PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Carlos Zambrano pitched eight scoreless innings and Aramis Ramirez hit a two-run single in the eighth, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night.

Zambrano (8-4) allowed four hits and improved to 4-0 with a 1.49 ERA in his last seven starts. The right-hander hasn’t lost since he gave up eight runs in 1 2-3 innings against Milwaukee on June 22.

The Cubs snapped a two-game skid and moved two games over .500. Ryan Dempster worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth for his 15th save in 17 chances.

Dempster retired Kenny Lofton to start the inning, but walked Chase Utley, Bobby Abreu and Pat Burrell. Ryan Howard walked to force in a run, but Dempster struck out David Bell and pinch-hitter Tomas Perez to end it.

Vicente Padilla (5-10) gave up two runs and five hits in 7 1-3 innings. The right-hander has pitched well since nearly losing his spot in the rotation last month.

Matt Lawton, playing his first game for the Cubs since coming over from Pittsburgh in a trade on Sunday, started the eighth with a single and went to second on Jerry Hairston’s sacrifice.

Padilla intentionally walked Derrek Lee, and Jeromy Burnitz walked to load the bases.

Ugueth Urbina came in and threw an 0-1 pitch to Ramirez that bounced to the brick wall behind the plate and right back to catcher Mike Lieberthal. Lawton held at third, but Burnitz was picked off first base for the second out.

Ramirez hit the next pitch just past third baseman Bell’s glove to drive in both runners.

The Phillies had a runner on third with one out in the seventh, but failed to score. Abreu started the inning with a double and went to third on Burrell’s groundout. Zambrano then retired Howard on a checked-swing tapper to the mound and got Bell on a bouncer to shortstop to end the inning.

Notes: Howard and Jimmy Rollins extended their hitting streaks to eight games. Utley’s nine-game run ended. … Lawton went 2-for-5 with a run while batting leadoff. … It was Padilla’s longest outing since September 2003. … Lee was 1-for-3 with two intentional walks.

AP-ES-08-02-05 2202EDT


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