Mets-Cubs Preview

With September approaching, a return to the playoffs for the Chicago Cubs seems unlikely.

A solid outing from their underachieving ace might give the team some hope that it can still make the postseason.

Carlos Zambrano goes for his first victory in more than a month when Chicago hosts the slumping New York Mets in their series finale Sunday.

Chicago (65-62) is struggling to keep pace in the NL Central with first-place St. Louis, which has been threatening to pull away.

The Cubs have managed to prevent that by winning four of six, and they'll go for their first three-game sweep since July 24-26 when Zambrano (7-5, 3.80 ERA) takes the mound.

The right-hander hasn't won since July 22 at Philadelphia and missed most of this month due to a sore back. Making his first start since Aug. 1, Zambrano yielded a season-high eight runs in 4 1/3 innings of a 15-6 loss to Washington on Tuesday.

"There was nothing wrong," Zambrano said of his back. "I made a lot of mistakes. They came ready today. ... I didn't do my job."

He is 4-1 with a 3.76 ERA in seven starts versus the Mets.

Left fielder Alfonso Soriano is doubtful for Sunday after missing Saturday's 11-4 victory to undergo an MRI on his sore left knee.

"We're going to wait and see," manager Lou Piniella said. "Our team doctor will be here tomorrow morning and he'll take a good look at him.

"He'll examine the MRI and make a determination exactly what he's going to do and have a pretty good guess on how long it'll be. I would assume it will probably be a couple more days."

New York (58-72), loser of nine of 11, can relate to the Cubs' injury problems. Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes and David Wright are among 13 Mets on the disabled list, and the team learned this week that starting pitchers Johan Santana (left elbow) and Oliver Perez (right knee tendinitis) are out for the season.

"This is the year for this to happen," manager Jerry Manuel told the Mets' official Web site. "We've got to get it done and move forward, and hopefully, we'll have some healthier days coming."

Taking Santana's spot Tuesday, Nelson Figueroa (1-3, 5.40) allowed two runs and four hits in five innings of a 2-1 loss at Florida.

"I'm just going to take every opportunity I get," Figueroa said following his first start since Aug. 3. "It's unfortunate the way it's come to me."

Sunday's scheduled starter is 0-3 with a 5.60 ERA in four starts versus the Cubs. Figueroa hasn't won a start since April 27, 2008.

Cubs right fielder Milton Bradley batted .550 with two homers and five RBIs during the first five games of the homestand.

Jake Fox replaced Soriano in left field Saturday and hit his first career grand slam, finishing with a career-best five RBIs. Fox has batted .300 with 10 homers and 39 RBIs since being called up from Triple-A Iowa in May. He has four errors in 61 games.

"Their biggest concern bringing me here was to be able to help them with my bat and not hurt them in the field," Fox said. "I've proven to them that I'm not a liability in the field."

The Cubs have won four straight and 14 of 19 at home versus the Mets.