The Chicago Cubs maintained their lead in the NL Central by beating the Pirates, 5-0, Monday night in the first game of a four-game series at PNC Park.
Veteran Jon Lester held the Bucs at bay, giving up just four hits in six innings of work, and the Cubs used single runs in the second and fifth innings and sealed the win with a three-spot in the eighth.
Pirates starter JT Brubaker had a second consecutive strong start, as he yielded two runs on four hits in 6 2/3 innings. Brubaker walked just one and struck out nine.