PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have stuck with Charlie Morton in their starting rotation despite his awful start.

On Wednesday night, Morton showed why.

Morton was effective for the first time this season, allowing two runs in six-plus innings, and the Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs for the second straight night, 4-2.

Morton (1-5), who entered the game as the worst starter in the majors in terms of ERA (12.57) and was tied for worst with five losses, didn't allow a hit in five of his six innings and didn't walk a batter to win for the first time since shutting out the Cubs Sept. 30.

"There's been so much support in the clubhouse and so much support in the front office that they made it clear all I need to do is go out and throw the ball," Morton said. "I wasn't trusting myself and just letting the ball go. The monkey's off my back in the sense that I realize now that I can simplify my approach and get good results."

Chicago's Ted Lilly didn't walk a batter and there were no free passes in the game.

Ryan Church homered for the second consecutive game, Garrett Jones had two hits and two RBI, and Octavio Dotel earned his fifth save in seven opportunities for Pittsburgh, which improved to 9-1 in games decided by two runs or fewer.

"It'd just been so hard for (Morton) to finally get off the schnide," Church said. "Tonight he really went out there and pitched aggressive, went after people, got 1-2-3 innings, kept guys off base. I'm glad we scored enough runs for him."

Slumping Aramis Ramirez was moved down to the No. 6 spot in the order but had a hit and an RBI for Chicago.

Morton retired the first eight Cubs before hitting Lilly with a pitch with two outs in the third. He allowed four hits in a two-run fourth but retired the next seven before being lifted when Ramirez singled to lead off the seventh.

In his previous five starts, Morton hadn't allowed less than six runs and had completed at least four innings only once.

"I think he will take some confidence out of that (fourth inning)," Pirates manager John Russell said. "They got the bases loaded and he got out of it with just two runs. It could have been a lot worse. ... It's a good game to build off for him. He pitched real well."

Three of the first four Pittsburgh batters of the game had hits against Lilly (1-2), but the Pirates pushed across only one run when Bobby Crosby scored on Jones' single.

The Pirates began the third with three straight doubles, taking a 3-0 lead when Andrew McCutchen and Jones drove in Andy LaRoche and McCutchen.

Church's homer was on an 0-1 pitch to right with one out in the sixth.