Morning Box Score

By Matt Motyka in News on May 27, 2009 3:00PM

Cubs Storm Pirates
Before the skies poured rain, the Cubs poured on the runs, beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-1 in a weather-shortened, six-inning victory that brought a stop to their eight-game losing streak. The Cubs scored one run in each of the first three innings, including a solo jack by Kosuke Fukudome in the first and an RBI single by pitcher Sean Marshall in the second. Marshall, who also threw five frames of four-hit baseball, allowed the Pirates lone run in the top of the fourth, as the Cubs' lead shrunk to 3-1. The North Siders responded in the next inning, however, when Ryan Theriot, Micah Hoffpauir and Mike Fontenot each drove home a run for Chicago, extending the lead to five. Marshall then handed the ball to reliever Mother Nature, who prevented any chance of a Pittsburgh comeback. Hoffpauir, starting in place of the flu-stricken Derrek Lee, went 2-for-3 with two RBIs to lead the Cubs offensively. Chicago will try to claim the series when they take the field at 1:20 this afternoon.

Sox Top Angels
The White Sox put in another strong performance against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday, winning game two of the series 4-2. Jayson Nix sandwiched a Paul Konerko RBI between solo shots in the fifth and seventh innings, and Jermaine Dye gave the Sox some breathing room by driving home Chris Getz in the ninth. The Angels recorded their first run of the game in the seventh off starter Bartolo Colon, who allowed only four hits and walked no one over 6.2 quality innings. L.A. then made some noise in the ninth when Torii Hunter hit a Scott Linebrink fastball into the cheap seats to cut the lead to two, but Linebrink was able to limit the damage and pick up the save for Chicago. With the win the White Sox claimed their third consecutive series and will go for the sweep tonight at 9:05.