Cubs game tracker

Cubs 5, Pirates 3

Patience, please: While Cubs starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano threw 94 pitches in 6 innings, Pirates starter Paul Maholm was into the sixth before he even reached 70 pitches. The Cubs finally broke through in the eighth when they took a couple of walks and scored 5 runs.

Kerry’s back: Reliever Kerry Wood pitched in his first game for the Cubs since Sept. 27, 2008. He worked a scoreless seventh and struck out Neil Walker on a nasty breaking pitch.

Keep the ball: Carlos Marmol struck out the side in the ninth to earn his first save. “Marmol gave me the ball,” said manager Mike Quade. “Heck, you won the game, son. You keep the ball. He wanted me to have it. So that was nice. Just win. Not for me. Just compete and win and get these guys going.”