13 not so very unlucky for Cubs

Note to anyone who had the Cubs in a 13-run pool over the weekend: Begin spending frivolously.

For the second day in a row, the Cubs scored 13 runs against visiting Pittsburgh, clubbing starter Zach Duke and two ineffective relievers for 18 hits to complete their second sweep of the Pirates this season.

The Cubs also drew 7 walks a day after drawing 10 free passes that helped fuel a 13-6 victory before a season-high crowd of 41,405 Sunday at Wrigley Field.

The win was the sixth in seven games for the surging Cubs (12-6), who moved into first place in the National League Central by virtue of San Francisco's 8-2 victory in St. Louis.

"I didn't realize that we were in first place," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said afterward. "But it doesn't really … early in the year you just want to win baseball games and win series. I don't really look too much at the standings early.

"As long as we're playing good baseball and we're winning our share of ballgames, good things happen."

Good things happened for the Cubs all afternoon, starting in their first at-bat against Duke (0-1). Reed Johnson opened the hit parade with a leadoff double to the wall in center field, beginning a trend of Cubs leadoff hitters reaching base in six of the first seven innings.

The standouts on a day filled with fine hitting performances were Ryan Theriot and Aramis Ramirez. Theriot immediately drove in Johnson with a single that gave the Cubs the early lead en route to his 4-for-5 performance that included 2 doubles.

Theriot is hitting .481 (13-for-27) on the homestand with 4 doubles, a triple, a home run and 9 runs scored.

Ramirez, who entered the game hitting .234, woke up with a 4-for-5 day that included 4 RBI. His no-doubt-about-it, 2-run homer in the fifth inning capped a 5-run outburst that ballooned the lead to 10-3.

"You saw a lot of guys swinging the bats well today" Theriot said. "Aramis had a great day, and Ryno went out there and threw the ball well."

Ryno -- as in Dempster, not Sandberg -- improved to 3-0 as a starter this season after surviving his moment of truth midway through the game. Dempster had retired 11 straight since the first inning, but he struggled with control in the fifth. He beaned one batter and walked two more, including a pass to Nate McClouth with the bases loaded.

But after a Freddy Sanchez grounder trimmed the lead to 5-3, Dempster fooled Pirates cleanup hitter Adam LaRoche on a checked swing to end the threat.

"I wasn't happy with the way I let that inning get to the point that it did," Dempster said. "I'm glad I made the pitches to get out of it to keep us ahead in the ballgame."

Cubs 13, Pirates 6

At the plate: Every position player notched at least 1 hit, led by Ryan Theriot (4-for-5, 2 doubles) and Aramis Ramirez (4-for-5 with a double, a 2-run homer and 4 RBI).

On the mound: Ryan Dempster earned his third victory by holding the Pirates to 3 runs on 5 hits with 3 strikeouts and 2 walks in 5 innings. He struck out cleanup man Adam LaRoche with the bases loaded in the fifth to preserve a 2-run lead and qualify for the win.