(My Sportsbook) - The Chicago Cubs try to continue their season-long mastery of the Pittsburgh Pirates this afternoon, as they go for a sweep in the finale of their three-game series at PNC Park.

Chicago, which leads the majors with 82 wins and is five games ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers in the Central standings, has won 13 of its 17 matchups with the Bucs this season, including six of the eight meetings in the Steel City.

That trend almost did not continue on Tuesday, but the Cubs used a late rally to move 32 games above .500 for the first time since they were 90-58 on September 15, 1984.

Geovany Soto drove in a career-high seven runs and Chicago used a seven-run eighth inning to post a 14-9 win. Soto finished 3-for-5 with two doubles, a homer and three runs scored for the Cubs, who are 12-3 over their last 15 games overall.

Carlos Zambrano lasted only 4 1/3 frames and was tagged for six runs on eight hits with four walks and three strikeouts. The comeback made a winner out of Sean Marshall (3-3), who tossed a scoreless seventh.

Adam LaRoche, Doug Mientkiewicz and Jack Wilson each drove in two runs for Pittsburgh, which has dropped six straight games and 10 of its last 12 overall.

Pittsburgh starter Ian Snell was roughed up for five runs on five hits in four innings of work. Craig Hansen (0-2) took the loss after he gave up four runs on one hit and did not retire a batter in the troublesome eighth.

Heading to the hill for the Cubs today will be righty Jason Marquis, who is 8-7 with a 4.76 ERA. Marquis did not get a decision on Friday against the Washington Nationals, as he allowed four runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 13-5 loss.

Marquis lost to the Bucs the last time he faced them, but is 7-6 lifetime against them with a 4.05 ERA in 22 games, 18 of which have been starts.

Pittsburgh will try to avoid the brooms with left-hander Zach Duke, who has dropped his last eight decisions. Duke's latest setback came on Friday against Milwaukee, which managed four runs and six hits off of him in six frames, dropping him to 4-12 on the season, while raising his ERA to 5.29.

Duke has faced the Cubs 12 times over the course of his career and is 4-4 against them with a 3.16 ERA. However, he is winless last eight starts against them.