8/3/08 vs Pirates; W 8-5; (67-45)

The Cubs did in fact eclipse the 21 game mark and get to 22 games over .500 for the first time since 1989. They didn't make it easy.

Carlos Zambrano pitched five good innings, but was pulled just to allow some rest. The logic was that he had thrown an extremely high number of pitches in his last two outings and today the Cubs could afford to sit him down early.

Jeff Samardzija pitched an effective couple innings and turned it over to Neil Cotts and Chad Gaudin in the eighth. They combined to allow three runs to score, the final two on an Adam LaRoche home run. That blew Guadin's save, but eventually earned him the win.

That's because with two outs in the eighth, Geovony Soto drew a walk. When Daryle Ward was announced to hit for Gaudin, the Pirates made a pitching change. Lou countered by bringing Reed Johnson to the plate. Johnson homered, for just the sixth time this year, to regain the lead. Alfonso Soriano made it back to back and gave Carlos Marmol a little cushion.

He didn't need it as he pitched a perfect ninth inning to pick up his sixth save.