Cubs 5, Pirates 3
Carlos Zambrano worked six strong innings and the Chicago Cubs overcame two Derrek Lee homers to earn a 5-3 victory over the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday night.
Pittsburgh has lost six of its last seven games and fell 5 1/2 games behind first-place Milwaukee in the National League Central.
The Cubs broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the sixth against Paul Maholm (6-11). Geovany Soto doubled in the go-ahead run and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Peña.
That was enough help for Zambrano (8-6), who allowed only a fourth-inning solo home run to Lee. Zambrano allowed seven hits, three walks and struck out five.
Lee, who was making his Pirates debut, added a two-run shot in the eighth against reliever Kerry Wood to make it 4-3 before Reed Johnson gave the Cubs a two-run cushion with an RBI double in the ninth.
Carlos Marmol, the fifth Chicago pitcher, worked the ninth for his 21st save.