Pirates Hand White Sox 9th Loss in 10 Games         

[June 16, 2007]  PITTSBURGH (AP) Paul Maholm pitched seven innings of three-hit ball and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the White Sox 4-2 Friday night, handing Chicago its ninth loss in 10 games. Maholm broke a personal five-game losing streak and Jose Bautista and Xavier Nady each drove in two runs for the Pirates, who have won three of four during a six-game interleague homestand.

Maholm (3-9) scattered eight baserunners while throwing 108 pitches _ he walked three batters and hit two _ as the Pirates won for the fourth time in his 14 starts this season.

He was erratic early, loading the bases with one out in the first on two walks and a Jermaine Dye single to left. A.J. Pierzynski's sacrifice fly to center scored Andy Gonzalez, but Maholm shut down the White Sox over the next six innings.

Shawn Chacon, in his first outing since being removed from the starting rotation after a poor start Sunday at Yankee Stadium, pitched a perfect eighth for the Pirates.

Matt Capps loaded the bases in the ninth, then walked Alex Cintron to score Pierzynski and make it 4-2. But Capps got Gonzalez to ground out for his fourth save.

Josh Fields had two hits for Chicago, which has lost four in a row and 16 of 19.

The Pirates took the lead for good in the bottom of the first with three consecutive two-out hits off White Sox starter Jon Garland (4-4). Nady's double scored Jason Bay and Adam LaRoche.

Pittsburgh made it 3-1 in the second when Bautista singled home Jack Wilson. Two innings later, Wilson led off with a single and was sacrificed to second by Maholm. He later scored on a single by Bautista, who has 10 hits and nine RBIs in his past six games.

Garland allowed four runs on 11 hits while striking out four and walking none. He has won only one of his past five starts.

Notes:@ Pittsburgh OF Chris Duffy left the game after five innings due to a right hamstring sprain. He was replaced in center field by Nate McLouth. ... Pirates 2B Freddy Sanchez did not play due to flu-like symptoms. ... Chicago leads the all-time series with Pittsburgh 8-7, but the Pirates have won five of the nine games played at PNC Park. ... Pittsburgh has won the first game in 12 of the past 16 series. ... Prior to Capps' two walks in the ninth, he had walked only two others unintentionally this season.

[Associated Press]