Cubs Win Rainy Game

Final Score: Chicago 6, Pittsburgh 1 (5 innings)

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Kosuke Fukudome hit a solo homer in the first frame and Sean Marshall took over from there, as Chicago snapped an eight-game skid and downed Pittsburgh, 6-1, in a rain-shortened contest at Wrigley Field.

Micah Hoffpauir drove in two runs during a 2-for-3 hitting night, backing up Marshall’s outing. Marshall (3-3) gave up one run on four hits with six strikeouts and two walks over five frames.

Ian Snell’s (1-6) difficult season continued, as the right-hander was hit for six runs on eight hits with four walks and four strikeouts in five innings. Each starter was the only pitcher of record, as play was called due to heavy rain with Pittsburgh’s Craig Monroe at the plate in the top of the sixth.

The Pirates saw their two-game winning streak come to an end.

Rain washed away the Pirates and Chicago’s insufferable eight-game losing streak. Fukudome’s two-out shot put the Cubs in front in the first and they added to the lead with single runs in the next two frames.

Marshall vs Pirates

Marshall helped himself with a run-scoring single that plated Mike Fontenot in the second and Hoffpauir’s double allowed Milton Bradley to cross home in the third.

Pittsburgh finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth on Robinzon Diaz’s single to center that scored McLouth, who had worked a leadoff walk.

Chicago cemented its position with a three-run fifth just prior to the skies opening. Alfonso Soriano, stole second and scampered to third on a throwing error on the steal attempt and scored on Ryan Theriot’s base hit. Fukudome and Bradley each walked to load the bases and Hoffpauir moved each up a base, scoring one, on his single. Fontenot’s ensuing single allowed Fukudome to score for a 6-1 edge.

Game Notes

Marshall lowered his ERA to 3.70, while Snell’s now sits at 5.43…Pittsburgh’s Freddy Sanchez had two hits, raising his average to .326…Marshall’s last victory came on May 10 at Milwaukee…Snell hasn’t won since April 18 and fell to 1-6 lifetime versus Pittsburgh…Attendance 38,303.