John Russell, the Pirates' manager, assessed rookie pitcher Daniel McCutchen's PNC Park debut this way: "If you take away those two pitches to Derrek Lee, he pitched a pretty nice game."

The problem: Lee slugged the first two pitches he saw from McCutchen over fences, a solo shot to center in the first, a two-run liner just inside the left foul pole in the third, in carrying the Chicago Cubs to the 4-2 victory yesterday.

"The first one was a fastball that was supposed to be away, but stayed over. The next was a changeup," McCutchen said. "I'll learn from it, especially when it comes to one hitter beating you."

McCutchen did last seven innings -- four runs, nine hits, five strikeouts -- and drew praise from Russell.

"He threw pretty well and went deep into the game," Russell said. "I liked what I saw."

Chicago manager Lou Piniella, on the Pirates' 17-year losing streak: "They're a young ball club that's going to get better. They really are. They made a lot of changes this year for the future, and I'm sure this organization in the near future will start winning with more regularity. It'll be good for the National League, and it'll be good for the fans here."

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Today

• Game: Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs, 7:05 p.m., PNC Park.

• TV, radio: FSN Pittsburgh WPGB-FM (104.7).

• Pitching: LHP Zach Duke (10-13, 3.71) vs. RHP Ryan Dempster (8-8, 3.96).

• Key matchup: Chicago's Alfonso Soriano is a beast against Duke, with a .417 average -- 15 for 36 -- with two home runs and four doubles.

• Of note: Four of the Pirates' five walkoff hits have come from rookies, two each by Garrett Jones and Andrew McCutchen. No other team in Major League Baseball has that many by rookies.

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Did he feel for Pirates fans?

"I don't know. Cubs fans haven't won in 100 years."

Lee's thoughts: "That's a long streak. It's unfortunate. I'm sure they're not trying to make it happen. The city's a good sports town. You've got a beautiful stadium. Hopefully, they can get a good team out there."

The Pirates today will promote starter Eric Hacker from Class AAA Indianapolis, along with reliever Jeff Karstens, shortstop Brian Bixler and catcher Robinzon Diaz. Reliever Donnie Veal will be called up from Class AA Altoona.

Karstens and Veal had been on the disabled list, and it was known that Bixler and Diaz were coming, but Hacker, a 26-year-old right-hander, is a surprise: He was 6-7 with a 4.51 ERA this year in the minors, including 5-5 for Indianapolis.

• The Pirates had only two hits, but each went for extra bases: Andy LaRoche's home run in the third inning was his eighth, and Brandon Moss' RBI double in the fifth extended a 10-for-27 run that is getting him more playing time.

• Cubs reliever John Grabow, on pitching in Pittsburgh for the first time as an opponent: "It was a little different, sitting down in the front part of the bullpen, seeing my old teammates. It's nice coming back here to pitch. I love pitching here." Grabow pitched a perfect seventh.

• The Pirates celebration for Arnold Palmer's 80th birthday tonight will begin at 6:50 p.m. with a closest-to-the-pin golf contest featuring former PGA Tour player Peter Jacobsen, broadcaster Steve Blass and pitcher Paul Maholm chipping from home plate. After that, Palmer and his family will be introduced by CBS commentator Jim Nantz.