--RHP Carlos Zambrano picked up his first victory and quality start since July 29. He also hit his fourth homer of the year and the 16th of his career. Zambrano is 7-1 at home. He has 16 quality starts for the season after recording 18 in 2007. Command is still an issue, as he walked four. "He threw well, he really did," manager Lou Piniella said. "He came out there throwing from pitch one. His command could have been a little better. But he pitched seven innings, hit a homer. It was a nice day for him."
--RHP Carlos Marmol allowed his first run since the All-Star break when he gave up an eighth-inning homer to the Reds' Joey Votto. Marmol had not allowed a run in 15 outings, covering 16 innings. --RHP Kerry Wood has pitched seven scoreless innings since coming off the disabled list Aug. 5. He earned his second save since being activated.
--2B Mark DeRosa hit his 15th homer and drove in his 73rd run of the season, one shy of his career best, set in 2006 while with Texas. DeRosa is 17-for-47 (.362) with six doubles, four homers and 18 RBIs over his last 14 games.
--SS Ryan Theriot went 2-for-4, his team-leading 48th multi-hit game of the season.
--RHP Jason Marquis starts Friday's series opener against Washington. It'll be Marquis' first start since Aug. 13, when he picked up a victory at Atlanta. Marquis has won two straight starts. Manager Lou Piniella said he is trying to keep Marquis' arm fresh, and that's why he bypassed him in the Cincinnati series.
BY THE NUMBERS: 27.4 -- Cubs catchers Geovany Soto and Henry Blanco entered the week having thrown out 27.4 percent of runners trying to steal (23 of 84). That placed the Cubs ninth in the major leagues. Last year, Cubs catchers ranked 29th, throwing out just 11 percent, or 15 of 116.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Don't I still smell like a brewery?" -- Pinch-hitter Daryle Ward, after crushing a three-run homer last Friday in Florida to lift the Cubs to come-from-behind 6-5 victory. Ward had been 4-for-40 as a pinch hitter, and his teammates doused him with beer after the game.
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