Cubs snap losing streak to Marlins with 6-3 win

[July 25, 2008]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Carlos Zambrano pitched seven solid innings and the Chicago Cubs snapped a 10-game losing streak to the Florida Marlins with a 6-3 victory Thursday night.

After a 2-4 road trip, the Cubs got home runs from Henry Blanco and Ronny Cedeno and two-run double from Aramis Ramirez to improved to 38-12 at Wrigley Field.

Hanley Ramirez homered for the Marlins, who have lost three of four overall and lost to the Cubs for the first time since April 25, 2006.

Zambrano (11-4) held the Marlins to two runs and five hits, striking out six and hitting a batter.

Carlos Marmol, subbing for closer Kerry Wood who was placed on the 15-day disabled before the game, got four outs for his fourth save. He threw 38 pitches in the ninth and loaded the bases, finally ending it by striking out Wes Helms on a 3-2 pitch.

Trailing 2-1, the Cubs got to Florida starter Scott Olsen (6-5) in the fifth inning. Mark DeRosa drew a leadoff walk and Blanco singled. One out later, Zambrano ripped an RBI double down the left-field line to score DeRosa and tie the game at 2.

With first base open, the Marlins elected to walk Alfonso Soriano to load the bases. Olsen got Ryan Theriot to hit a comebacker and he forced Blanco at home. But Olsen walked Derrek Lee on a 3-2 pitch to make it 3-2.

With the crowd still on its feet, Aramis Ramirez followed with a double over the head of right fielder Luis Gonzalez, who took a bad route on the ball. Soriano and Theriot scored to put the Cubs up 5-2, but Lee was thrown out at the plate.

Blanco hit a solo homer with two outs in the sixth.

The Marlins threatened in the eighth. Cubs reliever Bob Howry came in with the bases loaded and no outs and got Cody Ross to fly out to shallow right. Gonzalez then drove the ball to right, but DeRosa made a spectacular diving catch. Alfredo Amezaga tagged up at third to cut the lead to 6-3. Marmol got the final out of the inning, by striking out Josh Willingham looking.

After Olsen singled in the third, Ramirez hit his 24th homer into the bleachers in left.

Olsen allowed six runs and seven hits. He walked three and had three strikeouts.

Chicago general manager Jim Hendry hopes Wood can return Tuesday at Milwaukee when he is eligible to be activated. He was put on the DL retroactive to July 14 with a blister on his pitching hand.

Cedeno led off the third with his second homer of the season.

Notes: Wood went on the DL for the 12th time in his 10-year career. ... Marlins 2B Dan Uggla was not in the lineup but pinch-hit in the ninth. ... Cubs RF Kosuke Fukudome and C Geovany Soto had the night off. ... Thursday night's attendance was 41,482 and the Cubs surpassed the 2 million mark, the fastest they reached that figure in club history.

[Associated Press]

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