Carlos Zambrano throws 6 solid innings as Cubs beat Cardinals 7-3 in doubleheader opener

Zambrano powers Cubs past Cardinals

CHICAGO — Carlos Zambrano pitched six solid innings and hit his third homer of the season, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-3 on Sunday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.

Micah Hoffpauir had a three-run homer for the Cubs, who closed within 2½ games of the NL Central-leading Cardinals. Zambrano (5-4) allowed three runs and five hits.

Albert Pujols was 1 for 4 with two RBIs for the Cardinals, but also committed a two-run error in the seventh inning.

St. Louis starter Kyle Lohse (4-5), who was activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game, struggled in his first appearance since leaving an outing against Cincinnati on June 3 because of a strained right forearm.

Lohse surrendered Ryan Theriot’s one-out double in the first and walked Alfonso Soriano before Hoffpauir hit his next pitch for his eighth homer.

St. Louis rallied to tie it at 3 but Zambrano hit a solo drive in the fourth to give the Cubs the lead again. Lohse (4-5) gave up four runs and eight hits in five innings.

Zambrano settled down after a slow start, striking out six of the last 10 hitters he faced. He finished with seven Ks and two walks.

The Cubs added two more in the seventh, taking advantage of two errors. With one out and the bases loaded, second baseman Skip Schumaker made an errant throw to the plate that allowed Soriano to score. Hoffpauir and Milton Bradley came home when Koyie Hill hit a routine grounder that went between Pujols’ legs for his seventh error of the season.

Pujols hit a two-run double off Zambrano in the third to give him 87 RBIs on the year, and Joe Thurston also singled in a run in the inning.

NOTES: To make room for Lohse, the Cardinals optioned reliever Blake Hawksworth to Triple-A Memphis. … Zambrano has 19 career home runs, first in franchise history for pitchers. … In the fifth inning, Pujols hit what looked to be a routine infield popup. Theriot, playing shortstop, lost the ball in the sun and dropped it. Pujols was running hard right out of the box and tried to get to second, but was tagged out by second baseman Jeff Baker right before hitting the bag. … Cubs 1B Derrek Lee was out of the lineup after leaving Saturday’s game with neck spasms.