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McLouth, Pirates look to clinch series vs. Cubs

May 18, 2008 - 2:13 PM Pittsburgh (21-22) at Chicago Cubs (26-17), 2:20 pm EDT

CHICAGO (Ticker) - The Pittsburgh Pirates finally found a way to beat the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. They will try to do it again Sunday when they visit the Cubs in the finale of a three-game series.

The only two teams in the major leagues staying within their division this weekend, the Pirates used that opportunity to gain their first win in eight tries this season against National League Central-leading Chicago.

After dropping the series opener, 7-4, on Friday to fall to 0-7 against the Cubs this season, Pittsburgh bounced back against Carlos Zambrano on Saturday. The Pirates knocked the burly ace around for five runs - four earned - and seven hits in four innings.

The Cubs battled back behind Alfonso Soriano's 5-for-5 performance with two home runs to tie the game at 5-5 in the seventh. But Nate McLouth made sure Pittsburgh would not fall again, clubbing a two-run homer off Carlos Marmol in the ninth to ensure a 7-6 win.

McLouth finished 3-for-5 with three RBI, running his hitting streak to six games and giving him three homers in his last five contests to push his season total to 12.

Rookie Phil Dumatrait (1-1, 3.96 ERA) will make his fourth start of the season for the Pirates in the finale. The lefthander picked up his first major league win May 7 against San Francisco and followed that effort with six solid innings in a no decision Tuesday at St. Louis.

The Cubs will counter with struggling righthander Jason Marquis (1-3, 5.26). The veteran has suffered the loss in each of his last three starts, combining to allow 14 runs in 16 innings.