Cubs Beat Pirates 7-4

The Cubs won again at Wrigley Field on Friday, improving their record on the home stand to 7-1 with two games left to play.

Alfonso Soriano again started off the game with a lead-off home run and also added a three-run home run in the second inning. He finished the game going 2-for-4 with four RBI.

Sean Gallagher got the start as he pitched six innings allowing one earned run on just four hits, while striking out three to pick up his first victory of the season. Kerry Wood worked the ninth to pick up his ninth save of the season.

Geovany Soto, who went 2-for-3, hit a solo home run in the 1st inning just after an Aramis Ramirez ground out scored Ryan Theriot. Mark Derosa added the final run of the game as he hit a solo home run in the sixth to put the Cubs up 7-1.

The Pirates offense got on the board in the top of the sixth when Xavier Nady singled in Nate McLouth. The Bucs then added three more runs in the eighth, the first coming off of a solo shot by Jason Bay, and the next two coming off of a Doug Mientkiewicz two-run home run that pulled the Pirates within three runs. 

Kerry Wood came on in the ninth to nail down the save and the win for the Cubs.

ON Sunday, the Cubs will take on the Pirates at 12:05 pm CT.  Pitching for the Cubs will be Carlos Zambrano, who is 6-1 with 2.03 ERA. Taking the mound for the Pirates will be Zach Duke, who is 2-2 with a 4.04 ERA.

With today's win, the Cubs record now sits at 26-16 and they have a two game lead on the second place Houston Astros, who will play the Texas Rangers tonight.