Pirates 6, Cubs 2: Andrew McCutchen homered and knocked in three runs and Charlie Morton pitched seven strong innings as host Pittsburgh took the opener of a four-game series from Chicago.

Ike Davis also homered and Starling Marte went 3-for-4 with two RBIs for the Pirates, who have won five of seven meetings this season. Morton (3-7) struck out seven and limited the Cubs to one run on six hits without walking a batter for the first time this season.

Edwin Jackson (4-6) struck out eight but allowed four runs on seven hits over six innings to take the loss. Starlin Castro went 3-for-4 and drove in both runs for the Cubs, who have lost two straight following a season-best five-game winning streak.

Marte got the Pirates on the board in the second, ripping an RBI double into the left-field corner to score Pedro Alvarez. McCutchen poked a two-run shot down the right-field line an inning later to make it 3-0 and narrowly missed another opposite-field blast in the fifth, driving in a run with a double off the wall in right.

The Cubs broke through on Castro's run-scoring double to right in the sixth, but Morton struck out Luis Valbuena to strand Castro and Chicago didn't threaten again until Castro's homer leading off the ninth. Davis led off the eighth with a solo blast to center and Alvarez and Marte followed with back-to-back doubles to tack on another run.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Marte recorded his first multi-hit game since May 24 after entering the game hitless in his previous 23 at-bats. … Jackson dropped to 1-5 on the road this season and the Cubs have lost 12 of their last 17 away from home. … Pirates 2B Neil Walker was scratched from the lineup with abdominal pain.