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Pirates-Cubs Preview

Aug 30, 2010 - 12:06 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Pittsburgh (43-86) at Chicago (55-75), 8:05 p.m. EDT

Back from a successful road trip, the Chicago Cubs would like to continue their strong play under interim manager Mike Quade. A matchup with the major league-worst Pittsburgh Pirates might make it difficult to do so.

On Monday night, the Cubs look to begin changing their luck against the Pirates when they play at Wrigley Field for the first time since Lou Piniella's retirement.

Chicago (55-76) lost two of three to Cincinnati over the weekend, but managed to go 4-2 on its trip. The Cubs will open a nine-game homestand with this three-game set.

The Cubs last played at home Aug. 22, a 16-5 loss to Atlanta that turned out to be Piniella's final game. The manager had abruptly announced his retirement earlier that day.

Quade now makes his managerial debut at Wrigley.

"I look forward to every day," he told the Cubs' official website, "but (Monday) will be something special."

The Cubs, losers of 12 of 14 at home, have struggled badly against the lowly Pirates this year, dropping nine of 12 matchups. Chicago, which has lost 11 of the last 14 meetings, dropped two of three to Pittsburgh from June 28-30 at Wrigley.

Pittsburgh (43-87), which saw its road losing streak reach 13 with an 8-4 loss to Milwaukee on Sunday, snapped a 17-game road skid June 28. Paul Maholm (7-12, 4.82 ERA), who threw eight innings of one-run ball in that game, takes the mound in the opener of this series.

After losing his previous three starts with a 7.80 ERA, the left-hander did not earn a decision in a 4-3 victory over St. Louis on Tuesday, yielding two runs in 6 2-3 innings.

"Maholm gave us a great start," manager John Russell told the Pirates' official website. "... We needed him to cover some innings and he's done that a few times this year where we needed a quality start and he gave it to us."

The Cubs don't need to be reminded. Maholm has gone 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA in three starts against them this season. He's 7-1 in 12 career starts versus Chicago, although he has a 5.70 ERA in those outings.

Carlos Zambrano (5-6, 4.64) continued his resurgence in his last start for the Cubs, giving up one run in a season-high 7 1-3 innings of a 5-4 victory at Washington on Tuesday.

Zambrano is 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in four starts since being reinserted into the rotation following a June suspension. He left the team for three days following his last start to travel to his native Venezuela, where his 11-year-old nephew is critically ill with an infection.

"I think (Zambrano) pitched with a heavy heart and (had) just as good an outing as I've seen from him for a while," Quade said.

Zambrano has gone 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA in two relief appearances versus Pittsburgh this season. He is 11-6 with a 3.72 ERA in 25 starts against the Pirates.

Pittsburgh catcher Ryan Doumit, who has three straight two-hit games, is 8 for 17 with three doubles lifetime against the right-hander.

Andrew McCutchen is expected to be in the Pirates' lineup after pinch-hitting Sunday. The center fielder is batting .083 in his last seven games, but has hit .450 with a homer and six RBIs against the Cubs this season.

Alfonso Soriano has four home runs off Maholm in 27 career at-bats.