PITTSBURGH, April 4 (UPI) -- Chicago's Travis Wood allowed one hit over six innings Thursday and the Cubs hung on for a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Wood (1-0) gave up a double to Clint Barnes in the third inning and two walks while striking out four in a six-inning start. He left the game with a 1-0 lead.
Chicago, which had only three hits on the day, led 3-0 in the ninth but Carlos Marmol gave up a single, a walk and back-to-back RBI singles to Andrew McCutchen and Gaby Sanchez that put the potential tying run on third.
But Pedro Alvarez struck out on a pitch in the dirt and Neil Walker grounded into a game-ending double play that gave Marmol his first save of the season.
The Cubs had just two hits through eight innings, using singles by Wood and Starlin Castro to produce a run in the third inning and beat James McDonald (0-1). Those were the only hits McDonald, who struck out four and walked two, allowed in seven innings.
Nate Schierholtz hit a two-run home run in the ninth for the other Chicago hit.
