(Courtesy of The Sports Xchange) Carlos Zambrano, who is in a close race with Arizona's Brandon Webb and St. Louis's Chris Carpenter for the National League Cy Young Award, gave up four runs (two earned) on three hits with four walks and nine strikeouts in seven innings, but fell to 16-7 as the Cubs lost to Colorado, 5-2.

Zambrano finished the season with a 3.41 ERA and a career-high 210 strikeouts. Is it enough? Webb and Carpenter pitch on Sunday.

"Today certainly would have helped him," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. "But he's among the leaders in a lot of categories. He's one of the toughest to hit in the league. He's had an outstanding year for us, and hopefully the judges will look at that."

"I did my job," Zambrano said. "Carpenter and Webb are doing their job, too. Whoever wins deserves it."

REPLAY: Manager Dusty Baker said he is going to try to enjoy the last three games of the season, even if they are his last in a Cubs uniform.

That was before the Cubs went out and lost to Colorado, 5-2, on Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field.

Ryan Theriot had three hits for the Cubs, who fell to 65-95, and fell a home run short of the cycle. Cy Young Award hopeful Carlos Zambrano fell to 16-7.

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NOTES

  --LHP Scott Eyre, who has been solid as a middle reliever most of the season, has allowed four runs in his last two appearances, covering 1 1/3 innings.

--1B Derrek Lee, who left the club on Sept. 17 to tend to his ailing daughter, Jada, returned to the team on Friday and took batting practice. He said he is not sure if he will play in the final two games of the season.

--C Michael Barrett, who has been on the disabled list with and intrascrotal hematoma since Sept. 3, said on Friday that he was disappointed that he couldn't return to the lineup this season. He said it was still too painful to try to run. Barrett hopes his injury will be completely healed during the off-season and expects to be ready to go in February.

--3B Aramis Ramirez returned to the lineup on Friday after missing two games with a right quadriceps injury. Ramirez singled in his first at-bat.

--CF Juan Pierre opened Friday's game with a single to record his 200th hit of the year. He is the first Cubs player with 200 or more hits since Ryne Sandberg hit 200 in 1984.

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