Castro homers as Cubs top Pirates

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Starlin Castro homered and Matt Garza pitched seven shutout innings to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 1-0 win over the sliding Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.

Castro’s solo homer leading off the eighth inning made a winner of Garza (5-8) as he combined on a four-hit shutout with Sean Marshall and Carlos Marmol, who worked the ninth for his 22nd save.

Castro hit a full-count pitch over the left-field fence off Chris Resop (3-3) for his fourth home run of the season to give the Cubs their first four-game winning streak of 2011. The shortstop went 3 for 4 and is 9 for 14 in the first three games of the four-game series.

Garza was lifted after walking pinch-hitter Matt Diaz to start the eighth. He allowed four hits, walked two and struck out seven for his first win in seven starts.