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May 25, 2009 - 3:11 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Pittsburgh (19-24) at Chicago (21-20), 8:05 p.m. EDT

The Chicago Cubs hope a return home can help rejuvenate their bats and put an end to their longest losing streak in over three years. A three-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates could also help.

The punchless Cubs will try to end their slide while continuing their home success against the Pirates in the opener of this series Monday night.

Chicago (21-21) lost for the seventh consecutive time on Sunday, falling 7-2 at San Diego. The club hasn't dropped eight in a row since May 2-9, 2006, en route to finishing with an NL-worst 66-96 record.

Sunday's loss also capped an 0-6 road trip, during which the Cubs were outscored 22-5 while batting .160 to see their team average drop 13 points to .243, ranking only better than Arizona (.236) and the Padres (.232) in the NL.

"It's not a case where you have a bunch of guys in the clubhouse who have cashed it in or who have given up," Cubs center fielder Reed Johnson said. "I think guys may be pressing too hard. But we have too many good players not to turn this thing around."

Cubs manager Lou Piniella is hoping "a positive talk" he held with his club prior to Sunday's game will provide some motivation when it opens a 10-game homestand against Pittsburgh (20-24)

"Hopefully it will bear some fruit starting (Monday) at home," Piniella said. "I said the things I had to say. The players have to play on the field. We can talk all we want, we can be as positive as we want but they have to get the job done on the field."

The Cubs have won eight of their last 10 at Wrigley Field, hitting .270 with 15 homers and 59 runs during that stretch.

They've also won 11 of the last 14 home matchups against the Pirates behind a .318 average and 26 homers. Chicago went 14-4 overall against its Central rivals last season.

Ryan Dempster (3-3, 4.40 ERA) is hoping the offense can solve its slump after he allowed two runs and six hits over seven innings in Wednesday's 2-1 loss at St. Louis.

The right-hander has won more home games than anyone in baseball since being moved to the rotation at the start of last season, posting a 16-3 mark with a 2.96 ERA in 23 starts. That span also includes a 1-0 record and 2.25 ERA in two games against Pittsburgh.

The Pirates are playing a second consecutive series in Chicago after avoiding a three-game sweep to the White Sox with Sunday's 4-3 victory.

Pittsburgh will give the ball to Paul Maholm (3-1, 3.30), who is 0-1 with a 4.40 ERA in his last five outings while receiving only 11 total runs of support.

The left-hander didn't get much help or a decision Wednesday as he labored through 114 pitches over six innings, allowing one run and four hits with seven strikeouts in a 2-1 loss at Washington.

"They ran my pitch count up, but some days it happens and you've just got to bump them down when a runner is on base," Maholm told the team's official Web site. "It's definitely mentally draining when you're going through it."

Maholm is 4-1 with a 6.32 ERA in eight career starts against the Cubs. He's been hit hard in his last two starts at Wrigley, giving up 12 runs and 18 hits in eight innings.