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Ex-Cub Lee hits go-ahead slam for Pirates

Derrek Lee came off the disabled list and hit a go-ahead grand slam with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Chicago Cubs 7-5 on Saturday.

Lee's shot to left through the rain at Wrigley Field came off former teammate Carlos Marmol (2-5), who had his NL-high ninth blown save. Marmol gave up a single and three walks in the inning.

Batting cleanup, Lee had three hits and five RBIs in the game. He had been sidelined since Aug. 10 with a broken bone in his left wrist after getting hit by a pitch from Marmol on Aug. 3.

Lee was acquired from Baltimore on July 30 and is 8 for 23 (.348) with three homers, a triple and eight RBIs in six games with Pittsburgh.

Chris Resop (5-4) threw two scoreless innings in relief and Joel Hanrahan got three outs for his 34th save.

Alex Presley had three hits and scored a run for the Pirates.

Chicago's Alfonso Soriano matched his season high with four RBIs, hitting a go-ahead, two-run double in the seventh. Aramis Ramirez reached base four times and scored three runs, while Carlos Pena reached in all five of his plate appearances.

Cubs starter Casey Coleman threw six strong innings, allowing six hits and two runs — one earned — while striking out six.

Pirates starter Ross Ohlendorf allowed seven hits and three runs in four innings.

The game was delayed for 91 minutes in the seventh because of rain.

The Cubs stranded runners in each of the first five innings and went 2 for 15 with men in scoring position. They've hit just .176 in those situations since the beginning of August, but Soriano provided some clutch hitting.

He tied the score at 1 in the third. Ramirez singled with one out, went to third on Pena's double and scored on Soriano's sacrifice fly.

The Pirates grabbed the lead back in the fourth when Ryan Doumit's RBI double eluded Soriano in the left-field corner, scoring Neil Walker.

Soriano's single and Marlon Byrd's fielder's choice drove in runs in the fifth, putting Chicago up 3-2.

The Pirates drew even against Kerry Wood in the seventh when former Cub Ronny Cedeno bounced a groundball triple into right-center and scored on pinch-hitter Garrett Jones' sacrifice fly.

Coleman entered 0-4 with an 11.44 ERA in six outings this season at Wrigley Field and his struggles continued in the first inning. Presley's one-out double and Lee's RBI single were sandwiched around Andrew McCutchen's walk.

McCutchen has reached base in his last 30 games against the Cubs.

It could have been worse for Coleman, but he escaped when Walker flied out on a hit-and-run play, with Soriano doubling McCutchen off second base to end the inning. Coleman settled in for his best home outing of the season.

Ramirez singled and Pena walked to start Chicago's seventh-inning rally. Both scored when Soriano laced a double down the left-field line into the corner. The rain fell heavier through the inning and after Byrd was hit by a pitch, the umpires called for the field to be covered.

NOTES: September has been kind to Presley, who had a double and two singles. In three games since the calendar turned, the swift left fielder has gone 8 for 13 with four extra-base hits, two RBIs and four runs scored. ... McCutchen was in Pittsburgh's starting lineup. He left Friday's game after being hit by a pitch on his left hand in his first at-bat. ... Resurgent RHP Randy Wells will start for the Cubs in Sunday's series finale. Wells has won his last four starts and is coming off a two-hit shutout of San Francisco. RHP Charlie Morton goes for the Pirates.

Cubs starter Casey Coleman reacts as he adjusts his cap during the first inning Saturday. associated press