CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Carlos Zambrano is willing to help the
Chicago Cubs any way he can. Luckily for them, he is
multi-talented.
Zambrano tossed seven strong innings and sparked a six-run fifth
with a double as the Chicago Cubs rolled to a 12-3 victory over
the San Diego Padres on Monday.
Alfonso Soriano homered and Geovany Soto drove in a pair of runs
as the first eight batters reached safely in the decisive fifth
frame.
A switch-hitter, Zambrano also added a single from the left side
in a five-run sixth.
"It's good to have one hit righthanded and one lefthanded,"
Zambrano said. "Anything I can do for my team - running,
pinch-hitting, pitch (or) play outfield."
The two big innings were more than enough support for Zambrano
(6-1), who was scratched from his start on Sunday due to a rain
delay. The Cubs' ace allowed three runs and six hits with five
strikeouts and two walks to post his fifth straight winning
decision.
The native of Venezuela was forced to put on long sleeves in
between innings due to the 40-degree weather.
"In Venezuela, it's never this cold," he said. "Not even close.
As a starting pitcher, you have to make adjustments in this
weather. What you try to do is hit your spots and put the cold
out of your mind. I was able to do that tonight."
One of Zambrano's only mistakes came in the top of the fifth
when he allowed a solo home run to Jody Gerut which gave the
Padres a 2-1 lead.
However, the big righthander made up for his mistake quickly -
with his bat. One of the best hitting pitchers in baseball,
Zambrano led off the decisive fifth with a double off the center
field wall.
Soriano followed by blasting a 1-2 offering from Padres starter
Randy Wolf (2-3) to left-center field for his fourth home run of
the season.
"I feel very comfortable at home plate," Soriano said. "I'm
swinging at strikes and being more patient at home plate.
That's what I want to do to help the team win. I'm being more
aggressive, but at the same time being selective at home plate.
When I swing at strikes, I know I hit the ball very hard."
"He's starting to swing the bat," Cubs manager Lou Piniella
said. "He hit that two-run homer to put us ahead after they
scored. That's good to see."
Aramis Ramirez had an RBI single and Soto's single to center
plated Derrek Lee and Ramirez for a 6-2 lead. Mark DeRosa
capped the outburst with a RBI single to left off Sean Henn for
a six-run bulge.
"We've been swinging the bats very well at home, putting runs on
the board," Piniella said. "When you do that, it makes it much
easier on your pitching. We put together two big innings.
When we (hit) like tonight, our offense really looks potent and
good. We were patient and took a few walks."
Wolf was charged with seven runs and eight hits in four-plus
innings.
"Randy pitched all right early," Padres manager Bud Black said.
"In the fifth inning, he started to get his fastball up. The
ball was up to Zambrano and the ball was up to Soriano when he
hit his home run. That started it for them."
Things got out of hand in the sixth as a throwing error by third
baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff allowed three runs to score for a 11-2
lead. Reed Johnson capped the frame with an RBI single.
Edgar Gonzalez, the brother of Padres first baseman Adrian, had
an RBI single in his first career at-bat in the seventh for San
Diego.
Chicago broke out on top in the first as Ryan Theriot hit a
one-out single and scored on a double to right field by Lee.
The Padres tied the game at 1-1 in the third on an RBI single by
Tadahito Iguchi.
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