Gorzelanny beats former team, Baker homers with 2 RBIs in Cubs’ 3-1 victory over Pirates

Gorzelanny pitches Cubs to 3-1 win over Pirates

CHICAGO — Tom Gorzelanny pitched five effective innings against his former team, Jeff Baker homered and drove in two runs, and the Chicago Cubs defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 on Saturday.

Gorzelanny, who grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago, allowed one run on three hits with eight strikeouts and three walks. He also added an RBI single in the second inning, while improving to 2-1 in three starts for his new team.

The Cubs had lost seven of eight before winning 17-2 on Friday night, the woeful Pirates proving the perfect opponent to get back on track. They’re 20-6 against Pittsburgh since 2008, while the Pirates have lost 17 of 20 overall and managed to win only two games in August.

Gorzelanny (5-2) was demoted from Pittsburgh’s starting rotation last year, then sent to Triple-A Indianapolis in June. He remained in Indianapolis until he was traded along with reliever John Grabow to Chicago on July 30.

Gorzelanny is filling Ted Lilly’s spot while he recovers from left shoulder inflammation.

The Cubs bullpen secured the win with four shutout innings. Angel Guzman pitched two, Carlos Marmol worked the eighth and Kevin Gregg finished for his 23rd save in 28 opportunities. He got help from Sam Fuld, who made a running catch into the left-field wall to rob Ramon Vazquez of a hit with one out in the ninth.

Zach Duke (9-11) went 7 1-3 innings and allowed three runs on nine hits, but again got very little help. The Pirates have only scored four runs in its current four-game losing streak.

Duke won his first four decisions against the Cubs — three of them at Wrigley — but is 0-7 in 12 outings since Aug. 5, 2006.

Milton Bradley and Derrek Lee got things started early with back-to-back singles in the first. Jake Fox followed with a slow roller to second baseman Luis Cruz, who attempted to tag out Lee between first and second. Umpire Mike Reilly ruled Cruz missed the tag, but he still managed to get Fox at first. Baker followed with an RBI single, and Lee was thrown out trying to score on a strong throw by center fielder Andrew McCutchen.

Geovany Soto doubled in the second inning and scored on Gorzelanny’s single.

Pittsburgh scored its only run in the fifth, when Duke put down a good bunt that he managed to beat out to load the bases. McCutchen hit a sacrifice fly, but Lastings Milledge struck out swinging and Garrett Jones lined out to end the threat.

Baker tagged Duke for a solo shot in the sixth inning, his second of the season.

NOTES: The Pirates recalled Brian Bixler and purchased the contract of RHP Denny Bautista from Triple-A Indianapolis. To make room on the roster, the Pirates also placed RHP Jose Ascanio (shoulder tendinitis) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Aug. 12, and designated OF Jeff Salazar for assignment. … 3B Aramis Ramirez singled off Duke in a pinch-hit appearance in the eighth inning. He’d been out since Aug. 8 with left shoulder soreness and missed Friday’s game with a head cold.