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Pirates-Cubs Preview

May 27, 2009 - 4:44 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Pittsburgh (21-24) at Chicago (21-22), 2:20 p.m. EDT

The Chicago Cubs finally halted their longest losing streak in over three years with some help from the weather. Now, they hope ace Carlos Zambrano can improve on his first start since coming off the disabled list.

Zambrano will try to help the Cubs continue their home success against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday when the team conclude this three-game series.

The Cubs (21-22) beat Pittsburgh 6-1 on Tuesday after rain halted the contest in the top of the sixth to snap their longest slide since May 2-9, 2006. The club equaled that eight-game skid with Monday's 10-8 loss to the Pirates (21-25).

"It's been tough," Cubs starter Sean Marshall said. "Nobody likes to lose at anything. It's only one game. But the guys are having a good time in there right now. It's a little different atmosphere right now."

The Cubs now turn to Zambrano (3-2, 4.64 ERA), who makes his second start after returning from the DL.

The right-hander labored through 97 pitches in 4 2-3 innings Friday, allowing three runs and three hits with seven strikeouts, four walks and one hit batter during a 4-0 loss at San Diego. That outing was his first since May 3 when he suffered a left hamstring strain running out a bunt single in a 6-4 win over Florida.

"His command was really off early, but he settled down and pitched well," Cubs manager Lou Piniella told the team's official Web site. "He wanted to finish the fifth, but he had already thrown 97 pitches, which was more than we wanted, and we got him out of there. But he'll be sharper the next time out."

Zambrano is 3-0 with a 3.90 ERA in his last six starts against the Pirates, dating to a loss on July 8, 2007.

The Cubs have won 12 of the last 17 matchups against the Pirates at Wrigley Field, hitting .311 with 28 homers and outscoring them 111-66.

Pittsburgh's Zach Duke (5-4, 2.77) seeks his first win against the Cubs in over three years.

The left-hander is 0-5 with a 4.58 ERA in his last nine starts against Chicago with Pittsburgh winning twice in that span. He last defeated the Cubs on May 2, 2006, when he threw a five-hitter in an 8-0 win at Wrigley.

Duke went the distance again Friday, but was charged with the loss as the offense was limited to two hits in a 2-0 defeat to the Chicago White Sox. He yielded two runs and six hits and cited his success pitching inside in helping him show vast improvement from last season, when he went 5-14 with a 4.82 ERA.

"It's opened everything for me," Duke said. "It's opened up the changeup away. It's opened up my sinker more, and obviously I'm getting some called strikes and bad reactions. It's really taken my game to the level I want it to be at."

Pittsburgh will be without closer Matt Capps until possibly this weekend after he bruised his right elbow when he was hit by a line drive Monday. X-rays showed no structural damage.

"I don't know what other tests they'll do from here," said Capps, who is 0-3 with a 6.46 ERA while converting nine of 11 save chances in 17 games. "I'm sure it'll depend on how I feel. The biggest thing right now is keeping the inflammation out of it and trying to get the range of motion back."