PITTSBURGH - Rob Mackowiak became a father for the first time, hit a game-winning grand slam and tied another game with a two-run homer.

Whew! What a day!

"It's just hard to imagine ever having a better day than this," Mackowiak said.

Hours after his wife, Jennifer, gave birth to their first son, Mackowiak hit his first career grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth Friday to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a 9-5 win over the Chicago Cubs in the first game of a doubleheader.

In the nightcap, he hit a two-run homer to tie it in the ninth inning before Craig Wilson's game-winning home run in the 10th gave the Pirates a 5-4 victory and doubleheader sweep.

Mackowiak, who entered the second game as a defensive replacement for center fielder Ruben Mateo, hit the first pitch he saw from LaTroy Hawkins over the right-center field wall for his 10th homer.

"Obviously, having your first child is a big event in itself, then to come back at night and hit a game-winning and a game-tying home run ... well, it's just hard to describe," he said.

Wilson's homer off Francis Beltran, his 11th of the season, gave the Pirates their first doubleheader sweep since June 18, 2003, against Montreal.

"I'm not thinking home run there, but I just happened to hit it hard enough to get it out of the park," Wilson said. "But what I did pales in comparison to what Mackowiak did.

"It was great to see a good friend have his first kid and hit two huge home runs. I guess you could say he had a pretty good day, huh?"

Mike Gonzalez (2-0) pitched a perfect 10th inning for the Pirates, who are 22-22 - the latest in a season that they've been at .500 since Sept. 1, 1999.

Beltran (1-1) threw just one pitch and took the loss. He had allowed only one run over his previous 9

innings.

Corey Patterson hit a two-run homer and Jose Macias drove in two runs in the nightcap for the Cubs, who have lost four straight and six of their last eight.

"In the latter part of games, we have to find a way to win," Patterson said. "They did a good job. But somehow, some way, we have to focus a little more at crucial times in the game."

Mackowiak certainly did that in both games, beginning with his first dramatic homer off reliever Joe Borowski on a 2-1 pitch.

Mackowiak's wife, Jennifer, gave birth to their son, Garrett Matthew, just after 11 a.m. Friday, and Mackowiak didn't arrive at the ballpark until about 4 p.m. for a 5:05 start.

"You never expect to do this," Mackowiak said. "I mean, look at the pitchers the Cubs had - Borowski and Hawkins. They're two of the best in the league. I don't know how you ever explain what I did."

Said Chicago manager Dusty Baker: "It breaks your heart. The same guy wins it and then ties it up in the second game. I guess it was just his day. It was unbelievable."

"This is certainly one of the best days I've had in my four years as a manager," Pittsburgh's Lloyd McClendon said. "I really like this team and the way it's playing. They show an awful lot of heart."