By Paul Sullivan WASHINGTON -- After his best start of the season Tuesday in a 5-4 win over Washington, Carlos Zambrano flew back to Venezuela to deal with a family crisis.
Zambrano's 11-year-old nephew contracted a deadly disease, he said, and the family needed him there.
"I have a nephew that's in bad condition," he said. "He had a (bacterial) infection and is in a hospital in Venezuela."
Zambrano will rejoin the team in Cincinnati this weekend, and make his next start on Monday against Pittsburgh at Wrigley Field.
Photo: Carlos Zambrano delivers a pitch against the Nationals. (AP / Susan Walsh)
Despite pitching with a heavy heart, Zambrano managed to strike out eight while allowing one run and five hits against the Nationals. He said it was hard to put the situation out of his mind, and kept telling himself "Don't give up" in the first inning.
"But at the same time, I talked to my brother," he said. "And he told me 'Don't worry about what happened there, just worry about what's going on here and dedicate the game to his son.' In the first inning I was thinking about him, throwing all the pitches saying' This is for my nephew.'
"It's bad. He's only 11 years old and being close to death is no fun. People should live until their old age, but God calls us home, and what can we do?"
"But at the same time, I talked to my brother," he said. "And he told me 'Don't worry about what happened there, just worry about what's going on here and dedicate the game to his son.' In the first inning I was thinking about him, throwing all the pitches saying' This is for my nephew.'
"It's bad. He's only 11 years old and being close to death is no fun. People should live until their old age, but God calls us home, and what can we do?"
That's really sad. My hope and prayers go out to "Z" nephew, and to all of his family.
Yuck sounds like bacterial meningitis. Kid has to be strong to survive that, he will probably lose a few limbs if he survives.
I wish the child well, and hope he pulls through. A lot of things are more important than sports. Sympathy to Z and his family.