Cubs snap losing streak to Marlins

After close call, Piniella says 'it hasn't been easy'

By Paul Sullivan | Tribune staff reporter

11:36 PM CDT, July 24, 2008

The Cubs are enjoying record attendance numbers, their highest TV ratings in years and a season in which they have been in sole possession of first place in the National League Central for the last two months.

But it won't mean a thing if they don't get a ring, and with Milwaukee nipping at their heels and 60 games remaining, the Cubs need to begin building momentum before the stretch drive starts in earnest.

Returning to Wrigley Field on Thursday night was like a soothing balm to the battered offense, which got hot late in a 6-3 victory over Florida, ending the club's 10-game losing streak to the Marlins.

"We may be like the Boston Celtics," winning pitcher Carlos Zambrano said, referring to the Cubs 38-12 record at home and 22-30 record on the road.

Not quite, but, like the Celtics, the Cubs do have a very strong fan base, a talented core of players and an aura unlike any other team.

"People have looked at our team, and we've been winning games, and because of the fact we haven't been where we want to go for a long time, everybody has gotten on our bandwagon," manager Lou Piniella said. "But it hasn't been easy, sir. It just hasn't been easy. It has been a complete struggle, if you want to know the truth. Now the credit goes to the players, because they have done a darn good job, but it hasn't been easy."

The credit on Thursday went to Zambrano, who earned his 11th victory with seven strong innings while adding an RBI double. Ronny Cedeno and Henry Blanco homered off Marlins left-hander Scott Olsen, and Aramis Ramirez, who snapped his second 0-for-28 streak in a month on Wednesday, added a two-run double in the four-run fifth.

But it all came down to the ninth, when closer-of-the-moment Carlos Marmol loaded the bases with three walks but got out of the inning unscathed, posting his first save since May 31. Piniella said it "got a little antsy" with the excitable Marmol getting into trouble, but he eventually struck out Wes Helms to end it.

"I feel great," Marmol said. "Couple of walks, but who cares? We won."

The Cubs remain one game ahead of the Brewers, who beat the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

The hype surrounding this year's team, and its storied championship drought, has led to more interest and more pressure on the Cubs than at any time in the recent past. A crowd of 41,822 on Thursday put the Cubs above the 2 million mark in attendance, the fastest they have reached that mark.

But despite the ongoing reminders of the 100-year drought, the pressure on the Cubs to win it all is neither media-driven nor fan-driven, according to Mark DeRosa.

"This is my best shot I've ever had to win it," DeRosa said. "I think that's the pressure. We realize what we have in this clubhouse."

After Zambrano yielded two runs over seven innings while striking out six without a walk, DeRosa helped save the bullpen with a diving catch off Luis Gonzalez's bat with the bases loaded in the eighth. A run scored on the sacrifice fly to make it 6-3, but Marmol came in and struck out Josh Willingham to end the inning.

"We have all the pieces of the puzzle to make a run at this thing," DeRosa said. "I think we're not so much concerned with the 100 years. It's something everyone in this clubhouse knows about, but at the same time we realize this is a great opportunity and we don't want to let it slip away."

psullivan@tribune.com

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Cubs snap losing streak to Marlins

After close call, Piniella says 'it hasn't been easy'

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