Kosuke Fukudome had three hits, including a go-ahead double, during a perfect day at the plate and the Cubs beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-3 on Wednesday to take two of three and a series from the team with Baseball’s worst record for the only time this season.Carlos Marmol escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning and finished for his 25th save in 30 chances.Starter Tom Gorzelanny was knocked out in the third when Jose Tabata lined a shot off his right hand. The left-hander departed for X-rays, but five Cubs relievers combined to allow four hits the rest of the way.Thomas Diamond (1-3), who replaced Gorzelanny, gave up two runs and two hits in 1 2-3 innings for the win. Marmol walked in a run with two outs in the eighth but struck out Tabata to preserve a 5-3 lead. The victory left the Cubs at 5-10 vs the Bucs this season.The ten wins Pittsburgh got against the Cubs were twice as many as they got against any other opponents this season(5 vs both the Brewers and Reds. To put this in another persepctive, the Pirates have 10 of their Maor League worst 44 wins against the Northsiders!

NOTES—Attendance was announced as 33,555…..The Cubs have Thursday off,then host the New York Mets starting Friday at 1:20pm with Randy Wells(6-12)facing R.A.Dickey(9-5).

LES