Aug 27, 2008 8:51 pm US/Eastern
Pirates Lose, Cubs Net Three-Game Sweep
PITTSBURGH (AP) ―
Jason Marquis allowed five hits over seven innings and Chicago turned two well-placed bunts into two runs in the seventh for a 2-0 victory Wednesday that gave the Cubs a three-game sweep.
It was Cubs' third sweep this season of the Pirates. Chicago won the season series 14-4, the most victories against Pittsburgh since going 15-7 in 1954.
Chicago, a major league-best 83-50, won its fifth straight and 13th of 16. The Cubs are 33 games over .500 for the first time since they were 98-56 at the end of the 1945 season.
The Pirates lost their season-high seventh straight and 11th in 13. Zach Duke (4-13), who lost his ninth consecutive decision, took a shutout into the seventh before Reed Johnson beat out a bunt single to third. Mark DeRosa doubled down the left-field line to put runners on second and third.
After Johnson scored on a groundout, catcher Henry Blanco put down a perfectly placed squeeze bunt that stayed fair along the first-base line by inches to score DeRosa standing and make it 2-0.
Marquis (9-7) has won twice in nine starts since June 26. Kerry Wood got his 27th save.
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