San Francisco, CA -- (Sports Network) - Carlos Zambrano tossed a complete game gem and knocked in two of Chicago's runs in a 3-0 victory against the playoff- hopeful San Francisco Giants.

Zambrano (9-6) allowed just two singles and walked one while recording eight strikeouts. It was Big Z's ninth career complete game and first by a Cubs pitcher since Zambrano's no-hitter on September 14 of last season.

The fiery right-hander is 2-0 over his last five starts with the Cubs having won in his last four outings. The win was Chicago's fifth in the last six games and staved off playoff elimination for at least one more day.

"That's Zambrano's best game of the year by far. He had good stuff the whole game, used all his pitches and outside of maybe one or two hitters, he stayed ahead in the count the whole way," Cubs manager Lou Pinella said.

While Chicago is almost mathematically alive, the Giants are in the midst of contending for a wild-card spot. However, consecutive crushing defeats to open this four-game series have seriously damaged those chances.

San Francisco is tied with Florida at five games behind Colorado for the NL Wild Card lead while Atlanta is 3 1/2 games off the pace. Both the Braves and Rockies gained ground with wins on Friday.

"We faced a great pitcher. He was that good. I don't know who would have hit him tonight," said Padres manager Bruce Bochy of Zambrano. "We hit maybe one or two balls hard all night. We just got shut down completely."

Tim Lincecum (14-7) was solid over seven innings, allowing six hits and two runs with three walks and seven strikeouts. The right-hander suffered his second straight loss and third over his last four outings.

Ryan Theriot, who ended with a pair of hits, scored Kosuke Fukudome with a base hit in the sixth to light the scoreboard for the first time. Fukudome doubled leading off.

Base hits by Bobby Scales and Sam Fuld left runners at the corners with one out an inning later and Zambrano hit a run-scoring fielder's choice to short for a 2-0 lead.

Randy Johnson took the hill for San Francisco in the ninth and Zambrano put an exclamation point on his effort by smoking a two-out RBI double to left. Fuld kept the inning alive with a two-out single and scored on the play.

Zambrano retired the last 12 batters he faced following a leadoff single by Lincecum in the sixth.

Game Notes

Chicago and San Francisco split a two-game set in early May. The Cubs have won five of the last seven meetings between the teams...Fuld was 3-for-4 in the win.