• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Ramirez haunts former team yet again as Cubs rout Pirates

Aug 26, 2008 - 3:45 AM By Chris Adamski PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Aramis Ramirez continues to torch his former team and the Chicago Cubs continue to have their way with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Ramirez hit his 23rd home run of the season as the Cubs routed the Pirates, 12-3, on Monday.

Chicago improved to 12-4 against Pittsburgh this season, thanks in part to Ramirez.

The one-time All-Star has 22 homers and 65 RBI in 81 career games vs. the Pirates, who he spent five-plus seasons with before a midseason trade in 2003 sent him to the Cubs. Despite spending nearly half of his career - 559 of 1302 games - with Pittsburgh, he has hit more homers against only three other teams.

Ramirez's three-run blast came in the third off Pirates starter Jeff Karstens (2-3) after Derrek Lee had driven in Alfonso Soriano with a single.

"He's been hitting with guys in scoring position and guys on base," said Jim Edmonds, who scored twice. "He's doing a great job as our No. 4 hitter. He's been doing it all year, which is a big year for us. It's been impressive to watch."

Kosuke Fukudome had three hits and a career-high four RBI. The Japanese import hit a sacrifice fly to right in the second to score Edmonds, who tripled to lead off the inning. His final RBI came in the ninth when he double to score Mark DeRosa.

"He drove he ball, hit it hard and hit it to all fields," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "He's looking like the hitter he was early in the season."

Cubs coaches had been working with Fukudome on shortening his stride the past couple days. The rookie has seen his batting average decline during each month this season, hitting .327 through April 30 but batting only .159 in August entering this contest.

"During (batting practice), I was able to work on it pretty good but, in the game, I didn't think I was able to incorporate that 100 percent," Fukudome said through an interpreter. "It's great that I had three hits today but today is over. It's a different game. It starts tomorrow. I just need to keep working at it."

Edmonds, Lee and Soriano each added three hits.

Ted Lilly (13-7) struck out seven to win for the fourth time in his last five decisions, allowing three runs and and seven hits over seven frames for Chicago (81-50), which won its third in a row and extended its lead in the National League Central to five games over the idle Milwaukee Brewers (76-55).

After starting the season 1-4, Lilly is 11-3 since.

Adam LaRoche hit his 18th home run and Brandon Moss hit his fourth homer in 21 games for the Pirates (57-74), who have lost five in a row and nine of 11 to drop into a tie for last place in the NL Central.

The Cubs led 5-0 after three but broke the game open with a five-run fifth off of reliever Jason Davis that featured a two-run double by Edmonds, a two-run single by Fukudome and an RBI single by Lilly, his fourth RBI of the season.

"When you get a big lead like that, you kind of want to still bear down and make quality pitches," Lilly said. "There were moments when I felt like I got away with a few but, all in all, anytime we can get into a series with the first win, it's nice. It sets the tone for the rest of the series."

"Anytime you score runs like that and get a pitcher a chance to get comfortable, it's a nice day," Edmonds said. "It takes some stress out of him for the day."

Karstens was charged with five runs on six hits and a walk in three innings, striking out only one. He has allowed 12 earned runs over 16 innings over his past three starts after tossing 15 consecutive shutout innings since making his Pirates debut on August 1.

"Obviously, he (Karstens) was missing his spots," Pirates manager John Russell said. "Against a team like that, you can't miss too many spots. ? They took advantage of it. (The Cubs are) a pretty good club. That's why they are where they are."