CHICAGO — Zach Duke's been in the major leagues for a total of four months. To the Chicago Cubs, it seems like he's been pitching and beating them forever.

Duke did it again Tuesday and he was better than ever against the team he's dominated four times in as many starts.

This time, he pitched a five-hitter for his first major league shutout and complete game in the Pittsburgh Pirates' 8-0 victory over the Cubs.

"It just seems like every time I face them I'm on top of my game," Duke said.

That's putting it mildly.

Duke (2-2) is now 2-0 this season against the Cubs. He also was 2-0 against Chicago a year ago as a rookie, beating Greg Maddux twice at Wrigley Field. In 32 career innings against the Cubs, he's given up just two earned runs (0.56 ERA). And in 25 innings at Wrigley Field, he's yielded one earned run (0.36).

"So far it's been pretty good to me. It's such a fun place to play," Duke said of the Cubs' cozy neighborhood park. "It's just a good place as a baseball player to come."

Duke now has a 10-4 career record, four of those wins against the Cubs, who have trouble with his assortment of lefty pitches.

"I don't know how he does against the rest of the league, but he's done well against us," said Todd Walker, who had two hits for the Cubs.

"He throws that little cutter on the corner against lefties. ... He's a Greg Maddux type. He locates well and changes speed."

And he doesn't give away bases. Duke, just 23 and in his 20th major league start, walked one, struck out two and was backed by a pair of double plays.

"He throws a lot of strikes," Chicago's Juan Pierre said. "And the pitches we did get to hit, we didn't do anything with them."

Jeromy Burnitz homered against his former team, and Freddy Sanchez had three hits and three RBIs after being moved to the third spot in the batting order as the Pirates earned a split in the two-game series at Wrigley Field.

Burnitz batted .258 with 24 homers and 87 RBIs last season — his only one with the Cubs — but the team decided not to pick up his $7 million option and instead signed Jacque Jones to play right field.

Burnitz gave the Pirates a 4-0 lead when he hit a two-run homer in the third off rookie Angel Guzman (0-1).