CHICAGO, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- Jeff Karstens and three relievers combined on a five-hit shutout Friday and Pittsburgh downed the surging Chicago Cubs 3-0.
Karstens (1-0), making hid first Pittsburgh start, gave up the five hits in six scoreless innings with four walks and just two strikeouts, but 62 of his 101 pitches were strikes on a steamy afternoon at Wrigley Field.
Danny Bautista and Sean Burnett pitched the seventh and eighth, while John Grabow escaped the ninth to record his first save this season.
At the plate, Jason Michaels hit an RBI single in the second and a solo homer in the sixth.
Jack Wilson had three hits and one RBI, and Luis Rivas added two hits for the Pirates, who recorded the third win in their last four games.
Aramis Ramirez had two of the five hits for the Cubs, who had increased their winning streak to five games in a row by finishing a four-game sweep at Milwaukee on Thursday.
The losing pitcher was starter Jason Marquis (6-7).
