Chicago,  IL  (SportsNetwork.com) - Junior  Lake and Mike Olt smacked back-to- 
back  home runs in the fifth inning to help the Chicago Cubs to a 7-5 win over 
the  Pittsburgh  Pirates in the  middle test of  a three-game set from Wrigley 
Field. 

Jason  Hammel  (2-0) went  seven strong  innings for  the Cubs, allowing three 
runs  on  three hits while  striking out six.  Anthony Rizzo went 4-for-5 with 
two  doubles  and two runs scored  while Emilio Bonifacio continued his torrid 
start  to the  campaign, recording  two more  hits in  the triumph.  Bonifacio 
now has 19 hits in eight games. 

Pittsburgh  got its five  runs on five solo homers, including a pair from both 
Pedro  Alvarez and  Russell  Martin.  Travis Snider  also  went  yard for  the 
Pirates. 

"I  got my first taste of Wrigley," joked Hammel, who signed with Chicago over 
the  winter. "When  the wind's howling out,  you have to keep the ball down. I 
only made three mistakes today, and they all left the yard." 

Jose  Tabata's  pinch-hit single in the  eighth inning was the only Pittsburgh 
hit that did not leave the ballpark. 

Wandy  Rodriguez (0-2) was tagged for four runs on nine hits over five innings 
of work. 

Olt's  two-run  homer with two outs  in the fifth broke  a 1-1 tie and put the 
Cubs  in front.  Lake followed  with his  first of  the year  and after  five, 
Chicago held a 4-1 advantage. 

The  visitors  tacked on three more  runs in the sixth. Rizzo plated Bonifacio 
with  a double  to center, Olt singled  home Justin Ruggiano and Lake made it, 
7-1, when Rizzo scored on his fielder's choice. 

From  there, Chicago survived a pair of two-run innings. Snider opened the top 
of  the  seventh with a solo  shot to center and  with two outs in the inning, 
Martin belted one just over the ivory for a 7-3 margin. 

Pedro  Strop took  the hill  for  the ninth  and induced  an Andrew  McCutchen 
groundout  before  Alvarez and Martin  hit consecutive jacks. Strop struck out 
the next two batters he faced to end the game. 

"No  matter  what the  store is,  we're going  to give  our best effort," said 
Martin.  "Today they  were better than us. They scored more runs. We're trying 
to win the series tomorrow." 

Earlier,  Ruggiano's RBI double  in the first inning gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead, 
and Alvarez tied it when he led off the top of the fifth with a home run. 

Travis  Wood  and Gerrit  Cole are set  to take the  hill in Thursday's rubber 
match.  The  Pirates took  2-of-3 from  Chicago in Pittsburgh  to kick off the 
campaign. 

                                   Game Notes 

The Cubs  went 2-for-10 with  runners in scoring  position, leaving 10 men on 
base.  Pittsburgh did not have an at-bat with a runner in scoring position ... 
Chicago catcher Welington Castillo had his first multi-hit game of the season, 
finishing 2-for-3 with a double.