GAME THREAD: NL: CHICAGO CUBS (65-60) at SAN FRANCISCO (55-72)

Cain helps Giants avoid sweep against Cubs

<h3>SAN FRANCISCO 4, CHICAGO CUBS 1</h3>By Ryan Leong
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) - Matt Cain has not received much runsupport this season, so on Thursday he took matters into his ownhands.


The righthander hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning andoutpitched Carlos Zambrano to help the San Francisco Giantssalvage the finale of a three-game series with a 4-1 victoryover the Chicago Cubs.


Cain (6-13) pitched seven superb innings, allowing one run andseven hits. The 22-year-old, who struck out four and walkedone, received at least four runs of support in just five of hisprevious 25 outings this season.


"It's not something you try to worry about," Cain said of hisrecord. "I've always been told let's worry about getting yourinnings in, keeping your walks down and working on your ERA andstuff like that. That's always been a big goal for me andsometimes it just doesn't work with the wins. Sometimes, itdoesn't go that way. Just focus on the stuff you can handle andlet baseball handle the rest of it."


Brian Wilson worked a perfect eighth and Brad Hennessey pitcheda scoreless ninth to record his 13th save.


For the Cubs, Zambrano (14-10) made his first start since beingsigned to a lucrative five year, $91.5 million contractextension that will keep him in Chicago through at least the2012 season.


"I think I'll win one after I signed this contract. I don'tthink it'll be loss, loss, loss until I retire," Zambrano said."I think at some point I'll win one game and I'll work on it. Onmy next bullpen session, I'll work on what I did wrong in thisgame and go from there."


Zambrano lasted 5 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and four runs.He struck out four and walked four.


"I was feeling good today and I made some mistakes thatsometimes (ticked) me off," Zambrano said. "I shouldn't makethose mistakes but the good thing is we took two out of threeand that was a good series."


The game was scoreless until the fourth, when Rich Auriliareached on a forceout. Omar Vizquel and Cain walked to load thebases, and Dave Roberts followed with a two-run single to rightfield, giving the Giants the lead.


"That was huge for us," Roberts said. "Matty (Cain) has beenthrowing the ball great all year and to be in another tightballgame against a very good pitcher in Carlos Zambrano. Tohave an opportunity after walking the pitcher, I was just happythat we were able to capitalize."


In the sixth, Guillermo Rodriguez hit a ground-rule double toleft before Cain drilled a high, arching drive that barelycleared the left field wall. Of Cain's four hits this season,two are home runs.


"I think he found my bat and he really just threw it into myswing and I got lucky," Cain said. "I thought I popped it upbut it just kept going."


The Cubs were kept off the scoreboard until the seventh. JasonKendall led off with a double and scored on a single to centerby Mike Fontenot.


Randy Winn had three hits for the Giants, who rested sluggerBarry Bonds.


With the loss, Chicago (65-61) saw its lead over idle Milwaukee(65-62) in the National League Central Division shrink toone-half game.


"We win two of three the rest of the year I think we're allgoing to be very happy," Chicago manager Lou Piniella said."Let's go to Arizona and try to do the same."