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Cubs look for fourth straight win vs. Pirates

May 17, 2008 - 2:13 PM Pittsburgh (20-22) at Chicago Cubs (26-16), 1:05 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) -- While everyone else in the majors is enjoying interleague play, the Chicago Cubs look to post their fourth consecutive win Saturday they host the National League Central rival Pittsburgh Pirates.

With an uneven number of clubs in each league, the Cubs and the Pirates are staying within their division for a three-game set.

The Cubs took the opener, 7-4, on Friday afternoon, getting home runs from Alfonso Soriano, Geovany Soto and Mark DeRosa. Righthander Sean Gallagher picked up his first win of the season with six solid innings and Kerry Wood recorded his ninth save of the season.

Chicago has been strong against Central Division opponents this season, building up a 15-10 record - including 7-0 against the Pirates. That success is a big reason the club currently sits in the top spot in the division.

The Cubs will send ace Carlos Zambrano (6-1, 2.03 ERA) to the mound on Saturday. The hefty righthander has been dominating this season, allowing more than two earned runs just twice in nine starts and winning each of his last five decisions.

Zambrano owns a 9-6 record and a 3.83 ERA in 20 games - 18 starts - against Pittsburgh in his career. He won each of his last two starts against the Pirates in 2007, allowing just one run in 12 combined innings, but has yet to face them this season.

Pittsburgh will counter with lefthander Zach Duke (2-2, 4.04), who has earned the win in each of his last two outings, including tossing six scoreless frames against the Atlanta Braves on Monday.

Duke's shortest outing of the season came April 20 at Chicago, when he was touched for five runs and eight hits in four innings to suffer a loss. He took a no decision against the Cubs on April 9 despite allowing just one run in seven frames.