Pirates Get Four Homers, Victory Over Cubs 10-0
CHICAGO (AP) - Paul Maholm pitched a three-hitter for his first victory in a month, Ronny Cedeno, Lyle Overbay, Chris Snyder and Andrew McCutchen each homered Saturday and the Pittsburgh Pirates routed the Chicago Cubs 10-0.
Maholm (2-7) got his third career shutout in a place he's always pitched well. Maholm is 8-2 in 15 career starts against the Cubs, including 6-2 in 11 starts at Wrigley Field.
Maholm retired the first 13 batters he faced before Alfonso Soriano doubled in the fifth, driving a ball to the center-field wall that McCutchen leaped for but couldn't catch. Lou Montanez then reached on an infield single.
Darwin Barney reached on a two-out infield single in the ninth for the only other Chicago hit. Maholm retired the side in order the other seven innings, walked none and struck out four for his first win since April 25.
Pittsburgh had been struggling offensively with only six runs in its previous four games, but broke out on an overcast 61-degree day with their most homers in a game this season.
Cedeno's three-run shot capped a five-run fourth that finally gave Maholm a big early lead. The Pirates had scored only 13 runs in the left-hander's previous 10 starts.
In just his second start of the season and first since April 4, Chicago's Randy Wells (1-1) lasted four innings after being activated off the disabled list (right forearm strain). Wells gave up five hits, including Cedeno's second homer, and five runs with three walks and seven strikeouts in a 92-pitch outing.
Overbay hit his fifth homer, leading off the sixth against reliever James Russell. And one out later, Snyder sent his second homer of the season over the wall in left to make it 7-0. McCutchen connected off reliever Scott Maine in the seventh, his ninth of the season.
McCutchen led off the fourth with a single and made third on Neil Walker's fly ball double to left that Soriano couldn't catch. One out later, Steve Pearce hit a two-run single and after Snyder walked, ex-Cub Cedeno drove a ball over the wall in right center.
Maholm had pitched 6 2-3 innings of scoreless ball at Wrigley Field on April 2, leaving with a 3-0 lead, before the Cubs got five runs in the eighth and he ended up with a no-decision.
His last shutout before Saturday came on July 18, 2010, against the Astros.
NOTES: The Pirates are 16-6 in their last 22 games against the Cubs. ... Pearce left the game after the top of the fourth with soreness in his right calf. He was replaced at 3B by Brandon Wood. ... Walker has hit safely in all 14 of his career games against the Cubs. ... Rodrigo Lopez, acquired from Atlanta in a minor-league trade Thursday, will make his first start for the Cubs on Monday against Houston. ... Matt Garza, on the DL with a sore elbow, could throw on the side Sunday. ... CF Marlon Byrd, recovering from facial fractures after being hit near the eye by Boston's Alfredo Aceves last weekend, is consulting specialists this week. ... Jeff Baker (groin) and Reed Johnson (back) were held out of the lineup Saturday. Baker pinch-hit in the ninth. ... Cubs cleanup hitter Aramis Ramirez has one homer all season and that came on April 6. ... The Pirates put LHP Joe Beimel on the DL with left elbow inflammation and planned to send him back to Pittsburgh to be examined.
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