Walker, Jones lead Pirates' hit parade
CHICAGO — The Pittsburgh Pirates have struggled almost everywhere this season — except Wrigley Field.
Neil Walker and Garrett Jones each hit a long two-run homer, and Pittsburgh beat the Chicago Cubs 14-7 on Tuesday night for a rare road victory.
Walker went 4 for 5 with four RBI and three runs scored for the Pirates, who won for only the fifth time in 43 road games and ended a 14-game losing streak away from PNC Park.
"It's been hard for us to win on the road recently, but when we can do something like this it's good going forward for confidence," the Pine-Richland High graduate said. "The biggest thing in a series is trying to win that series and now we have an opportunity to do that tomorrow."
Koyie Hill hit a two-run homer for the Cubs, who have lost 13 of 16 at home.
The Cubs are one of the few teams the Pirates have had success against lately. Pittsburgh is 10-4 against Chicago this season and has won 12 of 16 at Wrigley Field dating to a doubleheader sweep on Sept. 30 last year.
The only teams the Pirates have a winning road record against this season are the Cubs (5-3) and Rockies (2-1). Pittsburgh is 7-48 against the rest of its opponents away from home.
"They have our number for sure," Cubs starter Ryan Dempster said. "The easiest thing for us is to put tonight behind us as fast we can and come out tomorrow and win a game and win a series."
Pirates starter Jeff Karstens (3-10) avoided matching the longest losing streak in the majors this season. He pitched six strong innings and allowed two runs on four hits after missing his previous turn with a fatigued arm.
The right-hander came into the game 0-8 with a 5.40 ERA in his last 10 starts — a stretch that began with a loss at Wrigley on June 29. Atlanta's Kenshin Kawakami and Baltimore's Brian Matusz are the only pitchers to drop nine consecutive decisions this season.
"I feel better, I don't know if I feel fresher. I didn't really have my legs underneath me until the second inning," Karstens said.
Jose Tabata was 3 for 5 with three runs and two RBIs for the Pirates, who lost 14-2 to the Cubs on Monday night.
With a 14-2 lead in the eighth, Pirates reliever Sean Gallagher allowed five runs. He gave up a pinch-hit RBI double to Micah Hoffpauir and a pair of RBI singles to Starlin Castro and Xavier Nady before being lifted.
Chan Ho Park gave up an RBI single to Alfonso Soriano before getting the last out in the eighth. Castro was 2 for 4 and raised his average to .315.
The Pirates scored four times off Dempster in the first inning. Tabata walked and advanced to third on Walker's single. Jones hit a broken-bat comebacker to Dempster. Tabata scored as Dempster bobbled the ball and had to settle for getting Jones at first for the second out of the inning.
Pedro Alvarez followed with an RBI double. Then, after Dempster hit Ryan Doumit with a pitch, Ronny Cedeno hit a two-run double to center.
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