Monday, April 7, 2008

Cubs hold off Bucs, win in 12

PITTSBURGH -- The Cubs blew a seven-run lead and committed three errors Monday, yet beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 10-8, on Aramis Ramirez's tie-breaking sacrifice fly in the 12th inning.

Ryan Theriot walked to lead off the 12th against Evan Meek (0-1), and stole second, and Alfonso Soriano walked. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch on the first pitch to Felix Pie. One out later, Derrek Lee was intentionally walked to load the bases and Ramirez flew out to right to score Theriot.

After a wild pitch, Kosuke Fukudome was intentionally walked to load the bases again. Meek, the Pirates' Rule 5 pick, then unintentionally walked Mark DeRosa to force in a run.

Jon Lieber (1-1) picked up the win, pitching three innings in relief. Carlos Marmol pitched the 12th and picked up his first save.

Chicago took a 1-0 lead in the second on Geovany Soto's RBI single. With one out in the third and two on, the Cubs scored on an error by Pirates starter Tom Gorzelanny, who fielded Ramirez's infield single, then overthrew first. Fukudome and Soto each hit RBI singles, and Ronny Cedeno added a three-run double to make it 7-0.

The Pirates loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth against Lilly, and took advantage of back-to-back errors. Luis Rivas hit a grounder to Cedeno, who overthrew first, enabling two runs to score. Chris Gomez then hit a grounder along the line to Ramirez, and his throw was off the mark, allowing two more runs in. Nate McLouth hit an RBI triple to make it 7-5 and force Lilly's exit.

Johnson safely slid between the legs of Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit to score in the Chicago sixth. But the Pirates loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, and Carmen Pignatiello walked McLouth to force in a run. Freddy Sanchez hit a sacrifice fly off Bob Howry to close the gap to 8-7.

Jose Bautista doubled with one out in the seventh, and one out later scored on second baseman Mark DeRosa's error when he booted Nyjer Morgan's grounder to tie the game at 8.

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