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CHICAGO -- Without a doubt, many among these Pirates have plenty to prove.
Thus, it must have been plenty sweet that three players in that category powered the team's doubleheader sweep of Chicago yesterday at Wrigley Field, a 4-0 blanking of the Cubs in the matinee and an 8-2 blowout in the nightcap: Charlie Morton pitched a four-hit shutout in Game 1, Ryan Doumit went 4 for 4 with a home run and four RBIs in Game 2, and Lastings Milledge went 4 for 8 overall with a critical hustle play.
"I can't remember the last time we won at Wrigley at all, let alone two games in one day," Doumit said. "But this is great. You want to finish strong, as a team and individually."
As a team, the doubleheader sweep was the Pirates' first since Sept. 19, 2004, against the New York Mets at PNC Park, their first on the road since Sept. 15, 1996, at San Francisco. It also marked the first back-to-back road victories of any kind since June 10-11 in Atlanta.
• Game: Pirates vs. Chicago Cubs, 8:05 p.m., Wrigley Field.
• Radio: WPGB-FM (104.7).
• Pitching: LHP Paul Maholm (8-9, 4.44) vs. LHP Tom Gorzelanny (7-2, 4.70).
• Key matchup: Maholm can finish on a good note, having allowed five total earned runs in his past three starts, thanks to a revitalized sinker.
• Of note: Andrew McCutchen has four leadoff home runs, most for the Pirates since Al Martin's six in 1999. Barry Bonds is the franchise leader, with 20.
Individually, start with Morton, the day's standout.
In getting his first career shutout in his final start, he struck out eight, allowed two hits out of the infield and, maybe most impressive, pounded the strike zone -- 76 of 119 pitches -- with his full repertoire of a fastball, sinker, curveball and changeup.
"He was outstanding," manager John Russell said.
"I felt like I wasn't pressing," Morton said. "It's the first game in a while where I felt, through the first three or four innings, like things were coming naturally."
"He really attacked hitters," catcher Jason Jaramillo said.
The concept of Morton attacking Chicago's lineup in this venue is striking in and of itself: It was here that the Cubs scored 10 runs in one inning off a much more passive Morton in that 17-2 romp Aug. 14.
After that, though, he put up a 3.50 ERA in his final seven starts, including three of his sharpest performances and 13 consecutive scoreless innings to close it out. In fact, if one takes away that 17-2 game, his season ERA would have been 3.66, almost a full run below the actual 4.55.
Not bad for someone who, when acquired from Atlanta in the Nate McLouth trade, came with the tag of lacking mental toughness.
"Charlie's growing up, not only as a pitcher but also as a major league man," pitching coach Joe Kerrigan said. "I told him after the game that I'm proud of him, with where he's come from. He wanted to come back here and prove he wasn't that pitcher from last time."
Morton, hardly the excitable sort, downplayed that.
"To be honest, if this had been my next start after that, it probably would have meant more," he said.
Still ...
"It's a big step, and I do feel like I've grown up this year."
Doumit reached base all five times up including a walk, smacked a two-run double off Carlos Zambrano and a solo home run off Carlos Marmol -- the Cubs' most prominent starter and reliever, respectively -- and looked nothing like the exasperated player who lugged a .215 average into this month.
For September, he is batting .346 with 12 of his season's 38 RBIs.
"I know Ryan's been working really hard and that he was really frustrated," Russell said. "It's great to see this, to give him a sense that he's accomplishing something."
Doumit's frustration was rooted mostly in missing 2 1/2 months to a fractured wrist, something that had visibly diminished his power after returning.
"It's been a trying year," Doumit said. "Just to have some peace of mind, to finish strong, that means something. Unfortunately, it's taken me all the way to September to find my swing."
Milledge, in addition to going 2 for 4 in each game, enabled the Pirates to score all four of their Game 1 runs with his pivotal play in the first inning.
With bases loaded and one out, the Cubs were about to turn a 4-6-3 double play, but Milledge, as he went into second base, had his right leg jutted out and jabbed shortstop Ryan Theriot in the shin. There would be no throw, a run scored, and Jaramillo's two-run double and Brian Bixler's RBI single would make it 4-0.
As Milledge walked off, Chicago second baseman Andres Blanco barked and pointed at him. Milledge turned briefly, then continued off and received high-fives in the dugout.
Nothing more came of it and, afterward, even Theriot called it "a clean play."
"We're both out of the playoffs, so they probably felt like we shouldn't play that hard," Milledge said. "But we've got a lot of guys on this team playing for spots on the team next year. We can't slack off."
Milledge, with his average up to a season-high .281, drew praise from Russell for his attitude, something that often came into question while in Washington.
"He's been on a mission ever since he came over," Russell said.
Jeff Karstens, the starter in Game 2, pitched five solid innings -- two runs and five hits -- for his first win as a starter since April 21.
At 61-97, the Pirates suddenly look like they might avoid 100 losses, needing to go just 2-2.
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