2007: May 15-17 Chicago Cubs @ New York Mets

[JoseA]

Cubs back Zambrano, rout Mets

Ramirez's sixth-inning grand slam breaks game wide open

NEW YORK -- When Lou Piniella talks, Carlos Zambrano listens.

Zambrano had his best outing of the season Tuesday night, giving up one run over eight innings, and Aramis Ramirez hit his seventh career grand slam to power the Cubs to a 10-1 victory over the New York Mets and even the series at one win apiece.

"He's been working hard with our pitching coach staying on top [of his delivery]," Piniella said. "We were looking forward to this to see how he would throw. This was as good an outing as he's had all year."

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[JoseA]

Hill looks to give Cubs an edge
Chicago (18-19) at New York (24-14), 6:10 p.m. CT

Rich Hill will take the mound Wednesday in Game 3 of the Cubs' four-game series at Shea Stadium against the New York Mets.

In his last start Friday against Philadelphia, Hill retired 11 of the first 13 batters he faced. He needed only six pitches to get through the third inning. But the lefty got into a mess in the fourth when he walked Aaron Rowand to start the inning and hit Chase Utley on an 0-2 pitch to set up Pat Burrell. Burrell belted a three-run homer and later added a two-run shot.

"That was pretty much it right there, just a few pitches got away from me and I put guys on; it was an unfortunate outcome," Hill said after the game. "The first [Burrell homer], I thought was a pretty good pitch. The second one, I just got over the plate.

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[JoseA]

Cubs fall quietly in long night at Shea

Club manages just two hits; Hill toils through six innings

NEW YORK -- Did you stay awake for this one?

Jorge Sosa held the Cubs to one hit over seven-plus innings, and Damion Easley hit a two-run homer to lift the New York Mets to an 8-1 victory and hand Rich Hill his second straight loss late Wednesday.

Rain delayed the start of the game for three hours and seven minutes, but several hundred fans stuck around. After all, this is the city that never sleeps. The Cubs may be a little bleary-eyed Thursday in the series finale since the game ended around 1 a.m. ET.

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[JoseA]

Cubs struggle in ninth, lose to Mets

Dempster, Eyre unable to hold four-run lead with two outs to go

NEW YORK -- This one will be hard to stomach.

Carlos Delgado hit a two-run single with one out in the ninth inning to cap a five-run rally and lift the Mets to a 6-5 victory over the Cubs, who blew a four-run lead and head home on Thursday with more questions than answers.

"They have a good team. They do a good job," Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster said of the Mets. "Tip your cap to them. Unfortunately, I didn't do my job today. I didn't do a very good job at all."

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