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 Former starter Jon Lieber (1-1) gave a depleted bullpen a big lift with three scoreless innings before Carlos Marmol finished up in the 12th for his first save since June 27, helping the Cubs win their third in the row.
John Russell followed his five immediate predecessors as the Pirates' manager, a group that includes World Series winners Jim Leyland and Chuck Tanner, by losing his home debut. The Pirates have dropped their last four home openers and 13 of 15 dating to Three Rivers Stadium.
Pittsburgh rallied from a 7-0 deficit in the third inning -- a week to the day after blowing a five-run lead in the ninth inning in Atlanta before winning 12-11 in 12 innings.
Meek (0-1), a winter-meeting draft pick, was last remaining pitcher in the Pirates' bullpen. He walked five
-- two intentionally -- in a 12th that started with walks to Ryan Theriot and Alfonso Soriano. The Cubs' second run of the inning came on Mark DeRosa's bases-loaded walk.
Ramirez and Geovany Soto each drove in two runs and Pirates starter Tom Gorzelanny walked three and committed a run-scoring throwing error during a six-run third finished off by Ronny Cedeno's three-run double off Phil Dumatrait.
The Pirates, who didn't score at least seven runs until May 13 last season but have done it three times in seven games this season, turned the Cubs' own errant throwing and starter Ted Lilly's wildness into a five-run fourth that got them back into the game.
Lilly walked two ahead of throwing errors by shortstop Cedeno and third baseman Ramirez that scored a run and kept the inning going before Nate McLouth finished it off with an RBI triple.
Ramirez's run-scoring grounder made it 8-5 in the sixth, but the Pirates scored twice in the bottom of the inning despite getting only one hit, Luis Rivas' single, among three walks.
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The Cubs' third infield error of the game, by second baseman DeRosa for mishandling Nyjer Morgan's hard-hit grounder, allowed the Pirates to tie it at 8 following Jose Bautista's one-out double in the seventh.
Pittsburgh had a chance to win it after Ryan Doumit led off the ninth with a double. But, after pinch-runner Brian Bixler advanced to third with one out, he was stranded when Jose Bautista bunted into an out and Luis Rivas grounded out.
Notes: Hall of Fame infielder Bill Mazeroski threw out the ceremonial first pitch. ... More than a dozen former Pirates players from different eras, including Mazeroski, Roy Face, Manny Sanguillen, Dave Parker and John Smiley, greeted current Pirates players as they came onto the field during the pregame ceremonies. ... The Pirates are wearing a uniform patch on their home jerseys commemorating the 250th anniversary of Pittsburgh's founding. ... Pirates 1B Adam LaRoche (tender right thumb) didn't start but was used as a pinch-hitter. ... Gorzelanny threw strikes on only 36 of his 70 pitches. ... There were a combined five errors and 19 walks, 11 by the eight Pirates pitchers.
[Associated Press; By ALAN ROBINSON]
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
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