Freddy Sanchez yesterday wrote another incredible ending to yet another chapter of his storybook season.

	Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Freddy Sanchez (right) celebrates with Jose Castillo after Sanchez's winning two-run single in the 11th inning. Click photo for larger image. Related coverage Pirates Notebook: Protecting young arms a priority

The infielder flared a two-out, two-strike, two-run single over first baseman Derrek Lee that capped a three-run rally and lifted the Pirates to a 10-9 victory in 11 innings against the Chicago Cubs at PNC Park.

The hit, which gave Sanchez a four-RBI day, netted reliever Marty McLeary -- in his 10th professional season -- his first major-league win.

"That's awesome," said Sanchez, who played with McLeary in the Boston minor-league system. "He's worked his tail off."

"I always knew that boy could hit," McLeary said. "He always gets it done. That boy can flat-out hit."

It took some doing for McLeary to pocket his milestone win.

He allowed two runs on three hits in the top of the 11th, which ended with the bases loaded.

"I wish I could have done it a little more cleanly," McLeary said.

It turned out all right, though, because Sanchez cleaned up the mess -- after waiting through six hitters.

Xavier Nady, hitting .413 his past 15 games, led off with a single to right against Cubs closer Ryan Dempster. Ryan Doumit smoked a ball that Dempster knocked down. Had Dempster fielded the ball cleanly, he would have had an easy double play.

However, Dempster fumbled the ball, then dropped it as he moved to throw. That left him just the play at first base.

That one out instead of two would give Sanchez his chance.

Jose Castillo finished a four-hit day with a single into right-center field that drove in Nady. Humberto Cota, batting for McLeary, singled off the glove of Aramis Ramirez behind third base.

"A significant at-bat," Pirates manager Jim Tracy said. "Humberto Cota sat there for the better part of four hours and then had that at-bat against their closer."

Chris Duffy flied to left, but Jose Bautista drew a four-pitch walk, loading the bases.

Sanchez stepped in having gone 0 for 3 with a walk since his two-run single in a three-run third inning.

The game almost ended immediately.

	THE RACE How Freddy Sanchez stands in his bid to become the first Pirates player to win the National League batting title since Bill Madlock in 1983. LAST GAME Yesterday: 2 for 6 with two singles vs. Cubs. LEADERS Freddy Sanchez .347 Miguel Cabrera, Marlins .338 Chipper Jones, Braves .329 NEXT GAME Today: 8:10 p.m. vs. Cardinals. Pitcher: Chris Carpenter. Sanchez is 6 for 13 against Carpenter.

Sanchez got a weak swing on a Dempster slider and rolled a ball down the first-base line. It twisted foul just before Lee gloved it.

"Another inch and the game's over," Sanchez said. "I'm thinking, 'Please, go foul. Please, go foul."'

Two more Dempster sliders, and Sanchez was down 1-2.

"His sliders are tough," Sanchez said. "I was just trying to put a ball in play and hoping it would find a hole."

He got his wish.

Somehow, Sanchez got enough of his bat on yet another slider and sent it into short right field, just over Lee's glove.

"I really don't know how he hit that pitch," Tracy said. "It's amazing. That's a great hitter. And such an unselfish kid. He's a winner, man."

Castillo and Cota raced home and -- after rounding first base with his fist in the air -- Sanchez joined his teammates near the pitcher's mound.

"He's been clutch all year," Jason Bay said of Sanchez, who's hitting .423 with runners in scoring position, "and [yesterday] was no different."

The hit gave Sanchez a National League-leading .347 batting average to take into September.

"There isn't a guy in that clubhouse who isn't rooting for this kid to win the National League batting championship because of what he's done for this club," Tracy said. "It's just amazing what he's meant to this team and to the industry in general.

"If you handed out ballots at the start of the season listing potential candidates to win the National League batting championship, I don't know that his name would have been on it. Now? He's a guy people are going to keep an eye on for many years to come."

Sanchez's hit was the 40th -- and the 35th single -- produced by the two teams on this long, gray afternoon that ended with the Pirates raising their record in one-run decisions to 9-2 since the All-Star break.

The Cubs, who have lost 11 of their past 13 games, took a 3-0 lead in a 34-pitch, 19-minute first half-inning against Victor Santos.

However, the Pirates constructed a 7-3 lead by the fifth inning only to have the bullpen fritter it away.

Tracy did not want to use Matt Capps yesterday, so the army of relievers included a couple unusual faces -- Jonah Bayliss and McLeary.

The Cubs tied the score with a run in the eighth off John Grabow. The left-hander got the first two outs but then yielded singles to John Mabry, Juan Pierre and Ryan Theriot, who had five hits yesterday.

However, it would soon be deja vu all over again for the Cubs, who Tuesday night lost a lead and the game in the 11th inning, too.

"Now it's not like we're saying, 'Oh, gee, we pulled it off,"' Bay said. "The way we're playing lately, it's like we're thinking we can win. It's not like, 'I hope we win.' It's like, 'Hey, we can win this thing."'

Especially if they can get that boy who can flat-out hit to the plate.How Freddy Sanchez stands in his bid to become the first Pirates player to win a batting title since Bill Madlock in 1983: