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Cubs after sixth consecutive win

May 8, 2007 - 2:41 PM Pittsburgh (13-17) at Chicago Cubs (15-14) 8:05 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- The Chicago Cubs will be after their sixth consecutive victory when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday.

The Cubs have won eight of 10 and are in the process of moving over the .500 mark for the first time since April 7, when they were 3-2.

Ted Lilly (2-2, 2.82 ERA) will make his second consecutive start against the Pirates. On May 1, the lefthander had his worst outing of the season as the Pirates reached him for five runs - four earned - and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.

It was the most runs and hits Lilly has allowed in six starts, though the Cubs won the game, 8-6. He did not get a decision in what was his shortest outing of the year.

Ian Snell (2-2, 2.31) will take the mound for the Pirates, who have lost three straight and eight of 10. The righthander faced the Cubs in his last start on Wednesday, taking the loss after allowing four runs in five innings. He had pitched seven innings in each of his last four starts prior to that game.

Snell will have to pitch well if the Pirates' offense continues to struggle. The team has been held scoreless in 39 of their last 43 innings. Pittsburgh is ranked 27th in the majors with a .238 team batting average.

Chicago's Alfonso Soriano has a career-high 15-game hitting streak. He is batting .359 (23-for-64) with two homers and just five RBI during the streak.

Though his power numbers are down compared with past seasons, the Cubs' Derrek Lee leads the National League with a .414 batting average and has hit safely in 27 of 29 games this season. He has reached base in all 29 games.

The Cubs have won three of four meetings between the teams this season.