Walker, Jones lead Pirates past Cubs 14-7

[September 01, 2010]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Neil Walker and Garrett Jones each hit a long two-run homer, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Chicago Cubs 14-7 on Tuesday night for a rare road victory.

Walker went 4 for 5 with four RBIs 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.

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.

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.

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 in this one, 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.

Cubs starter Ryan Dempster (12-9) had his worst outing of the season. He allowed a season-high seven earned runs and seven hits in three innings, his shortest start this year. Dempster had won his previous four decisions.

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.

The troubles continued for Dempster in the second inning. With one out, he walked Andrew McCutchen, who stole second. Tabata hit a triple over the head of center fielder Marlon Byrd to make it 5-0.

In the third inning, McCutchen hit a two-run single to give the Pirates a 7-0 lead.

Cubs reliever Marcos Mateo didn't fare well, either. He gave up a single to Walker, then Jones homered to left for his 20th of the season.

Walker tagged Mateo with a two-run shot to give the Pirates an 11-2 lead in the sixth. Tabata added another RBI single, and Walker had a two-run double off reliever James Russell in the seventh.

NOTES: Cubs RHP Carlos Zambrano pinch-hit for Dempster in the third and grounded out. ... Walker hit his eighth homer of the season.

[Associated Press]

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