Cubs begin with 8 straight hits, beat Pirates 9-4

[September 09, 2009]  PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Aramis Ramirez, Geovany Soto and Kosuke Fukudome had two-run hits in a record-tying first inning and the Chicago Cubs handed the hapless Pittsburgh Pirates their 11th loss in 12 games, 9-4 on Tuesday night.

Chicago tied a major league record with eight consecutive hits to start the game. No team had done so in 19 years, when the New York Yankees did it against the Baltimore Orioles on Sept. 25, 1990.

Micah Hoffpauir hit his ninth homer and Jeff Baker went 3 for 4 with a walk for the Cubs, who have won three of four in their quest to stay in the NL wild card race.

Garrett Jones hit his 19th homer for the Pirates, who are 18-42 since July 1. They established a record among major North American professional sports teams by clinching their 17th straight losing season Monday.

Arnold Palmer, a native of Latrobe, Pa., was honored in an elaborate pregame ceremony celebrating his 80th birthday. Before he could get to his seat the Cubs had scored six runs before an out was even recorded.

The first five batters against Zach Duke reached via softly hit balls that either found their way through the infield or were placed fortuitously enough to lead to infield hits. Ramirez's chopper through the left side drove in two runs.

Soto, the sixth batter, smashed a double off the wall in right-center that drove in two more.

Fukudome followed with a two-run double down the left-field line, giving the Cubs a 6-0 lead, and Bobby Scales then hit another infield single. Pitcher Ryan Dempster laid down a sacrifice bunt, eliciting sarcastic cheers from the sparse crowd. A seventh run scored during the inning on a groundout.

Dempster (9-8) was effective for 6 1-3 innings, allowing four runs, eight hits and two walks with four strikeouts to win for the third time in his past four starts.

Through his first 25 starts of the season, Duke (10-14) had gone at least five innings every time, and at least six innings all but twice. In two of his past three outings, he was knocked out of the game early.

On Tuesday, he was charged with eight runs and 12 hits in four innings. He has lost five of his past six decisions and is 2-9 since beginning the season 8-5.

NOTES: The most recent NL team to begin a game with eight hits was the Pirates on Aug. 26, 1975, against Atlanta. ... Cubs OF Milton Bradley left the game after the top of the first with tightness in his legs. He was replaced by Hoffpauir. ... Jones leads all rookies in homers. ... Cubs manager Lou Piniella said before the game that injured OF Alfonso Soriano will not play until at least well into the team's upcoming homestand, if then. Soriano has not played since Thursday due to left knee inflammation. ... The Cubs clinched winning a road series for the first time in five tries.

[Associated Press]

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