. That's not Carlos. Look, I'm hoping over the next six weeks or so he has a good strong finish and continue to be a successful pitcher like he's been. He's working hard, so there's no reason to assume he can't do it. He's going to get the ball. I expect some nice improvement from him."
One positive fact about the Cubs....
Cumulatively, their record has never been below .500
of course if you don't win the WS, none of it matters, but I'm just sayin......
Sir Dragon of Blue Island
Stick with the Cubbies
This is what I'm talking about Frisky. Take no prisoners. A win today and we will be in good shape. Go Cubbies!!!
11 out of 71, wow that's good. would you call Aram's error and K. Hill's error rookie mistakes? why are Hill, Fukudome, Lee, and louie still starting or here? if you're rebuilding, that rebuild. play the rookies and forget what other teams say.
I was born in 1939 which is why I used that year as a starting point. During that same time period the White Sox have finished in first or second place 22 times, or twice as many as the Cubs. I cannot believe that out of my 71 years on this planet that the Cubs have finished a season in first or second place only 11 times. Makes me want to take out a Mulligan on my life.
What can a person say? The previous comments are ineluctable facts. Ramirez, Lee, Sorryiano, Zambraino, and most of the rest need to honor their fans by refusing to accept their bloated, overpaid salaries and donate them to the fans who have supported them loyally and for what? If they have a shred of honor they will keep 1/100th of their salaries for themselves and their families and give the rest to the fans they have spat upon. Sadly, it won't happen. Because these players have no honor only cupidity. Pathetic.
I've been a Cubs fan since about 1948 and I have no real reason to explain why. Growing up the Sox were always the better team and continue to play better than the Cubs. Since 1945, the last year they played in a WS, the Cubs have been over 500 just 17 times, which means 48 seasons when they were under 500. While the Sox in that same period have been over 500 37 times, appeared in 2 WS and won 1. The cubs, what a suck team.
Since 1939 the Cubs have finished in second place 5 times and first place 6 times. So 11 decent or excellent regular seasons in 71 years. Freakin 11 out of 71.
What a wasted summer. Every summer of my life has been either depressing from June/July onward, or has ended in heartbreak, pain, disillusionment, and misery (1969, 84, 89, 98, 03, 07, 08). Thank you Chicago Cubs.