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Final Score: Chicago Cubs 7 - Milwaukee 1

Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Carlos Zambrano threw eight shutout innings as the Chicago Cubs pounded the Milwaukee Brewers, 7-1, to take the first two games of a crucial four-game set between the top two teams in the NL Central.

Zambrano (12-4) scattered five hits while fanning nine and walking two to get the win. Aramis Ramirez went 4-for-5, scored twice, and drove in a run for the Cubs, who beat CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets on consecutive nights to take a three-game lead over the Brewers in the NL Central.

Kosuke Fukudome and Mark DeRosa each knocked in two runs for Chicago, which has won five of seven.

"Zambrano did a heck of a job pitching," said Cubs manager Lou Piniella. "Eight outstanding innings, and we put some runs on the board against a good pitcher."

Sheets (10-4) was ripped for six runs -- five in the sixth inning -- on 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings, with four strikeouts and one walk. Mike Cameron knocked in the only run for the Brewers, who have dropped three straight and four of five and are now only a game in front of the Cardinals, who are four back of Chicago.

Ramirez doubled to left to lead off the fourth, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrifice fly by DeRosa to get the Cubs on the board.

The Cubs exploded for five in the sixth to chase Sheets and take control. Derrek Lee singled and Ramirez doubled to start the frame, and Fukudome tripled to left, scoring both for a 3-0 Cubs edge.

DeRosa lined a single to left to score Fukudome, and Mike Fontenot and Geovany Soto followed with singles to load the bases, all with no outs. Zambrano then reached on an infield single, plating DeRosa for the fourth run of the frame.

Alfonso Soriano lofted a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Fontenot for a 6-0 Chicago lead. The fly out ended a string of seven straight hits by the Cubs, and Carlos Villanueva came out of the bullpen to replace Sheets. He was able to get the last two outs and stem the damage.

"They put the pressure on us. They got one or two well-placed singles. They did a nice job offensively," said Sheets. "There's still a lot of season left. They outplayed us."

Ramirez made it a 7-0 Cubs lead with an RBI single in the ninth. The Brewers finally got on the board with two outs in the ninth against Jeff Samardzija, thanks to a walk to Russell Branyan and an RBI double by Cameron. Jason Kendall grounded out to third, though, to end the game.