PITTSBURGH(AP) -- In the midst of a disappointing season, the
Chicago Cubs started a game like no team has in almost two
decades.

Aramis Ramirez, Geovany Soto and Kosuke Fukudome had two-run
hits in a record-tying first inning and the Cubs handed the
hapless Pittsburgh Pirates their 11th loss in 12 games, 9-4 on
Tuesday night.

Chicago tied a major league record with eight consecutive hits
to start the game. The most recent team to do that was the New
York Yankees, on Sept. 25, 1990 against the Baltimore Orioles.

"We came out swinging the bats," Chicago manager Lou Piniella
said. "Base hits, base hits, base hits"

Micah Hoffpauir hit his ninth homer and Jeff Baker went 3 for 4
with a walk for the Cubs, who have won three of four in their
quest to stay in the NL wild card race.

Garrett Jones hit his 19th homer for the Pirates, who are 18-42
since July 1. They established a record among major North
American professional sports teams by clinching their 17th
straight losing season Monday.

Arnold Palmer, a native of Latrobe, Pa., was honored in an
elaborate pregame ceremony celebrating his 80th birthday. Before
he could get to his seat the Cubs had scored six runs before an
out was even recorded.

"I've never really seen anything like that, but it happened,"
Pirates manager John Russell said. "It was just one of those
things where we couldn't stop it. You can't explain it. It was
just bad luck or good hitting, I don't know what it is."

The first five batters reached against Zach Duke via softly hit
balls that either found their way through the infield or were
placed fortuitously enough to lead to infield hits. Ramirez's
chopper through the left side drove in two runs.

"Its funny, too, because Zach's a heck of a pitcher," said
leadoff batter Ryan Theriot, who went 2 for 5 with a run and an
RBI. "He's definitely not a guy you want to go out there and
face on a daily basis.

"Things weren't going his way, for sure, and we were just
finding holes. Off a pitcher like Zach, you really don't expect
something like that to happen. The ball was bouncing our way.
That's how this game works, and it was in our favor in the first
inning, for sure."

Soto, the sixth batter, smashed a double off the wall in
right-center that drove in two more.

Fukudome followed with a two-run double down the left-field
line, giving the Cubs a 6-0 lead, and Bobby Scales then hit
another infield single. Pitcher Ryan Dempster laid down a
sacrifice bunt, eliciting sarcastic cheers from the sparse crowd
of 17,862. A seventh run scored during the inning on a
groundout.

Dempster was kidded by teammates that he was going to be fined
for not breaking the record with a hit (though he did have an
RBI single in the seventh).

"It's a pretty good feeling when your team runs off eight hits
in a row and scores seven runs before you even take the mound,"
Dempster said. "It takes a lot of pressure off anybody. It was
fun to watch the guys do that."

Dempster (9-8) was effective for 6 1-3 innings, allowing four
runs, eight hits and two walks with four strikeouts to win for
the third time in his past four starts.

Through his first 25 starts of the season, Duke (10-14) had gone
at least five innings every time, and at least six innings all
but twice. In two of his past three outings, he was knocked out
of the game early.

On Tuesday, he was charged with eight runs and 12 hits in four
innings. He has lost five of his past six decisions and is 2-9
since beginning the season 8-5.

"I really don't know how to explain today," Duke said. "There
was one ball hit hard - Soto's ball off the wall - and other
than that, things just seemed to find holes. I've got to just
flush it out of my mind and move on.

"You just have to throw your pitches and try to execute, and
hopefully stuff changes around for you and your luck changes and
starts going your way instead of the way it has been going."

NOTES: The most recent NL team to begin a game with eight hits
was the Pirates on Aug. 26, 1975, against Atlanta. ... Cubs OF
Milton Bradley left the game after the top of the first with
tightness in his legs. He was replaced by Hoffpauir. ... Jones
leads all rookies in homers. ... Piniella said before the game
that injured OF Alfonso Soriano will not play until at least
well into the team's upcoming homestand, if then. Soriano has
not played since Thursday due to left knee inflammation. ... The
Cubs clinched winning a road series for the first time in five
tries.